Curtains and Drapes

Here are 3 ways that drapes and curtains can improve your living room.

From Drab To Fab

If you've been living in a home for a few years and aren't as excited about it as you once were it might be time to spruce things up. If you're not invested in repainting the walls or making any drastic changes, a new set of curtains or drapes could do the trick. If you've got a monotone furniture and living room set up, some polka dots or brightly-colored patterns will breathe new life into your living space.

If you're not ready to make a huge leap, even a change in color could make a difference. If you've been matching your dark tones together for a while, it's time to go with a pastel or a brighter complementary colour. Solid coloured drapes and curtains could change the feeling in your room without having to spill a drop of paint.

Warm Things Up

Even if you're into modern design, your home can still be comfortable and warm. One of the issues with homes that rely on the mid-century modern style or contemporary design is that they lose that indescribable element of "home". The right set of curtains can recapture that element and fill your home with it.

Even if you've got a comfortable furniture set and a cosy living space, your curtains could be contrasting with the feeling of your room. They shouldn't just match your living space but complement and enhance it. To ensure that you're getting the most from your curtains, choose a fabric or pattern that can bring out the best elements of your current set up.

Layers For All Weather

Curtains and drapes aren't just for show. They serve practical purposes. Whether you live in a hot or cold climate, dense drapes can help to keep cool air in during warm weather or keep cold air out in the winter.

Meanwhile, your sheer curtains can help to filter out the direct sunlight that comes in throughout the day. Alternately, they help to lend you some privacy in your home if you're at the centre of a busy area. Using these layers intelligently will allow you to not only lower your energy costs but also give you privacy when you need it.

When you're prepared for all weather, you'll want to spend more time in your living room than ever before.

Curtains and Drapes Need to Fit Your Style

When you're on the hunt for new curtains and drapes, you need to find a set that matches your overall aesthetic. While you might be tempted to shake up your style in a big way, if they deeply clash with your furniture, you might be no more pleased than before.

If you're still considering going with blinds, check out our guide to what you should be looking for in a set of blinds.

Do you need drapes for your windows at home, or will curtains do? The first step to figuring out which treatment is right for your windows is to understand the difference between drapes vs. curtains.

When it comes to decorating your house, the smart way to approach it is to find items that merge form with function.

In other words, it should look great, but it also needs to function well in your home.

That includes how you decorate your windows. There's a difference between drapes and curtains. Both have advantages and disadvantages.

The trick is to figure which is better for your needs. To help you out, keep reading to learn whether you should choose drapes vs curtains.

Drapes Vs Curtains

First off, it's important to recognise that anything hung over a window is considered to be a window treatment.

There are various types of window treatments to choose from. And in some cases, you can use more than one type of treatment for a window.

Window treatments are great for several reasons. You can keep out or let in the sun. And you can keep your home cool in the summer and warm in the winter. They also dress up any space.

Drapes

Drapes are made from fabric panels. They typically come in pairs.

Drapes are always lined, sometimes heavily. For that reason, they're often purchased to help block out outside sunlight.

Many people use drapes in living rooms, dining rooms, and bedrooms. Drapes often hang all the way to the floor and are typically made with stiffer fabrics, including velvet, silk, or damask.

While they come in a variety of styles and colours, most often they are solid rather than heavily patterned. You'll often find that drapes vs curtains are pleated. And there is more than one style of pleat available.

The pleats and the heavier fabric contribute to a more formal appearance in the rooms they're used in. You'll have to hang your drapes from a rod on a hook, grommet, ring, or fabric sleeve.

Drapes with valances are often used together to complete the look of a room. Most choose to match the drapes and valances using the same material and design but it's also possible to mix and match.

Curtains

When comparing curtains vs drapes, there aren't too many differences. But those differences do matter.

Curtains are also fabric panels that are often sold in pairs. However, curtains come in a wide variety of lengths, widths, colours, and patterns.

They are also made with much lighter weight fabrics than drapes. Some of the material used in curtains is extremely sheer.

Sheer curtains are perfect in rooms where you're looking to filter some sunlight but also require natural light in your home.

Curtains work well in every room. In the kitchen, you'll often find curtains and valances used together which is called a cafe curtain.

In the bedroom, it's common to use curtains with blinds or shades to give the room a more fashionable look. Adding curtains will also help to block out more sunlight.

You'll hang the curtains and valances from rods, metal grommets, a fabric sleeve, or metal or fabric rings. In most cases, you can choose to hide the rod or use it as part of the decoration.

Make Your Choice

Whether you choose drapes vs curtains is your choice. Pick whichever one works for your needs.

Before you make any purchases, don't forget to fill in and request a Free in-Home Measure and Quote from one of Dollar Curtains Specialists.

Your next step is to take a look at our products to find your perfect match.

If you're not decorating homes for a living, knowing which window treatments work for which rooms can feel like taking a shot in the dark. 

The terms blinds and shades are used almost interchangeably by the average person. But there is a big difference between the two. And choosing the right one for your home is important.

In fact, shades and blinds can majorly affect how much you end up paying on your energy bill.

But don't worry. You don't need a professional to figure out which is best for you. We've outlined the difference between blinds and shades so you pick what's perfect for your home.

Blinds

One of the easiest ways to spot blinds is by looking for their either vertical or horizontal slats. These hard window treatments give you a few benefits:

• Blinds allow you to adjust the slats to control how much or how little light comes through.
• Some will have a thin fabric overlaying them to make your home more private.
• Depending on what material they're made out of, they can be a budget-friendly option.

Most blinds don't completely block out your windows, which could be a concern for privacy. Be sure to check out different options of blinds to see which coverage is best for you.

Shades

Shades tend to be a large piece of fabric that you can scroll up and down to cover your windows. They can come in a wide variety of style, material, and price.

• Shades can be made out of virtually any fabric, so you can really customise them to your space.
• They are great for insulating your home.
• You can scroll the top halfway down to let light in without losing your privacy.
• You can go for maximum coverage to solar shades to woven shades depending on how much light you'd like to spill in.

While you can't adjust the light filtering in the way you can with blinds, shades allow you to maintain your privacy while still allowing pockets of light to peek through.

Blinds Vs Shades

When choosing between these two options consider what kind of look you're going for. Do you prefer a hard window treatment like wood or aluminum blinds?

Or do you like the look of one seamless cover that shades give you? And if you're looking to really make a statement with your shades, check out some that have drapery options to really elevate the look of your space.

The Difference Between Blinds And Shades For Your Home

When you're choosing between blinds vs shades, don't stress. With so many beautiful options to choose from you really can't go wrong.

Go for what speaks to your style and works in your space. And if you've got more questions about the difference between blinds and shades, we're here to help. Contact us so we can help you make the most out of your windows.