Curtain Ideas

A complete industry has been built around the need for window treatments, and there are literally professional consultants that specialize in the design of drapery products. Curtain decorating ideas need not come from a paid professional, as there are literally tens of thousands of sources on the Internet, and from local interior design retailers. The conundrum of choosing the right curtain styles lies within the color and curtain fabric selection. The average single-family home inhabitant does not know a pleated curtain from decorative finials. It does not require one to attend a design school to create stunning curtain panels, but a learning curve in what colors work well together, and which materials will help bring a room decor together is a big help.

Attending home decorating shows when they come to your city is a great place to find the newest trends and designs in curtain ideas. Arm yourself with a digital camera, or camcorder, notepad, and pen. Methodically inspect and review each booth that specializes in the drapery industry. Chat up the representatives to get their opinions on what curtain choices work best in most homes. After arriving back at home, review your notes, and download your pictures to the computer so you can view a slide show of your decorating fact finding mission. Use these combined resources to do extended online searches from your newfound research material.

Curtain decoration ideas abound in model homes that are professionally staged to help realtors sell homes. They hire decorators that create impromptu interior designs that make a home more appealing to the average buyer. Check the newspaper for open house showings in more upscale neighborhoods, as the design quality and materials will never be less than top notch. The realtor may have some insight about the window treatments, and can refer you to the designer that staged the home. It may be a little too much for your budget to hire someone to design your custom curtain project, but hiring them for an hour long question and answer session will cost much less, and give you ideas that you may have never come across in your online research.

When adding new window coverings to your bathroom, start thinking about shower curtain decorating ideas, which will match your new window dressing. In some cases you can use the same fabric you used on your windows for your shower curtain by adding a plastic liner to the back of curtain to prevent moisture damage to the fabric. Some bed and bath retailers will have matched sets of bathroom drapery and shower curtains ready made that may work well with your design theme, and will cost much less than having custom pieces made from a professional drapery crafter.

One last resource you may want to examine is a book written by Gina Moore titled The Window Style Bilble: Over 500 Inspirational Ideas for Curtains, Blinds, Fabrics, and Accessories. This book is a one-stop resource that will give you more ideas than you can ever use in your home. It retails for $24.95 and comes in paperback form.