Curtains and window treatments can give your interior a lovely facelift for relatively little money. Choosing the right curtains for your windows can change the look and feel of your house in ways that you have probably never imagined. Window treatments provide more benefit to your house than a fashion statement and listed below are a few things you may not know about curtains and window treatments and how they affect your home.

Why Curtains Are Important

Curtains serve many purposes such as filtering light, they provide privacy, and they add color and style. The curtains that you choose will directly affect the amount of natural light in the room. In most homes, aside from the floor and the walls, windows are the largest area available for decoration. What do you think about when you choose curtains for your room?

Think about the room

You should consider which room is getting new curtains along with how much natural light you need in that room. These factors are important when choosing curtains for your home. In bedrooms, for instance, you'll want curtains or window treatments that can block light effectively for sleeping hours. Bare windows provide no privacy at all, and look stark and bare from the outside. If heavy draperies are not to your liking, you might opt for lighter curtains backed by blinds or room-darkening shades that can be opened during the day.

In the kitchen, living room or sitting room, on the other hand, you may prefer window treatments that allow sunlight into your room. One popular option is a valance or window scarf that adds some interest to the window without blocking light. One of the most popular styles for kitchens allows light while still providing a modicum of privacy. Cape Cod style curtains usually consist of a valance and a pair of tiers that hang over the bottom half of the window. Cape Cods also can be a nice choice for a teen bedroom or a bed-sitting room, especially if the entire ensemble is backed by a sheer curtain in a coordinating color.

Choosing the right material

Windows that face east or west will get direct sunlight in the morning or the afternoon. South facing windows get direct sun all day long. If those windows are not shaded in some way by trees or blinds, the strong sunlight may make rooms too warm or fade fabrics. If that is the case, you might consider mini-blinds or window shades to help keep the room cooler.

Remember that the opposite works as well – those rooms will get warmer in the winter if you choose curtains that can be opened wide to let the sunlight in.

Change the feeling of your room with curtains

Curtains can change the entire feeling of your room. While color and pattern play a big role in that, style also has an effect. In general, shorter curtains provide a more casual effect. Café curtains have a homey, casual appeal that is very appealing in a country style kitchen or dining room. Curtains that reach the windowsill are a bit more formal, and curtains that sweep the floor are dramatic and reminiscent of drawing rooms in upper class mansions.

Another rule of thumb for choosing curtains to highlight the style of your room is the amount of window that can be seen. If you have a fabulous view, choose curtains that are off the window entirely to allow the walls to frame the view. If, on the other hand, your window faces a brick wall, pretty lace curtains will obscure the view and keep the focus on the interior of the room.

Designer Window Tricks

Window treatments and curtains can also camouflage a multitude of flaws. Here are a few tricks that designers use to even up window sizes and fool the eye in other ways to make your rooms look better.

If you have different size windows, choose the largest window and dress it first. Hang the rest of the curtains at the same height. If it's possible, make sure that all the curtain hems are at the same height as well, even if that means choosing a longer length than the window needs.

To create the illusion of wider windows, extend the curtain rod beyond the window frame. To make a window look shorter, choose a window treatment with a deep valance.

Make your room more comfortable in the winter by hanging heavier drapes in sumptuous fabrics. Lighten up for spring by trading out the winter drapes for brighter colors and sheer fabrics.

There are many different types of curtains available for your home and choosing the correct design can affect your home's interior greatly. Making the decision comes down to which room you are looking to improve and the amount of natural light you need. When purchasing new curtains, you can use these tips to help make the process easier.