Choosing curtains is perhaps one of the most taken for granted aspect of interior design. Most people leave it for last and treat choosing curtains as more of an afterthought rather than a real part of designing their interiors. Too often, this mistake results to a half-baked look and the home owner ends up ripping off the curtains and ‘choosing’ new ones which may or may not look good or function well. Does this sound familiar to you?
Think of the time wasted and the cost of having to redo your curtains; that’s no fun at all! Sure, you can always just learn to live with your earlier choice, but hey, if you’re like me, seeing curtains which just doesn’t look right in your home will drive you crazy.
Believe me, we’ve had clients contact us at Karen Goodrich Interiors for an emergency only for me to find out later on that the emergency is some new ghastly looking ‘expensive’ curtains that are in dire need of being replaced. I’m quite sure a lot of you can relate to that – either by your own experience or just having seen a friend, a neighbour, or a family member make the same mistake.
Choosing curtains is a big commitment which can result to a very expensive mistake when done incorrectly. I guess it is why a lot of homeowners are choosing to have their windows done professionally these days and we’re happy to help them with that!
The following are the usual principles I stick to when I’m choosing curtains for clients. In no particular order, here are the 7 Tips to Avoiding Costly Mistakes When Choosing Curtains:
Choosing Curtains Tip #1 – Only choose curtains from large fabric panels
A small square of fabric will look drastically different when it is presented as a full-sized pane as compared to a 4X4 inches piece. That print you fell in-love with may well become your most loathed fabric design if it doesn’t fit your aesthetics or your wall’s paint colour. Solution? Forget the swatches and go look at large panels when curtain-shopping.
Choosing Curtains Tip #2 – Choose your curtain fabric before you choose your paint
This may sound a bit backward if you’re looking at it from a non-professional point of view, but there is so much which goes into a piece of fabric that a change in texture, a difference in hue, or a slightly cooler or warmer colour can offset the look of a whole room. This is why it is best to choose the types of fabrics (including the curtains) you’ll be using prior to deciding on a paint colour. House already painted? Refer to Tip #1.
Choosing Curtains Tip #3 – Opt for blackout lining
If you truly want to save up on some window covering, opting for a blackout lining may be a great option. More so, blackout linings can give you more privacy when needed plus functions as an extra layer of insulation to help with your cooling and heating bill all year long.
Choosing Curtains Tip #4 – Don’t be tempted with buying cheap fabrics
I’m not saying that you should go for the most expensive ones, what I’m saying is that you should always go for the highest quality fabric you can afford. Cheap fabrics may have flaws which can be very obvious on large pieces (like a curtain) so while you may be able to get away with using it for an accent pillow or two, it would be singing like a choir in full blast when used forcurtains.
Choosing Curtains Tip #5 – Don’t go with fads
If you love Pinterest, then you might have found yourself drooling at some point at all the breathtaking and sassy curtain designs. There’s all this rage about striped curtains, flowy curtains, and all other sorts of curtains. Question is, would the design you’ve been eyeing work in your space?
If you have wallpapered walls with quite a pattern on it, choosing striped curtains would be too much and may be very visually distracting. The same goes if you already have a striped pattern painted on your walls. Adding more stripes to the curtains would be over-kill and will simply make your interiors look tacky and cheap, prompting you to repurchase new curtains just to get rid of the eyesore. Save yourself some headache and money down the road by not going with curtain fads.
Choosing Curtains Tip #6 – Measure everything and have it noted
No matter if you’re having custom curtains made or purchasing pre-made ones, having your curtain length or width off by a few inches can have a huge impact on the over-all look of your curtains. Curtains which is just a tad too short can make your home look dated and cheap even if you spent thousands upon thousands for each room’s design and décor.
Choosing Curtains Tip #7 – Mind your hardware
I know that the hardware is not truly a part of choosing curtains, but making sure that your curtain doesn’t clash with your hardware is one of the secrets to having a well-designed room. It is rather like making sure all the jewelry you’re wearing complements each other to give you a polished elegant look.
Think all of these tips are too overwhelming or are too much work? Well, we can help out with all your curtain choosing woes at Karen Goodrich Interiors!
Whether you’re looking for custom curtains, custom window coverings, custom window treatments, or complete interior decoration in Sutherland Shire, St. George Area, or Eastern Suburbs, my very creative team and I are ready to professionally tackle transforming your house into a home without discounting your needs, style, and wants.
Contact us at Karen Goodrich Interiors and we’ll do our best to fix your existing curtain situation. Let us help you in avoiding costly mistakes when choosing curtains by consulting with us today.