Curtains are an accessory that can embellish any room in your home. However, their function isn’t purely aesthetic. Curtains can protect your privacy, block sunlight, and even save your money. For this reason, knowing how to choose the right curtain fabric is crucial.
Here, we’ll explain how to pick eye-appealing and functional curtains.
Privacy
One of the factors you need to consider when picking curtain fabric is the amount of privacy you require. Different curtain fabrics have different densities. Some are better at maintaining your privacy and concealing the interior of your home from prying eyes.
You can enjoy privacy protection if you opt for curtain fabric with a higher density. For example, tightly woven cotton or synthetic materials are excellent choices. If you’re looking for the best of both worlds, pair a lighter material with heavy drapes.
Natural Light
Some rooms look better with a lot of natural light, while others don’t need as much. If you want to let sunlight inside your house, you need to be careful about selecting the right curtain fabric.
Loosely woven cotton and linen are great for increasing the amount of natural light in a room. But they aren’t so great at protecting your privacy.
In contrast, blackout curtains are designed to block the sunlight. They are typically made of heavy microfiber, polyester, or a combination of polyester and cotton.
There’s another factor to consider when talking about natural light. Namely, if your room gets direct sunlight for extended periods, the curtain fabric is likely to fade over time. In that case, it may be better to purchase light materials where sun damage won’t be so noticeable.
Room Purpose and Style
When choosing curtain fabric, you need to consider what you’re using the room for. For example, if you use the room for storage, you should probably get thicker curtains that don’t let sunlight penetrate. On the other hand, if you want to get perfect curtains for your formal dining room, you should consider silk, stylish cotton, or polyester.
Moreover, don’t forget about your plants. If you have a room with a lot of flowers and plants, you don’t want to deprive them of natural light. In that case, it’s best to go for lighter curtain fabric that will enable the plants to soak up the sun.
The fabric you choose should match the room’s style. This doesn’t mean you have to blend everything in. On the contrary, many people enjoy using different colours and patterns to emphasize different furniture. Regardless of the pattern, you should pick the fabric that blends well with the rest of the room.
Energy
Many people aren’t aware of this, but certain fabrics reduce your energy bills. Namely, hanging curtains above your windows could significantly reduce winter heat loss. Blackout curtains and those made with insulated backings can keep the heat in and reduce your heating expenses. If you live in an area with harsh winters, buying such curtains can be an excellent investment.
Those who live in warmer areas could also benefit from thick curtains. They will keep the cold in and prevent the heat from entering your home.
Maintenance
Although many tend to forget it, maintenance is one of the essential criteria to consider when shopping for curtain fabric. The fabric dictates how often and in what way the curtains should be cleaned.
All curtains should be washed from time to time. However, some materials can be machine washed, while others require dry cleaning or washing by hand. But you need to make sure and check the care label before washing.
Low-maintenance materials such as cotton or synthetic fabrics can be machine washed every few months. Since they are easy to maintain, these curtains are perfect for people with allergies.
High-maintenance materials like silk and wool need to be hand washed in cold water or dry cleaned. Otherwise, you could ruin their colour and shape.
If you opt for purchasing high-maintenance materials, don’t forget you’ll need to pay additional money to get them cleaned several times a year.
Select the Right Curtain Fabric
Choosing the perfect curtains is much more than selecting the design that matches the décor. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the amount of available choices, don’t hesitate to consult experts.
They’ll help you find eye-appealing and functional curtain fabric that matches your criteria and blends in perfectly with any room.
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