Wondering why your room still feels unfinished, even with all the right furniture and décor? The answer might be as simple as curtains — the often-overlooked design element that brings softness, polish, and true transformation to any interior.
If you’ve made it this far into a post about curtains, you’re my kind of person — someone who notices the details and cares about creating a home that feels just right. That kind of eye is a gift, and it’s also something you can train to become even sharper. In my True Colour Expert training, I teach you how to spot exactly what a room needs — the perfect undertone, the right pattern, the right balance — so your spaces always feel pulled together. If you’ve been thinking about joining, now’s the moment — the price goes up Friday, August 8 at midnight, and I’d love to help you take your design instincts to the next level. Register here.
Why Do Curtains Make a Room Feel Complete?
You might be looking around your room thinking, I’ve got all the things, the furniture, the rug, some decor, even lamps 😉. Why does my room still feel unfinished??
The answer is probably drapes. Or even off-the-shelf curtains. And if you already have curtains, the answer might be MORE curtains.
Curtains vs. Drapes: What’s the Difference?
First, “curtains” refers to a simple off the shelf pair that you can hang with rings, grommets or a pocket rod. Easy to find, ready to install. A fantastic solution for any room that’s feeling echoey and cold.
“Drapes” offers a slight distinction. This is now the world of custom. Carefully hand tailored to the size of the window and the room and most often lined. Usually, drapes have more elegant hanging systems, professional installation, generous, pretty pleats and are significantly more expensive.
And I get it, building and furnishing a home is expensive. So it’s easy to understand why proper window treatments feel like a luxury and not a must have. After all, the kids want that bigger screen, hubby wants the integrated speakers.
But window treatments are about SO much more than privacy and light control. Both of which are important of course. Whichever suits your budget, curtains (or drapes) will completely change the way your room looks, feels and sounds.
My nephews apartment demonstrates the best how dramatic the correct installation is:.
Here’s the before, no curtains but you can see where the rods where when this window had them :
Notice that we didn’t just hang a single skimpy panel on each side of the wide window. The curtains look nice and full and can cover the window without being stretched flat because we used two pairs from IKEA.
And here is room I decorated for a local women’s shelter before I added some simple off the shelf curtains and styling.
And here it is after:
You can get these fabulous plaid curtains here
You can see that although the furniture isn’t fabulous, lamps, styling and some simple off the shelf curtains make a world of difference. For reference, this is again two panels on each side. A common mistake is to only hang a single pair which will look much too skimpy on all but the narrowest of windows.
How High and Wide Should You Hang Curtains?
The other hot tip is to hang the curtain rod high and wide. It should have just a couple of inches clearance from the ceiling usually to maximize height.
And the brackets and rods should be installed wide enough beyond the window so that all the panels can stack against the wall beside the window, never on top of the window making it feel even smaller. We want to maximize the size of the window and the light coming in.
This is also a great way to make a small window appear bigger.
3 reasons curtains are important to room design
1. Peace and quiet. Fabric, when you use enough panels, is an excellent sound tamper. If your room feels like an echo chamber, a common issue especially in open layout plans, drapes (and area rugs) can dramatically soften the way sound bounces around the room.
2. Softness and texture. Drapes and curtains are often, almost always, the detail that makes a room feel soft and comfortable. Most rooms feel boxy with too many hard edges. Drapes add texture and interest and make the hard corners of rooms and windows disappear. They can also add some pattern. Most rooms don’t have enough pattern because good patterned fabrics are often custom.
Interior Design by Maria Killam
Beautiful patterned custom drapes – Patterson Flynn
3. Polish. They also instantly elevate the look and feel of your room. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen people post their rooms on home decor forums polling the internet about whether they should add crown moulding or other embellishments to their room when drapes are desperately needed.
Foregoing curtains is not a modern minimal choice. The most beautiful modern rooms have wall to wall drapes creating a luxurious feel. And if you’re skipping them for housekeeping? Honestly, I don’t want to live in a lab 🤷🏼♀️
How Many Curtain Panels Do You Need Per Window?
And speaking of those wall-to-wall drapes, often modern contemporary builds have wider-than-tall picture windows which DO need many many stacked panels to either side or to one side so that they can cover the entire window while maintaining fullness. And so they don’t look out of proportion.
An unconventional but smart way to plan the size and shape of your windows is to consider how you want your window coverings to look. Yes, curtains are really that significant to the look of your room. Here are three considerations you should make:
1. Windows that are taller than they are wide dress up easily in curtains. You are more likely to get away with one or two panels to each side.
2. Wide windows as I just mentioned usually need several panels to cover them well and to look proportional. That’s why so many huge windows are left starkly naked.
3. You almost always need more panels than you think. For a single or double width taller-than-wide window, you’ll almost definitely need two panels to each side. One panel on all but the smallest windows will look chintzy.
Here’s a handy diagram to help figure out how many panels you’ll need if you’re buying curtains. (If you’re investing in custom drapes, leave the measuring to the pros).
Width of fabric for windows guide where 1.0X fullness is one window width
There are so many details to consider and choices to make when designing a home. It’s best to empower your focus with a useful guiding timeless perspective. So that you can love your home for decades to come without needing to renovate.
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Window coverings are exactly what my huge primary bedroom window is missing! Even though I have plantation shutters (keeps the heat out!) but the window still feels naked/underdressed. My question is, should I take premade panels to a sewist (tailor) and have them connected, or is it ok to hang panels side by side? Having the panels sewn together would result in an optimal finish, but if someone does not want to go to that expense, is it acceptable to hang multiple panels?
Yes. When you hang them on clips, make sure to clip the edges of the panels to the back so you don’t see the break. Especially since you’re not actually going to move them once they’re up, don’t go to the expense to get them sewn together.
Lori, when my new husband sold his house, the curtains on the 120-inch picture window in the living room were in tatters. We wanted a quick, inexpensive solution that would allow the buyer to open or close them. We purchased 4 panels of curtains, enough for 1.5 times the width of the windows. Because they were unlined, I ripped out the seams on adjacent panels and sewed them together using a French seam (where the first seam is enclosed within the second seam). The only thing you need to be careful of is to be sure the top and bottom edges are even on both halves or the bottom edge will be uneven. It worked.
In my own house (where he came to live) I did the same thing on one large window, but because the curtains were lined, I left the original seams alone and simply sewed the finished edges together, with the seam about 1/4 inch from the edge, then hung them with the seam toward the back so you don’t see where they’re joined. So joining them can be done if you wish to open and close the curtains. I’m no seamstress, but if you can sew a straight line, you can do it yourself.
We have curtains in only one room of our 1500 sq ft house—the largest room, which is our dining room and has a large west facing window. Being able to cover that up when the sun is shining in at the beginning of a dinner party is important. But other than that, curtains are not needed for either light control or privacy throughout the rest of the house, so I don’t have them—except for a very sheer, deep valance in the bathroom window, which needs it. No doubt some would disagree with my decision, but the rooms look neither bare nor unfinished.
The rooms you show are vastly improved with curtains. I especially like those in your nephew’s apartment.
Yes! We have a pretty view in our new build and didn’t want to block a lot of light. Where we needed privacy, like in the bathroom, we did one of those patterned window films in colors that complemented the room on the lower window and left the upper window (which didn’t have the privacy concern) just as it was. I’ve considered a valance to make it look more “finished” but I’m pretty happy how it looks without.
Perfect timing on this post—couldn’t agree more. I love fabric; it just adds so much personality and warmth to a space. I’ve had plantation shutters on two sliding doors, and a few windows for years. And they were some of the first things to go during our current renovation. Once all the hard surfaces are in, my plan is to start adding the window coverings back in, in the way of patterned and/or textured drapes and roman blinds— two things I still love the look and function of, after many years of admiring them in decor magazines.
I was always under the impression that Drapes are a North American name for curtains, which is used in the UK.
Well if you look up the definition online curtains are off the shelf and drapes are custom. Thanks for your comment! Maria
In the Midwest US, back in the 60s and 70s, drapes were custom and pleated, and curtains (often used in kitchen and bathrooms) were more homemade and gathered on a rod. Those might not have been the official decorator terms, but that’s how they were used. Starting in the 80s, the whole window covering world seemed to explode with balloon shades, Roman shades and a million other fancy things.
THANK YOU … another timely article filled with clear and specific information. I often purchase panels at HomeGoods and HomeSense for my clients; sometimes I can even find the right size rod with the right finish! My clients are always amazed at the difference the ‘right’ drapery will make in a room. Most often the drapery is kept stationary … just off to the side, for a touch of color and visual warmth. Your readers are very lucky to have found you because you’re always generous with the information that you share.
What about 2nd story tall ceilings where the windows go about 3/4 up the wall. Do I take the rod to the ceiling? Or only a certain length above the window?
Helpful post, Maria! 👌🏻
What a lovely reminder of the amazing changes you made at women’s retreat! AMAZING!
Great article, thank you! One of the most difficult windows to do well is those little basement windows. They are usually very high on the wall, leaving a lot of wall space underneath. I’ve bought a black out roller shade hoping to not block the light too much and look very minimal. But how do I add softness? I’ve seen people put a chest with a vinette below the window, but I don’t have space to put anything underneath as it would block the path to the bed. Any suggestions? Thanks!!
What is your opinion on drapes or curtains with custom blinds?
It’s not drapes it’s draperies. Yes custom, and the fabric but drapes is sort of a slang term.
Also, I am a bit disappointed. I signed up for your luncheon learn classroom situation and all it was was a big advertisement to sign up for your decorators class. That wasn’t very nice. I’ve been a long time follower and just saying my dismay.
I think my new home needs curtains in the living room. One issue with the tall narrow windows is they are on each side of the fireplace and there is only about 6 inches between window and fireplace mantle edge.Any suggestions?
Just use one panel on each side and then you’ll cover less of the window. Maria