Details to Look For When Choosing Curtain Fabric

When choosing curtains for any room of your home, you want to consider the actual fabric of the pieces, and not just their colour and pattern. Curtain fabric will affect how the panels hang from the rod, how easy they are to open and close, how much they actually insulate the space and if they move in the wind or simply hang straight. Fabric also needs to coordinate with the style of furniture and other pieces in the room. To ensure you choose the best curtain fabric for your home, note a few details to look for when shopping.

Colourfastness

You may not think that curtain fabric is prone to fading, but the dyes in curtains can easily discolour after long exposure to harsh sunlight. If you're hanging curtains in front of a window that gets lots of hot, direct sunlight throughout the day, always look for material that is advertised as being colourfast. This will ensure the colour stays true through the years and doesn't fade or look washed out before too long.

Backing

If you prefer that your curtains move slightly in the winds that come through an open window, avoid curtains with any type of backing. On the other hand, if you want to block cold air or summertime heat, choose a curtain backing made of flannel or wool. These dense materials will help to insulate the window and surrounding wall area, and will also block breezes that come through an open window. A thick backing will also help to weigh down a curtain panel, so that it's less likely to move. This is needed if you want to tie back the curtains and don't want them to come out of place.

Matching other pieces

Choose curtain fabric that coordinates with other pieces in the room. Thick velvet curtains can seem very rich and regal, and may not be right for a casual family room. Silk curtains have a very romantic look and feel to them, so they can be good for a bedroom or formal living room, but may seem out of place in a family room or child's room. Lace curtains are very traditional and may not coordinate with metal furniture pieces and a modern look, but can fit a formal dining room. Lightweight linen can be good in a casual family room, but may not help insulate a bedroom enough to keep it comfortable; thicker cotton may add more insulation to the space and coordinate better with cotton sheets and other linens.