Curtains & Blinds

When it comes to furnishing and finishing a room, we often find that homeowners focus on the items and accessories which serve the main purpose of the room and which draw the eye, with little regard for how the surrounding walls act as a main frame for any homely space. The fact is, the walls and windows in any room have the power to completely transform the way the room is viewed, either opening it right out and ensuring a clean and airy feel, or giving it a much darker and more cluttered feel through colour and an imbalance of window framing. Curtains and blinds are particularly important in determining how natural light is used in the room, with both serving two main purposes: to shield the natural light from entering the room when necessary thus ensuring privacy, and to add aesthetic value to the windows.

The advantages of curtains

There are two main ways that curtains can be used, with the decision largely lying in the style of the room and how large the window is. Homeowners traditionally used two curtains for any one window, placing a strip of material at either side of the window which would be drawn together to create a shield to provide privacy to the occupants of the room. While this is still popular across many homes, we are also seeing an increase in the number of homeowners choosing to have just one curtain which pulls across the entire window – creating more visual interest. We often get asked by homeowners how to create balance using the latter curtain hanging technique, amid concerns that having just one curtain leaves the entire window space off-balance and uneven. To combat this, consider placing a large floor plant or floor lamp at the opposite side of the window, or else place an item of furniture close to or against the boundary where the wall and window edge meet – thus filling that gap and ensuring the illusion of a seamless space is not lost. With regards to the ideal material for curtains, we recommend assessing how many windows there are in a room how these lend themselves to natural light and the way that natural light is enjoyed across the day and evening. For a smaller room with less light, or for a living space, consider lighter and thinner curtains – whereas, for a bedroom or much larger room, you can afford for the curtains to infuse a little pattern and colour into the room.

The advantages of blinds

When compared with curtains, blinds tend to be regarded as the more modern window covering of the two, taking away the flimsy and whimsical nature of the hung fabric and replacing it with a very angular and solid structure which can be pulled down or across a window to cover or reveal and scene outside. Modern homes in particular lend themselves very well to the natural design of contemporary wooden blinds, as the structure sits within the shape of the window and creates a very even balance which is minimal in its finish and uses the natural appearance of the wood as the main decorative feature. If you do decide to opt for blinds instead of curtains, give thought to the pull cord at the side which operates the blinds – with some buyers choosing to include a wraparound hook to keep this tidy while others allow it to hang loose. The best selection of curtains and blinds can be found across homeware and DIY stores, with many retailers able to create tailored creations made to measure.