So, you’re looking to add that final touch to make your home or office feel like a warm and welcoming place. If you have windows, consider curtains! They allow your window to be so much more than just a piece of glass that lets in light, but what does that entail? Why are curtains such an important feature to have?
Curtains offer you a fantastic versatility that enhances both the beauty and functionality of your windows and the entire room. Read on to discover the advantages that curtains have over other window treatments and why they’re important.
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Why Are Curtains Important?
Before getting into why curtains are important, why should you consider them in the first place? Selecting the right curtains goes a long way into giving a room that extra “pop.” While blinds and drapes can be aesthetically appealing, their primary functions are privacy and keeping light out. Valances add beauty to any window, but they are fixed in place and provide no ability to control lighting or viewing.
Curtains are a tremendous option both in decorating the surrounding area and manipulating the light and appearance of the windows in your room. With that said, the following are reasons why curtains are essential:
Curtains Enhance Decor
Imagine walking into a room where your vision is instantly drawn to the smooth flow of the room from end to end and top to bottom. The most important aesthetic reason for selecting curtains is that they unify the overall space of your room. Curtains can be the final feature that ties together the color and pattern of your furniture. This visual uniformity by itself lends a warm and inviting feeling to the space for host and guest alike.
Additionally, curtains do not have to necessarily be the same color and pattern. By selecting a different color and pattern that still fits with the overall decorative scheme, this feature can allow your curtains to add an accent to the room that draws even greater attention to your windows and what lies outside of them. Also, focusing on the windows allows another option for bringing warmth and attraction to your space.
Curtains Make the Room Larger
Curtains also add warmth to your room by increasing the perception of its size. No, they don’t magically make your room bigger, but properly hung curtains can give the sense that the window is larger, and the ceiling is higher. This gives off the tone of a room that is more open and less confining. This video gives you a good tutorial on the proper technique for hanging curtains.
You Can Use Any Preferred Material
The versatility of curtains also extends into the types of material from which they can be made. For those unfamiliar with selecting curtains, it is often assumed that curtains are always cotton or some other similar material. But curtains can also be made out of silk, polyester, lace, velvet, acrylic, and many other materials. Your choice is a matter of personal taste and preferences.
Curtains Can Control the Amount of Sunlight in a Room
Like blinds, curtains can control the sunlight that comes into your room. However, depending on the material you select, curtains allow you to minimize light without completely blocking it out. For example, you may desire a thicker material that will reduce sunlight to virtually nothing when the curtains are pulled. Even here, you can always draw back the curtains to let light in at the preferred time of day.
Lighter materials such as lace can allow ample sunlight to enter even when the curtains are pulled. The biggest considerations for sunlight are knowing the direction the window faces along with your material preference.
Adding sheer curtains is an option in rooms with direct light but with heavier curtains. Sheer curtains consist of lightweight fabric that can serve as an additional layer that filters out some sunlight and glare but allows your primary curtains to remain open.
Get Privacy Without Losing the View
Another advantage of curtains is that, even with lightweight material, they can minimize the ability for someone to see in from the outside. Blinds offer privacy, but when they are closed, you also lose the view. Curtains made with lighter materials allow you to enjoy the view but keep all those except those immediately outside the window from seeing inside at you. Even sheer curtains, while very thin, significantly restrict the ability for someone to look inside the house.
Curtains Decrease Your Utility Bills
For the most functional at heart, curtains offer a supreme benefit in that they provide insulation for your windows. Most of the energy loss in your house is through your windows, so especially in the extreme temperature seasons, curtains are a proven way of retaining more of your HVAC’s heat and air output. As a result, you should see small but yet still significant savings in your utility bill.
Curtains Reduce Noise Levels
In addition to blocking out preferred levels of sunlight and trapping the heat and air in your home, curtains can also serve as insulators to outside noise. The heavier the material, the more sound absorption your curtains will possess. Heavier curtains can block up to 75% of noise external to your home or office.
It is important to note that curtains are not soundproof, and the thickness of your window glass and walls also play an essential role in reducing sound. However, curtains can be a hearty contributor to reducing noise pollution inside your home.
Curtains Lower Dust Levels
While it may seem counterintuitive at first, certain kinds of curtains can reduce the amount of airborne dust in your house. One of the primary sources of dust entering your home is—once again—your windows. Even the most well-insulated windows allow some outside particles. Most curtain materials are capable of absorbing and trapping dust.
It is crucial to remember, however, that the curtains ultimately need to be cleaned! This should always be considered when thinking about the type of material you select—i.e., how frequently and by what method the curtains need cleaning. The good news is that many standard material types for curtains are safe for simply throwing in the washing machine, but make sure that you verify this for your preferred material.
Curtains Aren’t Just for Windows
One of the great qualities of curtains is that they are not simply window treatments. Other uses of curtains include:
- Dividing Up Spaces – Curtains are great for closing off closets, pantries, closets, or even dividing up a larger room. They are far cheaper than doors and can serve as an attractive privacy “fence” around areas you don’t want others to see!
- Blocking Unattractive Wall Space – Curtains can help cover up wall space that is either unattractive or damaged. A properly selected curtain can appear to be décor in the house rather than a tarp to cover up something unsightly.
- Backdrop – Curtains are great for photographers or artists who wish to create a studio in their homes. These can serve as backdrops for photos or drawings and can make a public studio space more attractive for visitors.
Final Thoughts
Curtains provide a way to affordably add something more to your home or office besides window coverings. The cost of curtains may be more or less than blinds depending on the material you select. But the fun and joy of enhancing your home’s appeal in so many different ways make curtains an absolute must for any home, apartment, or office.