Getting the Right Curtains for Your Home

Curtains can really make or break a room. If they hide the windows and make it dark and dreary people often decide that they should be removed in favor of blinds. That's not always the right choice, though, considering there are many different kinds of curtains out there, and just using some different ones might be a much better option.

Unless your home is huge and/or you have a window that gets too much sun during a particular time of day to the extent that it's bothersome, heavy, thick, or dark curtains are usually a bad choice because they make the room look smaller. You might not even need actual draperies or curtains, but instead can opt to go with sheer panels that give you some privacy while letting in a lot of natural light.

Sheer panels come in white, cream, and other light colors, and they stop people from seeing right in your windows without making you sacrifice the light that you would otherwise enjoy. That's particularly nice in the wintertime when days can be a little bit short on light due to longer nights and dreary or cloudy days.

If you really need something heavier than sheer panels, though, there are plenty of curtains available. Getting curtains that can be pulled to one side, either through a cord-and-pulley system or through a tie-back, are a good choice because they stay open when you want the light, and that will keep the room from looking dark and cramped. In the evening or any other time that you feel you need privacy, you can simply close the curtains.

A lot of people opt for the combination of sheer panels underneath and curtains over the top. If you're going for this look, just make sure to stick with light colors that really complement your room and keep your heavy drapes open as much as possible to keep the room from seeming stuffy.

If you're redecorating your home, that's a perfect time to think about the curtains that you currently have and what you might want to do differently. When you take the old curtains down to paint your walls, notice how much light you get at that point. If there's a big difference, keep that in mind when you're trying to decide which curtains to buy at the store.

Too many people make the mistake of thinking that they want a lot of privacy and the only way that they can get that is with heavy drapes. Blinds or sheers can also offer a lot of privacy, and they don't block out all the sunlight. That's especially important in the winter when days are shorter and often more cloudy.