Interiors: Countless ways to choose your curtains

Curtains are pretty and lend a certain elegance to a room. But they also have a function. They help in providing privacy and shield from too much sunlight. Choose your curtains after asking, ‘why exactly do I need the curtains’. If you want treatments that provide privacy or total darkness, you need lined curtains. If you’re okay with light filtering through or if your curtains are simply decorative, unlined will work. Lining is more expensive but has other advantages: It can shield fabric from sun damage, making curtains last longer. A lining also adds heft, which protects against drafts and helps fabric fall more luxuriously. 

It is important to know the mood of the room. For a formal space, there’s heavy silk or velvet (a great insulator). More practical (often washable) options include silky rayon blends and cotton satin. For a casual feel, there are billowy linen (generally dry-clean only) and crinkly crushed velvet. Cotton and cotton blends work with any type of decor and bring a crisp, neat feel, as does wool. Decide if you want the curtains to blend with the decor or to pop. For blending, pick curtains that are the same tone as the wall. Otherwise, consider patterned curtains.

Floor-length is the way to go, unless there’s a radiator or a deep sill in the way. Ready-made panels are available in lengths from 63 to 144 inches. Measure from the floor to where you’ll hang the rod, then round up. You can always have the dry cleaner hem them a bit if needed. You’ll get the most current look if the fabric makes contact with the floor (or sill or radiator). Too-short curtains can seem nerdy and off.

Panels should have a combined width that is 2 to 2½ times the width of the window. But if you’re hanging curtains just to frame a window and don’t intend to shut them, you can round down to 1½ times the width. Pleated panels have a fullness built in, so their width should more or less match the span you’re covering.