Curtains vs Blinds: Which is right for you?
When to choose curtains and when to choose blinds…it’s an interesting dilemma.
Curtains and blinds both have advantages and disadvantages. Here are the benefits of each type and when to use each type for the project you are working on.
In a room with many windows, you might not want to have curtains in every window, you may not want blinds in every window either so having a mixture can be the best answer. Hang soft, warm, luxury curtains in windows where they have room to breathe. This could be French doors or the largest window in the room, then hang roman blinds in smaller less accessible windows. It is best not to have more than two big pairs of curtains in one average sized room. It’s a real visual balancing act.
A large-scale pattern such as Song Birds, Up the Garden Path, and Herbaceous Border Detail, lend themselves really well to big windows due to their large pattern repeats.
The other plus of a mixture of two window treatments, is that you can use more than one pattern: maybe stripes or spots on the blinds and a larger scale pattern for the curtains. Too many blinds and no curtains can create a plain and less cosy feel. Curtains are also brilliant at helping to reduce noise levels in a room as they literally absorb sound: especially useful in a dining area where people can get vociferous!
Here I have used a Plain Linen Union for roman blinds, which provide a subtle backdrop for the full length curtains in Simple Ticking Detail.
Curtains and Radiators for Radiators Under Windows
If you have radiators under windows try an interlined roman blind and curtains. You can drop the blind when the radiator is on and you still have the lovely softness of curtains to draw when the radiators are turned off.
You can hang curtains over radiators but you may not want to use them when the heating is switched on because they can reduce heat transferred into your room. By choosing to have a blind and curtains together, you can still close our blind to create a cosy atmosphere in the evenings, while leaving the curtains open to enjoy the heat from your radiator.
Here are a couple of great examples of how you can combine colour and pattern on your curtains and blinds. See how the red leading edge on the left curtain, ties in with the bottom border of the Roman blind. And how the Ochre yellow curtain on the right ties in with the accent cushions, whilst the darker blue border on the blinds coordinates with the larger pieces of furniture. These are simple yet very effective ways to add finishing touches that result in a sophisticated, cohesive looking room in your home.
Here is how to measure for curtains if you’re settled on choosing them.
Please take a look at our Made to Measure service to find out more.
Founder and owner of Vanessa Arbuthnott Fabrics. Vanessa creates content around fabric types, blind styles and curtain designs to best suit the needs of Vanessa Arbuthnott customers.
