Great Curtains Make for Great Home Improvement

Curtains serve the practical purpose of helping to block out the elements like light and sound, but they’re also a key part of the aesthetic appeal of any room. Similar to the trim on a house or the icing on a cake, curtains can create a color contrast with the rest of the room and serve as a subtle ornament to what might otherwise be plain or boring. However, drab or worn out curtains can have the opposite effect, making a room seem lifeless.

Lighten up

If your room has a lot of dark furniture in it or isn’t getting a lot of light with your current shades, trade them out for light-colored or even white curtains. This small change will significantly lighten the whole room and is a great look for the summer.

Go dark

Are you having a whiteout problem in your room because you went with light furniture, white walls, and a “less is more” aesthetic? One thing that can add contrast is a blackout curtain. With this one single accessory, you can turn a light room into one that revels in darkness when the curtains are drawn and the lights are off.

Think sheer

This may not be the best option when you need to use your curtains for privacy, but sheer curtains are a great way to brighten up a kitchen or living room. For a kitchen window, try buying or making café-style chiffon curtains for a vibrant and chic look.

Get colorful

If you have white walls and white or light-colored furniture, you may have a sleek modern look going, but your room may also be lacking interesting focal points. Keep the modernity but add some interest by choosing curtains that will accent the room with a vibrant color.

Get an embroidered look

Curtains with delicate embroidery around the edges are a great way to add understated elegance to a room.

Patch it up

Purchase patchwork curtains that are all one fabric but made up off different blocks of color to add a bold statement to a room. These types of curtains are best if you have a lot of solid colors than your room rather than a bunch of other patterns that the curtains would be competing with.

Hang high

The typically hung curtains are about six inches above the actual window, but you can hang curtains higher for a dramatic effect.

Get creative with your materials

If you feel like being adventurous, brighten up any room with curtains made from an unusual fabric, like lightweight denim. Just make sure that the fabric you choose fits well with the general ambiance of the room:

Fabric weight – Try to get a nice medium-weight material since if the fabric is too heavy, the curtains might not look good when drawn.

Color – Although colorful curtains are a great way to brighten a room, they will fade over time if placed in a room that gets a lot of natural sunlight.

Length – Be sure to measure from the top of your windows to your floor before you purchase curtains, and know how high above the window you want to hang the curtains.