How To Purchase The Correct Curtains The Starting Fourth Dimension Time

The other day, every bit oft happens at HomeGoods, I came across a clearance detail I wasn’t looking for—but had to have: 4 gorgeous pairs of velvet curtains for $30 each. I didn't get got a specific piece of occupation inwards hear for them, but idea they mightiness expect prissy inwards my dining room. Or my bedroom. Or my office. I was a flake directionless, clearly, but figured I’d abide by a identify for curtains every bit stunning every bit these. 

I purchased i pair together with asked the cashier to concur the other 3 pairs, exactly inwards illustration the panels looked best inwards my bedroom, which has 4 windows. 

“Curtains are i of our publish i returned items,” she volunteered. “People are ever getting the color or size wrong.”

I idea I’d hold out different. But, alas, the curtains looked terrible inwards my dining room, since they had to drape awkwardly exactly about a radiator. They only looked slightly improve inwards every other room of my house. 

One twenty-four hours later, I was a HomeGoods cliche: I reluctantly took dorsum the panels—and encountered the same cashier, who repeated her spiel virtually curtains existence an oft-returned item. My conclusion: It was fourth dimension to produce some curtain-buying research—and avoid making the same error twice. 

Step 1: Measure!

Before you lot fifty-fifty consider curtains, create upwards one's hear the dimensions of your windows. Your dominion of thumb: Curtains should hold out virtually twice the width of your window. (If your curtains are strictly decorative—that is, you lot don’t intend to unopen them—you tin scale dorsum to 1.5 times the width of the window.) 

Length is a picayune trickier—where your curtains should autumn depends alone on the mood you lot desire to create. Going for a formal feel? Consider puddling your curtains, tacking on i to 3 extra inches (any to a greater extent than exactly looks messy). Cute together with casual? Select a a sill-length pair. Classic together with tailored? Choose curtains that exactly touching the flooring (or hover, at most, one-half an inch inwards a higher identify the floor).  

To measure, showtime from the flooring (or sill, if that’s what you lot prefer) together with halt exactly inwards a higher identify the window casing, propose the pros at Better Homes & Gardens.

Step 2: Start at the top.

The locomote past times of your panels isn’t exactly an aesthetic consideration—the agency you lot hang your curtains volition impact how they autumn from the rod, according to West Elm’s mantle buying guide. Pole bag curtains—those where you lot only sideslip the rod through a cloth sleeve—create a laid-back, non-uniform expect (warning: these don’t easily slide if you lot computer programme to opened upwards together with unopen them), land those amongst metallic grommets or cloth tabs render build clean lines together with smoothen pleats (bonus: grommets are the easiest to slide).

The most elegant option? Hidden tabs, which laissez passer curtains a tailored, custom appearance. Note: Although curtains rarely get got hooks anymore, you lot may meet this manner if you lot purchase vintage. Hanging amongst hooks provides a traditional, streamlined look. 

Step 3: Decide on your purpose.

Are you lot seeking privacy—or exactly a pretty splash of pattern on your windows? Do you lot desire to block every bit much lite every bit possible, or piece of cake the glare of the Sun only slightly? The piece of occupation of your panels volition impact what type of cloth you lot choose. Cotton curtains allow the sun’s rays current through, linen (and linen blends) offering a picayune to a greater extent than protection, together with wool or velvet panels are i stair behind blackout shades, inwards price of light-blocking ability, according to West Elm.

Consider the mood your stuff creates, too: Heavy fabrics, similar velvet, create drama together with warmth, land cotton fiber gives your infinite an airy, casual feel. 

Step 4: Pick your pattern or color.

I made the fatal error of mantle buying: assuming the color I view inwards the store—under a fluorescent glow—is the same i I'd view at home. To avoid this pitfall, lead a pillow, a swatch of fabric, or a pigment sample amongst you lot land shopping; that way, you lot tin hold out certain to check your mantle color to your palette every bit closely every bit possible. If you lot desire your curtains to blend, rather than making a bold statement, select a hue that is a yoke shades darker or lighter than your wall color.

A few pointers on pattern: As beautiful every bit those paisley panels are, inquire yourself: Will I nevertheless dearest this pattern on repeat across an entire wall? As a full general guideline, large patterns piece of occupation inwards large rooms, together with pocket-sized patterns are best inwards pocket-sized rooms. (Of course, I’m all virtually rule-breaking when it comes to decorating, thus don’t hold out afraid to experiment!)