Making the Right Choice: Which Is the Best Fabric for Curtains?
BWS Marketing • Sep 15, 2022

Finding the suitable fabric for your curtains may seem easy at first glance, but there are quite a few factors to consider when making this decision. We'll take you through the steps to finding the best fabric and help you choose which of these fabrics will work best in your home or business based on your needs and preferences.

When finding suitable material, there are three main things to consider: how dark the room is, how much privacy you need, and what aesthetic style you're going for.

The Different Fabrics

Different fabrics may suit different purposes, depending on what kind of treatment you want your curtains to endure. You can choose between natural and synthetic fabrics. Natural fabrics include silk, cotton, linen, wool, jute, and hemp. Synthetic fibres are easier to clean because they are durable and withstand repetitive machine washing. Some popular synthetics include polyester (non-woven), nylon (non-woven) and acrylic or modacrylic (filament). Polyester is resistant to stains and light, as well as being relatively inexpensive.

Acrylic and modacrylic are not quite as resistant as polyester but are very durable and economical in comparison. Nylon is a good option if you need something that resists stains well, but it also tends to wrinkle easily when compared with other synthetics.

Pros and Cons of Each

Blend or Synthetic Silk-Blend and synthetic silk fabrics have an excellent drape and a soft, rich sheen. They're durable and washable, making them great for your decorating needs! They also offer a variety of colors to coordinate with any room. The downside is that they don't always hold up well in direct sunlight.

However, if you are looking for something inexpensive and easy to care for, these are your best choices. Natural Bamboo: Natural bamboo has many benefits that other fabric types don't provide. It's hypoallergenic and resists wrinkles while still having a beautiful texture.

Features You Want in Your New Curtains

It's been a while since you've invested in new curtains, but they're something that needs to be updated regularly. There are so many different styles and types of fabric out there these days that it's hard to know what is best. So what features do you need to have in your new curtains?

Are they lined with white material or another solid color? If not, then what will show through when the sun shines in? Do you want blackout linings, or would you prefer they block most light and heat coming through? You'll also want to consider whether or not you need a liner if your windows are already fitted with them.

Other Factors to Consider

There are many factors to consider when selecting curtains. First, how will you hang them? Hanging methods can include cords and rods or hanging rods with brackets. What type of window treatments do you have (i.e., blinds)? Where are they located on the window? How expansive are your windows, and how high do you want your curtains to hang off the floor? These considerations may help determine what fabrics should be used. Will they complement the existing decor? Is the room typically used during the day or at night? Are you looking for sheers or panels that provide privacy from outside views? Do you need a lined fabric that provides insulation from cold air? These questions may all come into play when deciding what fabric is best for your home.

Final Thoughts

Determining the best fabric for curtains will depend on your taste, room, and climate. If you're worried about warmth or light, it might be best to consult with a professional before making any decisions. Our experts can help you get started by recommending linen or lace curtains.

Contact us today or visit our website for more information!

 

Expert Advice by Just Blinds

By Autumn Hooper 07 Feb, 2024
Each year, styles in window treatments come and go. Trends that were hot last year may carry over to the new interior decor season or may be replaced by something new. In 2024, we are looking at a delightful set of trends in blinds, shades, and curtains that embrace the developing attitudes and popular colors that are already giving the year a unique stylistic personality. At Just Blinds, we are delighted to keep up with the trends, helping homeowners, designers, and property managers to create stunning spaces that align with the latest in window treatment trends. The Hot Trends of 2023 Blinds and Shades Last year in 2023, we saw a great collection of trends, many of which have evolved and strengthened with the new year. 2023 explored the innovations of cell shades and honeycomb shades for the benefits of insulation and light control. Motorization gained a prominant place in both home and office design, and decorators discovered the dynamic possibilities of shades that operate from both the bottom and the top on floor-to-ceiling tracks. Texture saw a real debut with natural colors like wood finishes, linen, dusty rose, and moss green. Though bold patterns also had their day in the sun. The Trending 2024 Window Treatments In 2024, you may recognize a few trends still going strong from the year before, which is good news for those who decorated last year because your style is likely still right on-trend. But we are also seeing new trends developing with elegant enthusiasm. Smart Home Blinds The trend for motorized shades has naturally evolved to favor smart home controls. With a simple voice command, you can take control of all the motorized shades in a room, in your entire home, or set each shade to exactly the height and opacity you desire. Warm Neutrals and Bold Natural Colors Color trends favor a more natural palette. Neutral colors are warmer, even the grays and charcoals have a honey undertone, while natural colors like mossy and forest green are growing stronger in hue paired with a jewelbox of flower petal colors. If you're following the Colors of the Year, you may have also noticed an adoration of ocean blues, and you can match those blues with slightly darker or lighter blinds for beautiful effect. Eco-Friendly and Sustainable Materials Natural materials and textures were popular in 2023, and 2024 takes this trend even further. Blinds made out of recycled materials are now on the rise alongside the growing popularity of blinds made from super-sustainable plants like bamboo, hemp, jute, and grass cloth. These offer natural colors, dynamic textures, and the delight of eco-friendly design. Gauzy Sheer Elegance Sheer curtains and semi-sheer blinds are also in fashion; a classic style that has been floating near the top of popularity for literal centuries. Sheer curtains and blinds maintain privacy while allowing sunlight into the room in a gently diffused glow. They also layer excellently with more robust window treatments. Creative Window Treatment Layering Speaking of layering, we are seeing an enthusiastic embrace of creatively layered styles. Wooden shutters, gauzy curtains, and black-out blinds are among the most popular layers, but decorators are getting creative with how they choose to to layer their window treatments, using both multiple fabrics and structures at the same time. Find the Blinds that Best Suit Your Needs How can you choose fantastic and on-trend blinds that perfectly suit your design needs? Fortunately, the diversity of this year's trends leave room for almost any personal sense of style and the individual needs of each room's windows. Start with the size of your windows and your room's existing color palette. Decide if you want to match, accent, or contrast the colors of the room. Then choose the opacity, privacy, and level of motorized control you desire. This should guide you toward a specific selection that will work well for your room. From there, it's a matter of specific features and your personal sense of style. Reach Out for Expert and On-Trend Advice If you are getting ready to decorate a room and want the perfect window treatments for 2024, we are only a phonecall or a visit away. Give us a call for expert advice in the right blinds or shades for each window in your home. Our on-trend window treatment experts will be glad to help tailor your window treatment design to your personal tastes, the latest trends, and the style of each of your rooms.
20 Jul, 2023
Is your AC bill keeping you down this summer? Is your home too hot? Window treatments can help cool your home, but you need to choose the right ones and use them correctly. Not all window coverings are made equal. Here are some of the best options to help keep your home comfortable and reduce costs this summer: Cellular or honeycomb shades. These are specifically designed to provide a high level of insulation that keeps the heat out of your home. They also don't block the view when completely drawn. As a bonus, you can get them in a wide variety of colors and patterns to match your home and in both top-down and bottom-up configurations. Drapery. Old-fashioned curtains can be surprisingly effective. Choose a medium color and have us add a white plastic backing to reflect heat out of your home. You can also use drapes to block some of the heat without excluding much light, allowing you to enjoy natural light flowing through your drapes. Fabric Roman shades. These are a distinctive option that really dresses up a room, and if you choose the kind with several layers they will definitely help keep the heat out. We have light filtering and blackout options and everything in between. Why Should You Use These Types of Shades or Blinds? The two reasons are to save money and help protect the environment. Good shades keep your home cooler and this means your air conditioning systems don't have to work as hard and use as much energy. In the northern hemisphere, it's most important to have heat-reducing treatments on your southern windows and you can allow more light in through windows that face north. Both cellular and Roman shades can also be motorized and even put on timers to close the shades when you are not there and then let light in when you return. The small amount of energy used by motorized shades is much less than that lost through naked windows. All of these shades can also add to the aesthetics of your room. Cellular shades are great to add a pop of color or a subtle pattern. Both drapery and Roman shades give a soft feel to your windows that then spreads to the rest of your room. What is the Best Choice? The best choice of the three depends on your personal aesthetics. Our designers can help you make the right choice. If you want motorized shades, cellular shades are the lightest and thus use the least energy, and can roll all the way up and down, leaving your windows completely unrestricted. Roman shades are more visible, but can be used to add fabric and color to a room. Many people still love the look of traditional window drapes. Note that you can also combine shades and drapes for the effect you want, both in terms of reducing heat loss and in terms of aesthetics. How Much Can I Actually Save? The amount you save depends on the kind of window covering you use and how much thermal gain your house typically experiences. The larger your windows, in general, the larger the benefit, especially south-facing windows. For example, medium-colored draperies with a white plastic backing can reduce heat gain by as much as 33% for that window. Most window treatments, though, reduce overall heat gain by about 10%. This can significantly reduce your bills, by $100 to $200 a month during the summer. Using the right window treatment can make your home more comfortable in the summer and save money while preserving the environment. For advise on which window treatments to choose for your home and to see our selection of blinds and shades, contact Just Blinds today.
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