How to Choose Curtains or Drapes for Your Home

If you are on the lookout for the perfect set of curtains or drapes to enhance the look of a room but do not have a clue as to what the different types are that are available to you are, this guide will give you the information you need to make an informed decision.

One: Priscilla Curtains. This type of curtain offers a soft, flowing look to a room. They are usually hung with the upper portion of the two curtains crossing over one another and they generally tie back on the sides.

Two: Swags. These can be doubled with a hanging curtain beneath them in a matching or coordinating color or pattern, or they can stand on their own. They are box or rectangular in shape and hang about less than a foot from the curtain rod. They provide accent within the room, rather than a focal point.

Three: Café Curtains. This type of curtain generally covers the bottom half of a window only. They are meant for function but can also add a bit of style and flair to a room. They are casual and easy to pull open and shut with their loose fitting rings.

Four: Traverse and Café Curtains. This incorporates the look of a café curtain by having the loose fitting curtain on the bottom half of the window but it also adds privacy and elegance by having a full drape posted along each side of it. You can easily open or shut the tabs or hardware put on the sides to pull them back or let them loose, whenever you choose.

Five: Double-Hung Draperies. This look can be one of two styles. It can either be a heavy drape as the underlying drapery that shuts out light, with formal drapes on either side for decorative features, or it can be a sheer underlying drapery with panels on either side of it, allowing light to come in but still be slightly filtered. This is also sometimes called the Double Hung Traverse.

Six: Two-Way Traverse. This is the drape set that you can pull from either side towards its center. It is a great foundation curtain for layering or can be used to provide a finished look on its own.

Seven: One-Way Traverse. This drape is the kind that you use when you have a door that opens on one side only. It allows you to pull the curtain to one side to let in light.

Eight: Sliding Panels. These curtains hang down straight from an overhead track.

Nine: Draw Curtains. These curtains give you all pull options, allowing you to pull from either side or to draw the curtains towards the center. They are fantastic for triple windows. You can add a valance if so desired, or if using on a very large window add layers of valances that overlap or drape, remaining stationary while the other curtains are able to move about freely.

Ten: French Door Traverse Drapes. You can get the type that draws to one side or the kind that remains fixed on the door and drawn towards the middle (in an hourglass fashion). You can get sheer or color, depending on the style you are trying to depict.

With a little knowledge under your belt as to what types of curtains there are available to you, making the decision of which ones you will choose for your home decorating needs will prove easier. You can use fabrics, styles and designs to really make a room pop, or you can use them in a more subtle manner to simply add a finished cohesion to the space. Whatever you opt for, know that there are so many colors, fabrics and patterns on the market that you never have to settle for a look that is anything less than perfect for you. Happy decorating!