Drapery Fabric

Creating custom drapes or even selecting the appropriate curtain fabric for pre-made designs can be a daunting task. Patterns and colors aside, it’s also important to pick drapery fabric that will meet your needs, whether you want your drapes to allow light to filter through, block rooms from view or cloak a bedroom in complete darkness. If you’re still stuck choosing between choices like voile curtains, velvet curtains or silk curtains, we’ve got a few tips to help narrow down your search:

How does function determine what curtain material I should choose?

Before picking fun patterns or rich colors, you’ll want to decide what function you want your drapes to play. If you’re looking for a fabric that will allow the warm glow of sunlight to filter through your living room, unlined voile or lace curtains are great choices. If you need blackout curtains to keep the brightness of dawn from waking you too early, look for designs with a curtain lining. Heavier choices like damask curtains will also help block drafts of cold air and help insulate a room. Lining also gives drapes extra body, allowing your luxurious silk or velvet curtains to fall just so.

How do you care for different kinds of curtain fabric?

If you’re worried about keeping your drapes clean, look for rayon blends and cotton curtains, which are both machine washable. Options like velvet curtains and linen drapes look elegant or airy, but are higher maintenance and dry-clean only.

How do I select patterns or colors for my curtain fabrics?

Do you want your drapes to blend seamlessly with your décor, or make a loud statement? If you’re looking for a subtler accent, choose a color that’s a couple of shades darker than the color of your walls or one that matches another gentle tone that’s already present in the room. If you just have to have a pattern but don’t want it to dominate your interior, a small print like dots or paisley can work.

For those that dare to go big, go ahead and pick a curtain fabric in a bright, bold color that complements the tones already at home in your house. Large patterns or prints can make quite a statement, as well, but if you already have patterned furniture, bedding or large accessories like rugs you should stick with a solid yet spectacular color instead.

How long and wide should my curtain material be?

As a rule, your drapes should touch the floor unless your window is paired with a radiator or has a deep windowsill. You can choose to have them just dust the surface of the floor or gather slightly where they hit the ground. As for width, aim for curtain fabric that’s 2 to 2 1/2 times the width of your window so the panels can close properly without looking stretched. If your new curtains are just for looks and won’t be pulled shut, you can opt for a size that’s only 1 1/2 times the width of your window.