How to choose a curtain

Length

When choosing the length of your curtains, there a few things to consider.
The first thing that needs to be determined is the height of the rod. The rod could be placed anywhere from directly on top of the window sill all the way up to the ceiling. The closer to the ceiling, the higher your ceilings will appear to be.

The more important question is, where do you want them to fall on the floor? Typically ready-made curtains come in 3 standard lengths: 84'; 96' and 108'. At Lite Out, the selection tends to lean towards the two longer lengths because we feel that gives the customer more flexibility and an even greater chance of achieving any look in almost any room. Remember a curtain can always be shortened, but you can't add to it. 

Some people like their curtains to hover just over the floor, while some of today’s looks show curtains touching the floor. This is what decorators like to call puddling.

It's really a personal choice, but in general the rule is if the curtains are going in a high traffic area, or a window where the curtains will be continuously opened and closed, it's best to have them hover just over the floor.

When a window is more decorative, and the panels are on the side most of the time, puddling can give the room a really rich and distinguished look.

Width

In ready-made curtains, a full width panel should be between 52' and 54'. It is recommended that the total width of all the panels when added together measure two to three times the width of the window you would like to cover. This will give a look of fullness, and also is most effective when drawing the curtains for privacy or room darkening.

Beware however, as some curtains are only 40' wide. Big box stores tend to use this trick in order to bring down price, and give the customer a false sense that they are saving money. In fact, in order to cover the window properly you would have to buy even more of the narrow panels and are not saving anything at all.

Design

Curtains can be an amazing addition to any room. They can make a room pop, or just add texture to the room. When deciding on a curtain to buy, there is really only one rule of thumb. If you would like the curtain to be the focal point of the room’s decor, much like a piece of art, you would choose a curtain that has a design to it. A bold geometric, a fancy floral or traditional stripe would all the give your room character.

If you want your curtains to make your windows look full but do not want to make them over power the room, a solid or textured fabric would do the trick. Choose an easy neutral colour that goes with everything, or pick a solid colour that can tie in to other pieces in the room.

At Liteout, swatches are available in all of our styles, which allow you to get a piece of the fabric at home, and see how well it will work in your room before you purchase.

Lining

Lining is typically an extra layer of fabric that is sewn behind the panel. A panel that has lining really offers extra value. A liner adds significant density to the product, which in turn allows it to hang beautifully. A lining also can provide an added layer of insulation, making your home more efficient in reducing energy costs, protecting your furniture from direct sunlight and keeping the curtain fabric from fading. Most linings will help keep out light, but some are designed specifically to darken your room.

Some room-darkening panels have a thermal layer of foam coated directly on the fabric. There are only a limited amount of fabrics that this technique can be applied to, and it leaves the curtain rigid and stiff not allowing the fabric to drape nicely. At Lite Out, we have created a separate soft room darkening liner that offers all the energy saving and room-darkening benefits, while allowing us to use beautiful designer fabrics that have been sourced from all around the world.

Sheer

Sheer curtains can be a beautiful addition to any window. Its fine construction allows splashes of sunlight to filter through to fill up a room. Sheers can be a very basic voile all the way to a sophisticated burn out design. Use a beautiful sheer design on its own to be the focal point of a room, or use a more basic sheer to layer your windows and add depth along with your heavier panels. With your room darkening panels on the side, a basic sheer can be used to cover the window during the day to allow that soft light to come through.

Choosing curtains is a personal choice, and there is no one way to do anything. Curtains however are a great way to express yourself and add warmth to any room.

We hope this short guideline served you well, and if you have any questions regarding anything to do with any of our products, please do not hesitate to contact us at service@liteout.com.