Creating A Lovely Home

Choosing new curtains for your home isn't as simple as finding a pattern or color you like. You will need to balance what you want with the design of the room and your budget. The following guide can help you make an informed choice so that you don't suffer buyer's remorse from choosing the wrong window treatments.

What is the purpose of the curtains?

Before you can even begin to shop, you need to sit down and decide every purpose the curtains need to fulfill. There will likely be more than one. Examples include the following:

• Privacy

• Insulation

• Light blocking abilities

• Room décor

Once you know what you need and hope to achieve, it becomes easier to narrow down your choices. For example, you may love the color of a curtain, but if you can see through it, it can't provide the privacy you want.

How many layers are acceptable?

Some people like to layer their window treatments, while others prefer to keep it simple. If you like the layered look, decide which layers you do want – sheers, drapes, multiple drapes, or a valance. One benefit of the layered look is you can use different curtains to achieve different needs, such as using sheers for letting light in and insulated light-blocking drapes for evening insulation and privacy.

For those that prefer the simple single curtain look, it can be more challenging since you will need one curtain to provide all of your needs. It may make more sense to have custom made curtains to ensure you have everything you want.

Is there a right way to hang curtains?

To look their best, curtains should be wider than the window they are covering. You don't want light leaking around the side, and it looks better when the window is completely covered.

You can hang the rod anywhere above the window; just make sure rod height is consistent for all the windows in a room. Keep in mind, if there is more than a few inches of space above the window frame, this can look odd when the curtains are open unless you have a valance. As for bottom length, go several inches to a couple of feet below the window frame, just be consistent. Then, make sure that your curtains match these measurements and not just the window measurements.

For more help, talk to a window covering specialist in your area.