Stop Feeling Overwhelmed By Curtain Options

When you’re redecorating your living room, bedroom, or any part of your home, your options can feel overwhelming. There are so many ideas and possibilities that it can quickly feel like more stress than it’s worth. Studies have even shown that choice overload is stressful and causes both unhappiness and greater indecision. When you have almost unlimited options at your disposal, you’re more likely to second-guess your decisions, feel buyer’s remorse, or get trapped in your own uncertainty. As you shop to redecorate your home, keep that in mind and do everything in your power to limit your choices from the get-go.

#1 Start with Function

The first step in a stress-free decoration is narrowing down your options by starting with function. It’s a simple way to start cutting down your options. What do you want your curtains to do? For some, the answer is providing darkness and privacy, especially in the bedroom. Thick curtains or blackout lined curtains will do the job. Is it insulating a room with older windows with poor insulation? Curtains can be a cheaper alternative to new window treatments in the short-term. Alternatively, your living room curtains might need to focus on bringing in light, in which case sheer curtains may be the way to go.

#2 Blend or Pop?

One thing that makes buying new curtains so exciting is that new curtains will transform your room and redefine your living space. When it comes to color and pattern, you can keep narrowing down your options by deciding whether or not you want your curtains to blend or pop. If you already know how you’re decorating the rest of the room, the rest will follow. One great tip for curtains that blend is picking the same color as the walls, only a few shades darker. For bolder color choices, keep in mind what it will look like when the sun shines through and how the color will infuse the room. For example, a bold blue can actually give the room a somewhat surreal, aquatic feel you may not have intended.

#3 Patterns or No Patterns?

If there are patterns on the furniture, cushions, or bedding, stick to solid curtains. If not, patterns can add verve and energy. Special prints can add a lot of personality to your room, just make sure they speak to you. They’ll be unavoidable the minute you walk in.

#4 Length

Last but not least, take the length into consideration. There are two basic looks that can both work well: tailoring them to the floor or the sill vs. breaking at the floor. Curtains that hover half an inch before the floor are always going to fall where you want them and they’re ideal if you don’t want to fuss much. Curtains that break at the floor are definitely in style right now and if you don’t mind the maintenance, make a room feel luxurious.

Shopping for curtains doesn't have to be stressful. Once you’ve given yourself some parameters for your curtains, you can enjoy comparing and contrasting your options and dreaming up bold design ideas.