JOIN USCurtains are the first details of a home that catches one’s eye. Thus, it is important to choose the right kind for your homes, writes Mala Ashok
Curtains are the focal point of home decor. It is the first things one encounters upon entering a home. The word curtain comes from the Late Latin word cortina. A curtain is a piece of material which is mainly used to block or obscure light or afford privacy to the people behind it. In the case of a shower curtain, it serves to block water. We are all familiar with movable or dropping screens which are used in theatres. In Canada and the US, curtains are also known as drapes and this usage is now gaining popularity in India too.
While the words drape and curtain are used interchangeably, in general, a drape has to have a lining sewn on its reverse side. Curtains come in a variety of shapes, sizes, materials, and patterns. They are an integral and important part of interior decoration and often give a wonderful touch to the look and feel of a room. While the choice of materials are limitless for curtains, when considering this choice we have to be constantly cognizant of the fact that in most parts of India, cotton continues to remain the ideal material.
This is perhaps for the best because cotton offers a diverse range as far as selection is concerned. There was an era when you would go from store to store with a sample of your upholstery and try to match or contrast it with material for your curtains. A tailor would then move in to your home and in a few days (weeks?) complete the sewing and your décor project would end. This is, however, a thing of the past. Most windows now come in standard sizes and the variety of ready-made curtains is just staggering.
Moreover, armed with the dimensions of your doors and windows, you can just sit down at your computer and complete the entire curtain shopping! There are numerous sites which give you choices not only for the actual curtains or drapes but also for accessories like rods and rings where needed — now readymade curtains are available which have loops attached to them such that no rings are needed. So, what are the factors you need to watch out for when choosing curtains? In a country like ours, where dust is a major player, washing instructions are very important. If the curtain has to be dry-cleaned only, even if the initial cost is attractive, the upkeep could be staggering. The life-span too is a very important point to consider.
You have two ways of going about your selection. You may either buy inexpensive curtains — say very pretty handloom designs — and replace them often, or go in for more expensive varieties which last longer. The choice is entirely up to you.
If you enjoy shopping and like to try the latest designs, go for inexpensive curtains and replace them periodically. On the other hand, if you find shopping a challenge and breathe a sigh of relief when you have completed what you see as an onerous task, you should choose a long-lasting set of curtains.
Of late, blinds, both horizontal and vertical, have gained popularity in India. While they are indeed fashionable, a word of caution – blinds have a tendency to attract dust and are not very user-friendly when it comes to cleaning! However, an adaptation of blinds is what we call “chicks.” These are what you may recall as seeing in your grandparents’ homes. They were generally green and could be rolled up and down using draw strings. Exposed wood grain in blinds and natural woven shades are joining the ranks of bamboo as popular choices for window coverings. Wood is making a comeback in decorative hardware, while bamboo is among the materials of choice now.
One of the most popular window treatments is the natural woven shades in bamboo and matchstick. These woven shades come in different colours of wood, and some include grassy woven accents. Professional decorators have them in their homes. “They let in diffused light, so I can see what's going on outside, but it's not just an open window, so I have some privacy,” says one decorator. “I think it works in so many different environments.”
These wooden curtains are very practical in that they are extremely cool in hot summers and ideal for the heat. Now-a-days, “chicks” have started coming in fashionable colours and are therefore, not restricted to bedrooms alone. You can find information about them online.
While on the topic of “chicks”, it might not be out-of-place to mention Khus-khus screens. These are environment-friendly screens made of Khus-khus, a natural product, and need to be watered from time to time to cool the insides of the house.
Getting back to the commonly used modern day curtains made of cotton, you need to bear in mind the following points before making your selection and decide on positioning and thickness. For maximum temperature control, the gap between the curtain and window should be small. Also, the direction the window is facing is crucial in your decision making.
Based on whether the window receives a lot of sunlight or very little, you may choose a dark colour or light colour. We've seen white paired with black or navy. Blue is becoming the new hot colour in the window treatment industry, with a variety of ocean hues in teal, aquamarine and soft green. Soft lavender and grey, dusty hues round out the soothing part of this palette. Orange and gold are popular jewel tones, while brown continues to dominate. Brown has been, and continues to be, the new basic colour of choice.