In order for you to choose the right curtains for your home you have two options. Hire an interior decorator that will be able to perfectly pick whatever curtains look best in your home. Or the cheaper option, do some research.

The best place these days for doing research is right in your very home or office. That’s right – online. The internet has a treasure trove of information that will help you in deciding what curtains are best for your home.

Here are a few things that you should be looking for:

Curtain Fabric

These days curtains are made from a number of different fabrics and choosing the right one can be daunting. Different fabrics are suitable for different environments. For instance a light cotton curtain fabric might be ideal in the kitchen, but not very practical in a study.

Here are a list of common curtain fabrics:

Acrylic – A synthetic fabric which is quite soft and wool like, it is easily dyed so acrylic curtains come in a great range of colors. Acrylic is also very wrinkle proof and has excellent sunlight resistance.

Brocade – A very elegant, heavy silk material, usually with gold or silver woven patterns. This is a very ornate, heavy fabric which has a feel of opulence.

Cotton – The most widely used fiber in the world, cotton curtain fabric is a very versatile and popular choice.

Damask – Similar to brocade, but flatter, damask has contrasting design motifs.

Polyester – A great, inexpensive fabric which has a low melting point making it perfect for use in homes.

Rayon – A fully synthetic fabric which has a natural luster. Used quite extensively for curtains and upholstery.

Curtain Color

The color of your curtains can really change the whole look of the fabric transforming it into something completely different.

photo credit: Plum Pretty Sugar

Your curtains should match other features in your house such as the flooring, walls and cabinetry. Cream curtains look great in bright airy rooms which dark colored curtains look best in rooms such as studies and bedrooms.

Remember when choosing your color, if you opt for a cream curtain then you will have to think about a good backing material to help with heat insulation.

Curtain Style

Just like the color, the style of curtain can dramatically alter how it looks. You need to think about curtain headers, curtain rings, curtain rods and tie backs. Contemporary designs are using eyelet curtains quite a lot these days.

However, as with any other pale colored fabric, cream shows dirty marks easier than their dark counterparts. If your curtains are hanging in a frequently used room or covering an outside doorway such as a ranch slider to the deck then they are bound to pick up dust, grubby hand prints and even dirt splashes. Unfortunately with a color such as cream you can’t get away with only cleaning your curtains ‘once in a blue moon’.

By committing to having cream curtains you are committing to keeping them fresh and clean, I’ve come up with a simple routine which makes washing my curtains a breeze so you won’t mind having to do it as often.

Try and pick a nice warm sunny day for your curtain washing foray, as you’ll need to hang them out to dry and fresh outside air is best. It not only ventilates them but quickens the overall drying time. A sunny day with slight warm breeze is perfect curtain cleaning weather!

In preparation for your washing day you’ll need to make sure you’ve got a few things in the cleaning cupboard. Often you’ll already have these things in the house, but if not, here’s a list to take to the supermarket.

• Napisan or another brand fabric whitener (choose colorfast if you can.)
• Liquid detergent – You can either use a liquid washing detergent or a gentle dish washing detergent
• White vinegar (only if you need to clean metal curtain rings)

So now that you’ve got your supplies, what do you do with them? Well here are some step by step instructions on washing those curtains.

• Take your curtains down from your windows, removing any rings or hooks.
• Fill your bathtub (or if you have a gigantic pot) with cold or tepid water and stir in the recommended amount of Napisan. Usually the bottle will tell you how many capfuls to use per liter. A couple of capfuls should be sufficient.
• Fully submerge your curtains in the Napisan bathtub and leave soaking for the period stated on the bottle.
• Once you’ve soaked your curtains you are ready to do the actual washing. Depending on what fabric your curtains are made from and whether or not they are lined, you can either hand wash them in the bath with some liquid detergent or put them in the washing machine on a very gentle cycle.
• You must not machine wash your curtains if they are heavy or lined, this could possibly wreck them and ruin the shape. So remember hand wash only unless they are a light synthetic fabric.
• Once your curtains are washed, hang them outside to drip dry. (Don’t use the spin cycle on your washing machine!)
• Now that your curtains are fully dry you can bring them inside to iron. Be careful with the heat if your curtains are made from synthetic materials as they could melt!

While your curtains are drying you can clean your curtain rings. This is a great way to get rid of any rust spots.

• Get an old pot and fill with water and a splash or two of vinegar.
• Put all your curtain rings in the pot and boil for a while until your curtain rings gleam like new again.

Now that you have freshly washed cream curtains and newly shining curtain rings, you’re ready to rehang them and enjoy!

Let me take a moment here to convince you why cream colored curtains are a great idea in any home.

I’ll start with the reason which is the most obvious. Cream curtains match just about ANYTHING. Cream is such a versatile color you would be hard pressed to mismatch any of your other furnishings with it. Cream is one of those neutral colors like beige or taupe. It just seems to go with everything. Have you ever wondered why those shades of colors are most popular for wall paint? Well the same reasoning is used for choosing a cream colored curtain. Put them in just about any room and you’ll have a winning combination.

Another terrific reason to choose cream drapes is the fact that they are so light and airy. You can brighten up almost any room with these light colored window coverings. So if you have a pretty dark room that needs light, but you still want the privacy curtains afford, then choose cream. Opened or closed these curtains will let the light in and really open up a dark dingy room.

Not convinced?

Maybe you are thinking cream is such a boring color, you want some vibrancy and a real ‘centerpiece’ and focal point in your room, not just some regular bland curtains. Well, let me tell you cream curtains don’t have to be boring! Like white, there are many different shades of cream, you can mix and match colors to create an interesting contrast. Or better yet choose textured fabrics.

There are hundreds of various cream fabrics to choose from. By just doing a simple thing like buying a textured fabric you will have transformed what could potentially be a fairly plain curtain into a magnificent piece of art (use your imagination here people!)

Hopefully you’ll give cream curtains a chance and maybe I’ve even convinced you to buy some. Take a look at our online curtain store for ideas and prices.

photo credit: lepiaf.geo

If you’re looking for a way to give your room a complete makeover and a fresh new look, then what better way than by using some cream curtains.

Cream colored curtains can give a room a great ‘lift’ and can really brighten up a dark room. They not only let in more light, but add a great stylish look to any room.

If you’re looking for a way to brighten up a tired room, then you should definitely be looking at new curtains. They can not only be an inexpensive way to change the whole look of your room, but they are practical too.

But what is so special about cream curtains you ask?

Well for a start the cream color is stylish, sophisticated and never goes out of fashion. There are very few color schemes that won’t be complimentary to cream so you won’t have to go and change carpets and furnishings just to match your curtains.

The great thing about having curtains which are cream colored is the fact that you can brighten them up with different curtain accessories such as ties backs or headings.

Using different fabrics with different textures will also give your curtains a completely new look and feel. You can really transform the same color curtain by making use of the various types of curtain fabrics available.

You could even pair two or three different cream fabrics together to make an original style and design of curtains.

Another way to add that little something extra to your curtains is by having interesting stylish or even homemade curtain rods. Just by choosing something a little special or different your cream curtains can become the real focus of your room.

Cream curtains are so versatile; if you have the budget you could use any spare curtain fabric to make cushion covers. This is a great way to really tie your curtains into the room while keeping the same theme and exact curtain color.