When the time comes to decorating and setting up your living room, you have to be very careful about the decision you make. Whatever you choose, from the flooring color to the throw cushions, is going to be in front of you, your family, and anyone who comes over. This is the room where you’d probably spend most of your day, so you want it to look as aesthetically pleasing as possible.
Along with the appearance, it makes sense to choose the interior decor for your living room with an eye towards practicality. Most people have done away with ruffles and intricate carvings that just gather stubborn dust. The same goes for curtains; you want them for privacy and decoration purposes, but would also like to draw them back when needed. Since they’d probably occupy a large area of the living room wall, they also need to go with your current theme.
The curtains in your living room are an essential part of your decor choices, but they could be either convenient or a hassle depending on your choices. Make sure you’re making the right living room curtains by checking out the pointers below:
1. Focus on Functionality First
The right curtains for living rooms will set the tone for the rest of your home. It might be best to start in this area first, and then move on to decorating the other spaces. It’s not just about the colors and lengths of material, but also what they do for your living room and how they can be fictional.
Investing in quality drapery panels, for instance, can be a practical choice. This is because they’ll result in the living room’s temperature; keeping out the cold and making the room cozy during winter, and keeping out the heat during the summertime.
What’s more, proper drapery panels in your windows will also ensure that you get the privacy you need in your living as and when required. At the same time, you want the sun shining through the window treatments for that essential vitamin D.
Picking the right kind of drapes should focus on the practical needs first. Ask yourself questions like the following in order to understand how customized drapes can do for your living space:
- Do I want privacy and to what extent?
- What is the size of my living room and how much will I be using it in the course of a week or day?
- Would the children/pets be allowed in the whole area or just a part of it? (assuming you have any)
- Where would I need to block out the sun at some points during the day?
- Are pleats more my style or straight, minimalistic designs?
- Would I want to have natural light shining through all day or not?
- Do I want to switch out the decor according to the seasons?
- Am I changing just the drapes or going on a full-blown renovation project?
- How limited is the budget? Is it financially possible to customize something specifically for my living room?
The answers to these questions shouldn’t be too complicated or take too long to decide. Take a piece of paper and pen, sit down with a trusted friend, and use these questions to realize just what you need from your living room’s panels. This way, you can start focusing on getting exactly what’s practical for your needs and nothing extra.
2. Check Out Your Choices
You can get all types of curtains on the market now, so it shouldn’t be hard to organize your living room in the way you visualize it. If you’re thinking about grommets, pleats, and hardware for your drapery, rest assured that most of these are easily available online as well as in the brick and mortar stores.
However, before you start exploring the materials and colors, take type to learn about the kinds of curtains and their roles. Here are five types of drapes that you may want to consider for your living room:
- Euro Pleat Drapes: Such drapes or curtains have elegant stitching and are a little pinched on the top. The pleats and neat and even, falling freely to the floor. If you’re going for a classic look, this is one of the most popular and effective choices.
- Pinch Pleat Drapes: These pleats have a tack around 4 inches from their header. They’re a traditional and versatile choice which will go well in almost any room. If you’re looking for privacy and light control along with easing opening and closing, these drapes are a logical choice
- Grommet drapes: These curtains combine curtains rails and linen fabrics into a cohesive piece. The panels contain round grommets, which provide both support and a unique touch. Their look is great for designers who might want their window drapery accentuated.
- Ripple Fold Drapes: These contain twice the amount of fabric as the options we’ve covered above. They give a full look, so you won’t need much width to make the appearance complete. They also have a customized track that you can directly count onto a wall or ceiling.
- Inverted Pleat Drapes: These are an unusual choice, as the folds are practically hidden. You get a flat surface at the very top of such curtains. You might want to go with this option if pleats are wanted but you prefer a non-traditional look.
3. Select a Suitable Color
Now that you know what kind of curtains will fulfill your needs, check out the colors available. The shades you choose can either blend with your existing decor or become a contrasting focal point within the whole room.
If you wanted your curtains to be a bit muted and in the background, select material with a color that matches the walls or at least the trim of the walls. For making a bold statement, go for a bright color.
In either case, keep in mind that lighter colors will give you more natural light and a breezy look. Dark shades will give off a heavy, dominating, grounded look.
Most designers go for the 60-30-10-10 rule when you’re planning the color of your living room in general. If you’re renovating the whole area, it’s probably best to stick with 60 percent of the room in the main color of your choice. The secondary color can be 30 percent, while you can stick with 10 percent each for two supplementary shades. This way, you can still achieve some rustic decor without overdoing it.
4. Consider the Layering Option
Layering might not be a must, but you can give dimensions to your space with this option. You can even do this in stages in order to stay within a budget and still cover all the window curtain sizes. Here are a few layering options that have stood the test of time:
- Sheer Linen: This material is good for getting a hint of privacy while also adding some depth to the room. If the sun is harsh one day, you can still soak it up while softening the effect.
- Linen Roman Shades: Such shades are usually made for base layers. They give you light control, privacy, and even serve to keep out the cold at times.
5. Add the Privacy Aspect
If you value privacy above all else, it’s probably essential to add some lining to your living room curtains. The major choices from most vendors include blackout shades and privacy linings.
If you do go for the lining option, you’d get a heavier look and feel to your curtains. However, you will have a choice between having just the lining or both layers of curtains drawn at the same time. This could help you change the look of the room very easily.
Keep in mind that blackout lining will block out most of the light outside, while privacy lining will probably give a filtered effect.
Conclusion
The decisions you make about your living room curtains will determine how it looks for a long time. You do have a lot of choices, and there’s always room for a few changes here and there after some time. Once you feel confident in your choice, you might want to go for something less conventional. Some folks even go for an outdoor living room, so see if that’s something to plan for the near future.