Curtains & Blinds
Add colour, pattern and privacy with these beautiful ideas for window treatments to suit every room in the house
Dressing windows requires an eye for choosing the right style and size of curtain or blind, to selecting the perfect colour and pattern. ‘Fulllength curtains give you the opportunity to have a large, bold print and make a statement, but if your window is small, go for a blind with a small print, as it won’t take up unnecessary space,’ advises fabric designer Penny Morrison. Here we look at some of the different options available.
Double trouble
Whenever you are bringing a new fabric into a scheme, it is important to consider the texture of the material in addition to its looks. Velvet has been loved for centuries and will instantly imbue a room with a luxurious finish. Doubling up with velvet blinds and curtains will add a cocooning feel and warmth to a bedroom. Featuring gradient stitching, the velvet embroidery used for these curtains is a contemporary reinvention of William Morris’ 1876 Bluebell fabric, pictured in Tump/Webb’s Blue colourway. Priced £349 from Morris & Co.
Curtain call
Whether large bay windows, or small nooks, dressing period windows can be challenging. ‘When faced with the dormer windows of this very old house, we wanted the opportunity to put a piece of furniture in the recess, so made a bent brass pole to hang the curtains around it, rather than running the curtain across the front of the opening. It is lovely to sometimes be able to use curtains to enhance smaller windows, as it adds character,’ explains interior designer Sarah Vanrenen, who designed this space.
Going undercover
In recent years, pelmets have been finding their way back into modern interiors. ‘Curtain pelmets are perfect when you want to block out light – better than a curtain pole, where light can bleed above. They are decorative, allowing you to get creative with shapes to complement the room, and can also serve to conceal sheer roller blinds that can be fitted to the pelmet board,’ says Emma Sims-Hilditch, founder of Sims Hilditch, who designed this space.
Get in line
Offering a more affordable alternative to shutters, Venetian blinds have similar louvres, which let in dappled light and promote airflow – ideal for windows that suffer condensation. Featured are Hillarys’ Elwood Venetian blinds in Crystal White, priced from £102. Dress with sheer curtains, such as Hillarys’ Serenity linen voiles, £59, to soften the harder edges and reduce glare when the Venetian blinds are open, such as for a home office space.
On the edge
It is the little details that can make your curtains really stand out. ‘By adding a trim to both the side of the curtain and to the heading the eye is drawn upwards giving the illusion of h
