Curtains Buying Guide
from Overstock.comWindow decorating defines your home decor as much as the furniture you choose. Windows establish the way you gaze out at the world around you, and create a sense of how you experience the room inside. This buying guide will give you helpful ideas to create the windows you have always wanted in your home. It will explain how to buy curtains , how to measure your windows for a correct fit, make informed choices on materials and hardware, and care for the window treatment you choose.
New drapes and curtains allow you to have a fresh look in your home, control the amount of light in your rooms and have a measure of privacy. Consider how much privacy you want or how much light you need to block out of the room. If you enjoy sleeping in and your bedroom windows face east, consider lined black-out curtains or perhaps blinds.
Rich-colored, heavier fabrics such as silk and velvet offer lustrous, sometimes structured folds and create a formal look for your window. More subtle colors or lighter weight fabrics lend a relaxed feeling and spaciousness to your room.
Layer your drapes to mix fabrics and textures: Use deep colors over lighter ones for a striking appearance, or similar colors for a toned look. Extra long drapes which puddle on the floor create a dramatic effect. Layered sheer curtains like polyester and voile lend a casual and breezy quality. Sheers layered under other drapery will add more dimension to a window.
Types of curtains and drapes
Drapes: Drapes can be used alone or with sheers underneath. For an unexpected look at a window, hang drapes over shades, slat-blinds, or shutters.
Pleated drapes are hung from hooks onto small tabs attached to a bracketed rod, and drawn open/closed with pull-cords. Pleated drapes are a classic and timeless choice, blendable with many decor styles.
Rod pocket (pole-pocket) drapes are made with a casing at the top which slips over the curtain rod. Rings or drapery hooks are not needed.
Tab top drapes are favorites for a casual appearance in a room. Tab-tops are made with flat loops spaced along the top edge of the curtains, and the rod is slipped through the tabs. They can easily be drawn open or closed without pull cords or other hardware.
Tie top drapes are similar to tab-tops, except they have fabric ties along the top, and may be tied directly to rings or drapery rods. This style creates a softer casual look in a room.
Ring top drapes are hung on decorative rings which are clipped at intervals across the top. The rings allow your beautiful drapery rod to be fully seen. Like tab top drapes, these do not need a pull cord to open and close.
Grommet drapes are relatively new on the scene. The curtain rod is passed in and out through the large grommet rings at the top of the drape to create a broadly pleated look which is crisp and modern.
Insulated thermal drapes offer protection against heat and cold, as well as serving as blackout drapes. With an extra layer of insulating material, they are made like other drapery for a natural look and save money on energy costs.
Sheer curtains: Sheers let the light into a room while maintaining the privacy that you want. Buy any curtains or sheer curtains to equal twice the width of your window, which allows for the standard fullness. For a more dramatic look, add one or even two more widths of curtains to each window.
Often sheers are made with two rod pockets at the top. Slide the curtain rod through the lower pocket of the sheer; a ruffled soft effect is created by the unused top pocket. For a young lady's room, choose sheers with ruffled edges or embroidery. The appearance can be very feminine with this type of sheer curtain. Some sheers come with tab tops, and this is a good style to use in a modern or casual type room.
Sheer window panels come in a variety of widths and lengths to fit all window sizes. Purchase sheer curtains in lengths of 63 inches to 108 inches and widths of 43 inches to 60 inches. To hang sheer curtains, use standard rods or a decorative rod with brackets.
Window scarves: Scarves can be swagged or draped over your sheers and other curtains to frame your window decoration. A window scarf is always a sure way to enhance your sheer curtains, whether the window scarf matches your curtains or is made of drapery material. Scarves are usually 36 to 60 inches wide by 120 inches long. This length is sufficient to achieve almost any look you want; however, choosing two scarves allows you to achieve additional looks in window decorating.
Valances: A valance offers a different look to your window treatment. A valance may be a "window scarf," which matches your drapery and is swagged across the top; it may also be constructed in a boxy design, which is mounted above the window to disguise the drapery rods.
Valances can be used with or without matching drapes or curtains. It is often used just as an accent across the top of a plain window opening. Often this style--a top valance without accompanying curtains--is chosen when simplicity is desired in the overall look of the window.
Unless a valance comes with your drapery set, adding one to the finished window treatment is mostly a matter of choice. Most valances will require brackets for hanging; some need standard or decorative rods like those used for the curtains.
Hardware for curtains and drapes
Every beautiful window needs curtain hardware. Hang sheer curtains, valances or other window treatments on handsome hardware as your decor deserves. True, you can use that old rod you have had for years, but your window treatment deserves better.
Curtain rods are a time-honored way of hanging curtains. Today's beautiful and durable curtain rods telescope in a wide range of lengths to carry the window treatment of your choice. Look in the curtain hardware section for drapery rods. They are available in a range of lengths which telescope from 28 inches to 120 inches, with several choices in between. The spacers in curtain rod hardware extend outward from the wall for depth or to accommodate more than one curtain rod (for hanging a curtain and a drape separately).
Finials come in many styles like scrolls, leaf shapes, fleur-de-lis, decorated oval and ball shapes, and finishes like brushed silver, copper, and poly resin. This finishing touch at the ends of your curtain rods completes the overall look of the window treatment and is definitely meant to be seen!
Curtain rings are attractive and easily attached to your curtains or drapes. Unlike rod-pocket curtains which are stationary across a window, with curtain rings clipped at the top of your them, you can pull them open or closed easily.
Holdback hardware will add flair and opulence to your window treatment. In a formally decorated room, this option is a gorgeous touch and comes in a wide selection of styles to suit your furniture and home decorating wishes.
Tiebacks are the soft loops of cord or chain or other material which hold back drapes or a window curtain. This is not necessarily a more casual option than holdback hardware pairs, but merely an option for you to choose from as you plan your window treatment.
How to measure for curtains and drapes
Standard considerations for window curtains and drapes are 6 inches above a window frame, 3 inches beyond the sides and 3 inches below the bottom. This is not set in stone, however. Today's window treatment choices allow for individual creativity. You will need a writing tool, paper and a measuring tape in inches with a minimum of 1/8" increments. A metal measuring tape is the most accurate.1: Decide which kind of curtain you want to hang at the window. Floor length and cafe curtains need different considerations when you measure your window.
2: Choose where you want to place your curtain rod. Six inches above the window frame is standard, but hanging it lower can be just as attractive, and hanging it higher will raise the visual height of your ceiling and create a more dramatic look to your window.
3: Measure the window from side to side, and then add 3 to 6 inches on each side. This is the width of your curtain rod and also the horizontal curtain coverage you will need. Multiply this horizontal measurement by 2 for curtain fullness. (You could multiply by 3 or even more for a dramatic look, but twice the width of your window is the standard). It is customary to have curtains and drapes hang beyond the sides of your windows. When they are drawn open, they don't block any light from the window itself, and the window appears larger than it is.
4: Measure from at least 3 inches above the window (or higher, your choice) down to the point where you want the curtains or drapes to hang. This vertical measurement is the length of the curtains you need to purchase.
5: For cafe curtains, the top rod is made to be positioned inside the window recess. The lower rod is put halfway down the window or at the height of a glazing bar. Measure down from the lower rod placement to the bottom edge of the window opening; this is the length of the larger curtain piece. Measure the window from side to side and multiply by 2 for curtain fullness.
How do I clean my window treatment?
Drapes and curtains, if not washable in cool water, should be professionally cleaned. Follow the manufacturers' instructions for proper care of any product you purchase.
How can I decide on the nicest color of drapes for my room?
The best rule is: complement the colors in your room. Don't choose curtains that will conflict with your furniture or clash with the painted walls. If you are not sure, stick with neutral tones such as taupe or cream. Plain material is a safer choice in drapes than patterned cloth, unless the pattern is subtle.
What style will work in my room?
You might not want to put ruffled sheer curtains in a living room filled with modern chrome and glass furniture, or stark verticals in a room containing traditional period pieces. Keep in mind that your window is part of the whole ambiance of your room and a harmonious look is best. In the "Styles of Home Decor" section of Overstock.com's Home Decor buying guide you will find additional inspiration for many room styles, from country to contemporary to southwestern.
What is the best way to keep my cats from climbing or scratching my curtains?
Get a scratching post to distract those little claws and train kitty to use the proper place to groom itself. A little catnip rubbed onto the surface of a scratching post helps with training because kitty will be drawn to the scent.
Please yourself
Choose window treatments from Overstock.com that please your own taste and style. Don't let professionals overwhelm you with choices or you may find your home reflects them and not yourself. Photos in magazines can be inspirational, but choose your ideas carefully.
Complement your new window style
Pick up a few quality accents to add to the overall tone you have achieved with your new window treatment. Adding a selection of beautiful framed art can tie in all the colors of a room as well as accentuate your new window design. You may want to add a new lamp on top of the credenza next to your drapes. If it’s a credenza you need, or another similar item to complete the new look of your room, visit our furniture store.
Add the warmth of Handcrafted accessories
Visit our Worldstock Handcrafted store and complement your room with intriguing vases or sculptures from around the globe. Hang framed art or a silkscreen painting from China to accentuate the shades in your new drapes. These beautiful items from our Worldstock partnership are hand-made by skilled artisans all over the world and may vary slightly in size or pattern, making them uniquely beautiful.
You'll find a great assortment of other quality goods at Overstock.com which make decorating easy. At prices well below retail, new curtains are just one thing you'll want to have. Your home can show off a fresh new look at an exceptionally low cost.