Patterned or Plain Curtains? How To Decide


When you’re having curtains made to measure to fit the windows in your various living spaces, you not only have to decide on the kind of fabric you want to use, but also whether you want something plain or something patterned… and it can be a lot harder to make that decision than you might think!

First of all, take a look at the room as a whole. If you’ve gone for something heavily decorated, with lots of home decor items and furnishings in bright colours and interesting designs, it might be a better option to go for something plain with your curtains, as this will help unify the space and stop it from becoming overwhelming.

Of course, pattern forms one of the main elements of interior design and it can add serious appeal to any room, whether it be in soft furnishings, fabrics, rugs and wallpaper, or your curtains!

Considering the size of the space you have to play with will help you decide if pattern is appropriate. If you’ve got a small room, you would perhaps be wise to avoid bringing in too many patterned elements because this can overwhelm the room.

Conversely, however, you can actually use pattern well to create the illusion of space if you go for something with vertical or horizontal lines and stripes - something else to bear in mind when choosing curtain fabrics.

Another point worth thinking about is the style of the room, as this will also inform the kind of pattern that would work well with the rest of your design choices.

If you’ve gone for something traditional, for example, then something in a floral pattern for your curtains could work well, while a more geometric fabric choice might be better in more contemporary rooms.

Because curtains take up such a big amount of visual space, it’s important that you do devote enough time to picking out the perfect fabric in the right style - or you could find you’ve made rather an expensive mistake once they’ve been hung and you step back to look at them.

One top tip to help you get it right and save yourself a lot of upset in the long run is to always make sure that you collect swatches of the fabrics you’re interested in and see how they hold up when in the room itself. Tape them to the wall near the window and see how you feel - you might find that the decisions very quickly make themselves.

And don’t forget about the hardware, either. If you’re going for curtain rods, make sure these tie in well with your fabric. If you’ve gone for velvet, for example, a heavier and more decorative rod can really add a serious sense of luxury.

We’d love to hear what design ideas you’ve got in mind, so get in touch to let us know what you’re doing with your curtains right now!


Leave a comment


Please note, comments must be approved before they are published



English
Close form 2

GET 15% OFF YOUR 1ST ORDER

When you sign up to our newsletter