Curtains or drapes add more than just warmth and privacy to your home. They can be one of the more personalizing elements of your decor. It is important that you choose the right curtains for your room, as they will continue to grow on you with time. Make sure that before purchasing them.
Balancing the right width, length and fabric are three of the most important considerations when choosing curtains for your window. Mixing and matching all these elements will determine how well the drapery fashionably dresses up or down your windows.
We bring you 10 common errors that people make while selecting their drapes. We hope that by avoiding these mistakes, you can save time and money while choosing the right curtains for you to get started immediately on decor central with hundreds of curtain styles to choose from!
Failure to Work Out How Wide a Curtain Has to Be
With so many types of windows available in our homes today, it’s easy to lose track of how much room there is for window dressings inside them. To avoid this mistake, work out the exact width of your window and then add on an extra 100mm (4″) for a rod or pelmet.
Not Matching the Right Material Type to the Purpose of the Room
If you’ve got children, pets, or even regular guests who smoke, it’s worth choosing materials that can handle a lot more stress than others. All curtain fabrics are not made equal and some materials will fray easily, shrink in high heat or just simply look horrible after a heavy-duty clean, such as Dry Clean only silks, which need to be professionally dry cleaned at least twice a year!
Buying Poor Quality Curtains
The saying “you get what you pay for” rings true when buying curtains. There are many cheap online curtain shops that sell affordable yet poor-quality drapes, so if you’re on a budget, be sure to follow the next tip as well!
Not Checking the Backing Material of your Curtains
Backing plays a big part in how well and how long your drapery will last, not only how it looks hung up straight away. A polyester backing is by far the most popular choice as it stands up best for regular machine washing and drying over other fabrics such as cotton or viscose.
Not Matching Your Curtains with Other Interior Design Elements
Not matching your curtains with other elements, such as wall paints or flooring. Curtains aren’t just another piece of furniture, but they should be planned into the overall design strategy of a room. The style of your curtains should not only look attractive and stylish but should also be in harmony with the rest of the elements in your home, such as flooring, wall paints, and furniture.
Not Checking How Thermal (insulating) your Curtain Fabric is
Does your curtain have the right attributes to keep out winter cold? Most people think their curtains keep out the cold until they realize that on some nights all their efforts are wasted because of shivering under thin cotton or polyester drapes! Do yourself a favor and get something that will actually perform well at keeping cool air in over summer too, not just warm winter heat!
Not Considering Practicality
What can you easily clean? Curtains come in all shapes and sizes and it’s important to decide what fabric will suit your needs best. For example, if you have children who are always leaving the house with dirty hands draped all over them, then it might be worth choosing a washable material that can be cleaned easily or at least changed regularly.
Not Measuring Your Windows Correctly
If you take this step for granted, chances are you’ll be returning home from work tonight to find torn curtains hanging over your window sills! This is especially common when people are buying ready-made drapes which have widths pre-determined by the manufacturers, so they never consider how much room they need on either side of the window frame. If you’re not sure how to go about measuring a window, try this easy step-by-step guide.
Not Considering the Style of your Home
The workplace is a completely unique environment from a nursery or a living room, so it makes perfect sense that your choice of curtains should reflect the type of home you have and how you use them. If you’re looking for an elegant look, then pick up some patterned silk draperies which will add texture and shine to any room while if you want something practical then get curtains made from strong materials such as cotton or linen which are not only hard-wearing but also fantastic insulators (even when they end up in the washing machine after exposure to food stains).
Not Shopping Around
There are cheap and cheerful curtains and there are also super expensive designer ones (most of which you can find cheaper online or in stores like Ikea).
Curtains make a massive difference to the overall style and personality of any room. It’s vital that your choices reflect who you are as well as how much effort you’re willing to put into them. If you follow these tips then not only will your house be looking amazing but also your wallet will thank you for all those times you didn’t have to rush out just before closing time to grab new drapes!
More Reads: Tips and Tools for a Successful Manicure at Home
