There are different kinds of curtains in the market today. Picking one with the ideal texture or fabric for your living room can be a tad complicated, and confusing. In this post, we’ll focus on some of the most important factors to consider in your selection process.
There are several considerations when choosing living room curtains you need to look into first. Here are the most significant factors that you simply can’t ignore:
- Length
- Room size
- Insulation
- Ease of operation
- Fabric and color
You still have a lot of questions, we know. Scroll down and keep reading for more in-depth explanations and handy curtain tips you never knew you needed.
How To Choose Curtains For Your Living Room
Length
Determine how high you’d want your curtains to be above your window. A rule of thumb is to hang your curtains at least six inches above your window frame. Measure the window’s width and the length from the top of your window to the floor.
Measure the width as well and add about four to eight inches on each side to ensure that your curtain fits well enough to block any creeping sunlight.
Room Size
Your choice of the curtain should optimize the size of your living room in one way or another. Small spaces, for example, look bigger and better with classic panel curtains. Larger living rooms will do just fine with full, thick curtains. These make them seem extra cozy, especially when you pick the right patterns, stripes, or colors.
Insulation
Use the right fabrics for the right season. Hanging a thin fabric curtain fabric during winter or a thick fabric curtain during summer is impractical. If you have the money, you can buy one for each season. If not, opt for a medium curtain that is thermally lined and works great for all weather conditions.
Ease of Operation
Curtains need to be opened and closed at any time of the day. For that reason, they should be easy to draw or close without much hustle. It helps a lot to hang curtains on rods. They work great for all window sizes!
Fabric and Color
Fabrics determine how long and how well curtains hold up and function over time. Heavy materials insulate rooms and work best during cold weather. In warm weather, counter the heat with sheer fabrics such as linen and silk.
If your room gets a lot of sunshine, it’s a good idea to go for dark colors. Brightly-colored fabrics fade quicker.
What Is The Proper Length For Living Room Curtains?
There’s no right or wrong measurement as far as curtain lengths go. You’re bound to receive conflicting answers depending on who you ask and how deeper you look into it. It all boils down to your personal decision and what curtain length you think would work best for your window.
You should be extra careful when choosing the length of your curtain. As a guide, we won’t give you the ‘proper’ range per se, but the standard ones instead. In a living room, a floor-length curtain is common to create a traditional look. Whether you leave your curtain an inch or so from the floor for a more informal setting or pooled on the floor for a more elegant look, is up to you.
Online or in-store living room curtains are available in lengths of 63, 84, 94, 108, and 120 inches. Some curtains can stretch up to an impressive 144 inches.
Should The Curtains Touch The Floor?
Here’s another situation where your personal preference comes into play. Long curtains are ideal for large rooms, spaces with huge windows, or anywhere that you’d want an airy atmosphere.
If you prefer a more casual look for your living room curtains, then do away with this idea. Instead, settle for short curtains that are ideal for smaller rooms. It also works to have curtains that hang at a fair distance from the floor.
Short curtains are equally as stylish as the lengthy, ornate, or frilly kinds. Ensure your curtains are not shorter than your window, though.
An excellent way to make sure your curtains are short enough is to make sure they don’t go past three inches of your windowsill. The last thing you want to do is hang your curtain halfway between the floor and the windowsill.
Should Curtains Be Longer Than The Windows?
All your living room curtains should be at a considerable length below your window. Curtains that are ‘too short’ look awkward. The worst part is that most people make this common mistake and don’t even realize it.
To avoid this, here are three available styles you can take a shot at:
1. The slight float: here, the curtain hangs less than an inch away from the floor. This is a good option if you rarely fold your curtains and want them to hang freely throughout.
2. The puddle: this style has a romantic yet feminine vibe to it. Your curtains should puddle over the floor to reveal the fabric’s high quality and beautiful texture.
3. The kiss: just like the slight float, your curtains will barely touch the floor. You just need to have some super accurate measurements to accomplish this style.
What Color Should Living Room Curtains Be?
Never pick out any curtain just cause it would look great on your window. There are tons of crucial elements you should look into first. One of them – and the most important – is the style of your living room.
By style, we mean the color of your furniture, carpets, floors, and walls. A good rule of thumb is to pick out a curtain that bears a neutral tone to other objects or surfaces in your living room.
The opposite can work as well – if your furniture and entire room have neutral shades, bring some energy into your l room by opting for vivid colored curtains. Orange is a beautiful color to liven up any room with dull shades.
Orange curtains make it easy for anyone in the room to feel at ease and enjoy a sense of comfort. Living room aside, you can also hang them in the bedrooms and the kitchen, as well.
Should Your Curtains Match Your Wall Color?
It might be a good idea for some, but it’s not the best one as far as living room décor goes. You’d do well to mix things up a little; choose a curtain color that goes slightly contrary to your wall color.
For instance, if your living room has apricot walls, go for a burnt-orange colored curtain. If you opt for a more subtle color difference, don’t be too off when deciding the right color. Stay within two shades – or three at most – of your wall color.
Just keep your curtain colors neutral to the color of your living room walls. White curtains are an exception since they can complement both cool and warm wall colors.
To add some visual interest to your curtains, decorate them with contrasting fabrics whose hem or leading-edge has similar colors to your wall.
Should Your Living Room Curtains Match Your Sofa?
As you pay attention to the colors of your room dividers, don’t neglect your sofas. You should match the colors of your couch to your curtains for a balanced and intentional décor. It’s only a matter of finding the perfect combination.
You can start by examining your room and studying its overall style to determine the curtain type that will fit in just right with your sofa color. For colored sofas, pick out a specific color within the pattern for your curtain.
For example, let’s assume you have a gold couch with brown accents, green stems, and red flowers. The green color from the green stems could be a possible color for your curtain.
When looking for such color at the store, be sure to carry a paint chip of the color along.
What Are The Typical Fabrics That Are Good For Living Room Curtains?
Curtains are available in every fabric you can think of. However, some are suited better to specific living rooms more than others. Here are the best and most common types of fabrics for living room curtains:
- Silk: We’ve all used a silk curtain at least once in our lives. This type of fabric brings a touch of formality to a room. Curtains made of silk are both traditional and classic.
Click here to view this fabric on Amazon.
- Cotton: It’s the most versatile of all the fabrics; it’s also the easiest to clean. It comes in different styles and colors and used for either casual or formal settings.
Click here to view this fabric on Amazon.
- Velvet: Curtains of this fabric are luxurious and quite heavy. It is rarely used in casual rooms, but it depends on personal taste.
- Sheers: They’re great for allowing light to pass, but very poor when it comes to offering privacy.
Click here to view this fabric on Amazon.
Get The Right Hanging Style For Your Curtain
There are several ways to hang your curtain, from tab tops and grommets to rings, rod-pockets, and pleated styles. We suggest the tab tops, grommets, and rod—pockets since they’re more cost-effective and relatively easy to set up.
Whatever style you decide upon, ensure it brings out the best in your curtain and your living room.