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9 tips – how to transform your home with curtains

New curtains can completely change the feel of a room and it's also an easy change to make. Here you'll get tips on how to hang your curtains nicely. But curtains are not only decorative, they also fulfill different functions. You'll also learn how you can:

  1. Control light and visibility with hotel curtains and linen curtains.
  2. Give the impression of higher ceilings with curtains.
  3. Make the window and the room feel bigger.
  4. Choosing between curtain rods or curtain rails.
  5. Darkness for a good night's sleep.
  6. Divide the room with curtains.
  7. Reduce noise levels with curtains.
  8. Keep the cold and heat out.
  9. Determine the length of the curtains.

A living room featuring a sunlit beige-gray OSKARSHAMN wing chair and storage footstool, placed by French windows dressed with teal-blue curtains layered over a sheer white one.

1. Control light and visibility with hotel curtains

Using two or more layers of curtains has become very popular and is the same solution as hotel curtains. It is both stylish and functional.

Hang a thicker curtain on the outermost curtain rail or rod and a lighter, thinner one inside closest to the window. This will diffuse the light into the room when the curtains are not drawn. If you only draw the thinner ones, you will filter the light and reduce the visibility, and by drawing the thicker curtain, you can completely block the light and visibility.

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Dark gray curtains paired with white lace curtains in the window.
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2. Give the impression of higher ceilings with curtains

 A mistake many people make when installing their curtain rod or curtain rail is to mount it in line with, or just above, the window. This makes the room's ceiling feel lower than it actually is. If you instead hang your curtains on the ceiling, or as close to the ceiling as possible, you will make the ceiling feel higher and thus the room feel airier.

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HILJA curtains in two layers, mounted on a ceiling curtain track.
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3. Make the window and room feel bigger with curtains

To make the window look bigger, choose a curtain rod or rail that is at least 15 cm wider than the window. Then, when you hang your curtains, pull them out to the sides and let them cover more of the wall than the window. This makes the window feel bigger and the room wider. You also retain more of the light and view.

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A hotel room window with a pair of thin, white HILJA curtains and yellow-beige ROSENMANDEL room darkening curtains.
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4. Should you choose a curtain rod or a curtain rail?

If you want a traditional style for your curtain solution, a curtain rod is the best choice. Here you can also choose different types of end knobs to complete the style. For a more modern feel, a curtain rail is the perfect choice. For a really elegant look, you can attach it to the ceiling and hang the curtains with finger hooks so that the rail is not visible.

If you are unsure how to calculate the correct measurements and which parts you need for your curtain rail, we will guide you step by step.

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A person is by dark grey KORGMOTT block-out curtains that partially cover sheer curtains on a large, sunny hotel room window.
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5. Darken your bed for a good night's sleep

In the room you sleep in, you need to be able to darken it properly to get a good night's sleep. You can do this either with a blackout roller blind or with blackout curtains. Keep in mind that it is not only daylight that can disturb your sleep, but also street lamps and car headlights.

A white FRIDANS block-out roller blind in the bedroom

6. Divide the room with curtains

With curtains and curtain rails that you attach to the ceiling, you can create lots of fun and smart solutions in your home. You can divide a room, build a canopy bed or cover a storage solution that you don't want to show off. 

Two adults and a child in a room. The child and one adult lie in separate beds. The other adult is standing by a curtain.

7. Reduce the noise level

Textiles and carpets in the home contribute to a reduced sound level, as do curtains. Curtains made of thicker fabric can to some extent help to dampen disturbing sounds from outside, such as traffic noise, but also reduce a high sound level indoors. You don't just have to hang them in the window. Curtains on the wall are both decorative and functional. If you want to get the best sound-absorbing effect, the curtain should be draped in pleats and hang about 9-15 cm from the wall. 

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A grey/with heading tape HILJA curtains, 1 pair
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8. Keep the cold and heat out

Yes, curtains can also help with the temperature in your home. If you have drafty windows, a thicker curtain can reduce the draft in the room. In the summer, when sunlight streams in through the window, a curtain or roller blind can block the strongest rays and thus keep the interior temperature down. So curtains also have a heat-insulating function. 

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A dark grey FABRIKÖR glass-door cabinet
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9. How long should the curtains be?

It depends on how you are going to hang your curtains. Will they hang from a ceiling rail or do you have a curtain rod above the window frame? Measure the total length from the top of the rail or rod and subtract a couple of centimeters (so that the curtains do not drag on the floor).

It is best if the curtains end a couple of centimeters above the floor. If your curtains are too long and drag on the floor, they risk getting wrinkled, collecting dust and they are also in the way when you vacuum. You also won't get that nice drape on the curtains, but they will instead crease.

With SY Quick Hem Tape you can easily shorten them to the perfect length without sewing. All you need to do is cut the fabric, fold up the edge, put on the quick hem tape and iron it in place. The length of the curtains in our range is either 250 cm or 300 cm.

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A SY iron-on hemming strip
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Light or white curtains help to make a room feel airier, while warm and earthy tones contribute to a more cozy feel. It can be good to know when choosing the color of your curtains.

If you want to add color to an otherwise neutrally colored room with the help of your curtains, keep in mind that the overall feel of the room will be more balanced if the same color is found in other details, such as pillows, interior details or carpet.

If you like patterned curtains, they can bring life to the room. If you like mixing patterns and colors to get a personal and playful feel in the room, go for it. A tip for those of you who are not quite so playful but want patterned curtains is to think through what other patterns you have in the room on wallpaper, carpets and textiles. Try to make sure that they work well together and that they have a consistent color theme to create a whole.  

A dark beige/with heading tape DYTÅG curtains, 1 pair

How to Hang Curtains the Best Way – Summary

 

  1. How to hang curtains in the best way - summary To make the window look larger, make sure the curtain rod or rail extends a bit onto the wall outside the window, at least 15 cm.
  2. Place the curtain rod or rail a little above the window, preferably at or as close to the ceiling as possible, to give the impression of higher ceilings .
  3. A full-length curtain should not drag on the floor but end just (1-2 cm) above it. This way they will fall nicely. If they are too long, they will collect dust and crease.
  4. Hang layers upon layers. Double layers of curtains give a luxurious hotel feel with a slightly thicker curtain on the outside and a thin curtain on the inside. This solution also allows you to control light and visibility in an easy way.