Choosing Living Room Curtains and Drapes

Making a choice about the curtains and drapes for your living room can be really confusing, only because of the variety available. What's more, there are a lot of other factors you haven't even realized, that need to be taken into account when choosing these curtains and drapes. Here's how you can make this process easier.

Apart from their functional use, curtains and drapes enhance the visual appeal of a room. They add to its aesthetic value and help highlight the furniture and accessories present in the room. Simply put, they can be used as a focal point, or as a backdrop to accentuate a focal point you are trying to create. So, how can you decide what kind of curtains and drapes are more suited to living rooms than any other room in a house? Let's take a look.

Choosing Living Room Curtains and Drapes

The choice of drapes depends on the purpose you want to use them for. Of course, the first one is to block out the sunlight, but the choice of curtains depends on the amount of sunlight entering the room. For instance, if it is the morning sunlight, you would choose ones that allow this light to filter into your living room, while you enjoy a cup of tea early in the morning. For this purpose, you could choose light cotton, sheer, or lace materials. However, window treatments also have to provide privacy during the evening. So, having a dual set would be ideal, for you to enjoy your mornings, and privacy in the evenings. On the other hand, if it is the rays of the setting sun that make it through your room, choosing a darker shade would be ideal to block out these harsh rays. As such, thick cotton or silk would be a great choice. Silk curtains are slightly more difficult to maintain, but since your living room is where you entertain your guests, choosing rich curtains is a good investment. This room is also the focal point of your house, which is why all measures toward appropriate home decoration should be followed.

As mentioned earlier, apart from the functional use of curtains, they are also used for the purpose of decorating the living room. If you wish to use them as a focal point, then the ideal way to do so is to choose a good pattern and print on them. For instance, a curtain with floral prints would do well in a traditionally decorated room, while a modern room would be able to carry off curtains and drapes with geometric prints beautifully. The manner in which you want to drape them is also important. For instance, do you want luxurious valances, or do you simply want them to stand out on their own, on a beautiful curtain rod? It is only your personal choice that will matter here.

Colors are also very important. While the light and privacy factor will help determine the color you choose, the overall decorating pattern and color scheme of the living room will be another factor you should consider. Further, if you want to put up curtains on large windows, keep in mind that the color you choose should not be too dark. A large span of a dark color will make your living room look dull and steal away all the charm it holds.

Finally, the shape of your windows are a big deciding factor. Bay window treatments will vary from window treatments for arched windows. Again, both can be as simple or as luxurious as you want them to. Further, while you may choose shorter curtains for windows, it is ideal to have drapes for French doors to give them the grand look they deserve.

With these tips, you can get as creative as you wish to, indulge in different styles of curtain draping, and come up with some great curtain ideas based on the overall look of your living space.