Curtains vs Blinds?
When to choose curtains and when to choose blinds…it’s an interesting dilemma.
In a room with many windows, you might not want to have curtains in every window, you may not want blinds in every window either so having a mixture can be the best answer. Hang soft, warm, luxury curtains in windows where they have room to breathe. This could be French doors or the largest window in the room, then hang roman blinds in smaller less accessible windows. It is best not to have more than 2 big pairs of curtains in one average sized room. It’s a real visual balancing act.
A large-scale pattern like the curtain below in Song Birds – Buttercup, Clay and Charcoal, lends itself really well to big windows.
The other plus of a mixture of two window treatments, is that you can use more than one pattern: maybe stripes or spots on the blinds and a larger scale pattern for the curtains. Too many blinds and no curtains can create a plain and less cosy feel. Curtains are also brilliant at helping to reduce noise levels in a room as they literally absorb sound: especially useful in a dining area where people can get vociferous! Here I have used a Plain Linen Union in Dove for roman blinds, which provide a subtle backdrop for the full length curtains in Simple Ticking Detail in Charcoal.
Curtains and Radiators for Radiators Under Windows
If you have radiators under windows try an interlined roman blind and curtains. You can drop the blind when the radiator is on and you still have the lovely softness of curtains to draw when the radiators are turned off.
In the room below, I have teamed Up the Garden Path in Mushroom for the blinds, with a Pretty Maids design in Mushroom, Teal and Winter.
Here is how to measure for curtains if you’re settled on choosing them.
Please take a look at our Made to Measure service to find out more.
Founder and owner of Vanessa Arbuthnott Fabrics. Vanessa creates content around fabric types, blind styles and curtain designs to best suit the needs of Vanessa Arbuthnott customers.
