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Here at Cultivate Your Space, we believe that our physical spaces impact our wellbeing. From paint choices to furniture layout, our homes have the power to give us exactly what we need or don’t.
When it comes to curtain choices, how does this impact your mental health? Well, think about lighting. Lighting has a large impact on our mood. The example I like to give is a yoga studio versus Walmart. lighting is everything when it comes to setting a mood or a feeling in a space. Yoga Studio—low lighting. Walmart—flickering florescence and I can feel my blood pressure rising! Really all 5 of your senses are impacted when it comes to your space, but that’s a whole other blog post.
The way your curtains play into this is how much natural light you’re allowing into your space.
I’ve met with clients who say “The space just feels dark, drab, and depressing.” I look around to see every window shade drawn with additional blackout curtains. Well, yes, zero natural light in a space will contribute to a feeling of darkness.
My morning routine begins with starting the boiling water for my french press coffee and opening every curtain and shade in my home—letting in the light first thing in the morning.
Another part of how window coverings could be impacting the amount of natural light in a space and therefore impact your mood is how you hang your curtains. Your curtains should act as a picture frame to a photo, perfectly framing the outdoor view, not obstructing it. This is why I recommend hanging curtains above and outside the window instead of at the window height and width. more on this later.
When done well, curtains can be the icing on the cake of a well-designed room. They can add comfort, texture, and warmth, all feelings we desire at home.
Curtains frame a window, make it look larger, draw your eye OUT, and make your ceilings look taller (when done right). The idea is to make the window appear larger than it is, and well-chosen and positioned curtains draw your eyes outside of the window.
This week I’m sharing tips on how to frame a window really well. It doesn’t need to cost a lot either, so make sure you read to the end as I’m sharing my favorite curtain bargains too.
How To Choose the Right Curtains
Just as I say with rugs, I like to choose ONE big statement in the room. So if you have a busy, statement rug, go with understated curtains. If you have solid, one-color bedding, try something funky with the curtains. As always, start with your intention for your space, how you want the space to feel, and be sure the curtains contribute to that intended feeling. Not sure how you want the space to feel? Download my free resource here to help you set an intention for your space.
Make sure you pick curtains that are longer than the window. Curtains that stop just below the window do not add the luxurious framing effect we’re going for. You want the curtains to *kiss* the floor, no high-waters here! See the image below regarding how to hang curtains at the right length. I always find visuals incredibly helpful!
How To Hang Curtains Professionally
One question I get asked all of the time is “How high should I hang my curtains?” There’s a lot of factors that play into this but here’s a really simple trick I love to share on how to hang curtains like an interior designer…
You want to position your curtain rod halfway between the window and the ceiling. You can go higher than halfway between the window trim and ceiling trim (I often do) but definitely not lower.
You want to choose a rod that is wider than your window, too. Not excessively, but enough to add extra width to your window and prevent covering as much natural light as possible. I typically hang the rod 8-12″ outside of the side window trim. This will depend on how large your wall space is on either side of the window as well.
When Not to Use Curtains?
As much as I love a good curtain situation, they’re not right for every window. If you live in a home where you have lots of natural privacy (think wooded areas with tree coverage) you don’t need to worry about having the extra layer of privacy that curtains provide. However, you might want them for added texture and warmth to a space.
What the inside of your home looks like matters, too. If the rest of your room is minimalist in style then curtains might not suit that aesthetic. The same is true if you have more intricate style windows. Curtains will hide those beautiful features and have the potential to make the window look overly fussy. So those are a few other times when you may not want to hang curtains.
The Best Affordable Curtains and Curtain Rods
You know I love me a good basic Ikea curtain ($20 pair, yes please). Ikea has great long-length curtains in store. Most in-store options are a measly 84″, which is rarely long enough to achieve the looks discussed here. Places like Target are beginning to carry longer lengths in store, praise be!
Another current go-to is the “Aruba Blackout Curtain” from Target. About $30/ panel, but heavy and thick linen look and absolutely lovely. The blackout curtain can be used in areas you don’t even need total darkness, just the added layers of fabric make them look much more lux! These Aruba curtains also come in many colors.
Are you looking to make a bigger statement? Check Anthropologie for some super fun patterns, just be prepared to spend a buck (or 100). I will often wait until a sale on sale to purchase Anthropologie curtains, but I do confess I have never regretted a splurge Anthropologie curtain purchase.
For a low-cost long curtain rod, the Ikea Hugad is a must. You can fit multiple Hugads together for larger windows (my personal best was 15 feet for under $20!)
