Summer Style: 16 Fresh Ways With White Curtains
Simple white curtains bring refreshing lightness or whispery innocence to bedrooms, patios and more
From canopies to porches and everywhere in between, adding a fresh set of white curtains is an easy way to update your space this summer. This simple, classic curtain style has a timeless feel that embraces summer breezes but works year-round too. Read on for 16 creative ways to decorate with white curtains, inside and out.
Streamline your bedroom in white. White linens, fresh white paint and delicate white curtains drifting in the summer breeze make for a deliciously relaxing room.
Update your canopy bed with a simple DIY. Use swaths of any inexpensive sheer white fabric to wrap, pin, knot and hang around your canopy bed. Don't worry about getting it perfect — part of the charm of this look comes from its almost accidental feel.
Create an al fresco dining destination. This outdoor dining space is reminiscent of a French café. With gravel and stone covering the ground and hefty iron furniture, the floor-pooling white curtains provide a welcome note of softness.
Repeat a window treatment and fool the eye. Alli Michelle of the Hooray blog used a pair of inexpensive Ikea sheers behind the bed in her master bedroom to great effect. Parted to reveal a map on the wall, the sheers echo the window treatments to give the impression of an extra window.
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Try a layered look. Bamboo blinds provide textural interest and privacy and block light, while simple white cotton curtains add softness. When the blinds are pulled up, the sheer curtains can be used to softly filter the light and still provide a bit of privacy.
Make a curtain rod from found materials. Try looking in your backyard for a fallen branch that's roughly the same length as one of your windows. Hang the branch from your existing curtain rod hardware and add tie-top or tab-top white curtains to let the natural wood show through.
Create a sense of depth with layers. In this space, sheer mosquito netting hangs over the bed and simple white curtains draw the eye in from the open doorway. You could also replace a closet door with white curtains for a similar effect.
Define outdoor zones. This barbecue area feels like a room of its own thanks to the white curtains that can enclose part or all of the space. Bonus: Thick outdoor drapes like these also provide shade to outdoor diners.
Create a private escape. Hang curtains across a tiny balcony or nook and make an instant escape where you can hide and read.
Carve out extra rooms with ease. If summer brings lots of visiting family, turn your upstairs into a sleeping loft for the kids with curtains as room dividers. Hang the curtains from ceiling-mounted tracks for the cleanest look.
Lighten up an eat-in kitchen. If you've been using full curtains or blinds in the kitchen, why not switch to café curtains? These half-height pretties still provide adequate privacy and let in far more light.
Ruffle Shower Curtain
Upgrade your bathroom with one quick change. A shower curtain made of soft cotton is so much more pleasant than one made of synthetics, and you can throw it in the washer and dryer (and bleach it), so it's easy to keep it looking fresh. If you are looking for a new one, I adore the deliciously fluffy, ruffled version shown here.
Rig up a canopy with a few simple supplies. If you are handy and feel up for a bit of an experiment, you might want to try creating your own DIY canopy. String twine or fishing line through small hooks high up on your walls in four places to create a nearly invisible frame, then drape mosquito netting across and down.
Add privacy to your porch. If close neighbors or eyesores mean you are not spending as much time on your porch as you would like, the remedy is as easy as hanging a set of outdoor curtains. Be sure to choose curtains made from outdoor fabric, so they will be able to stand up to the elements for years of use.