The days are getting shorter and there’s a slight chill in the air. We all know what that means; winter is just around the corner. Your windows are the portal that links your home with the outside world, and as warm summer breezes give way to cooler temperatures of autumn, your window treatments can play a part in keeping the cold at bay while remaining stylish. Curtain and blind designer Sarah Wooldridge has over 30 years of experience creating bespoke curtains, blinds, and soft furnishings for country houses, listed developments, private boats and more. An expert in her field, she’s sharing her top four suggestions for stylish winter curtains to keep your home warm without compromising design.
1. The Velvet Touch
If you’re looking for a fabric that keeps out the cold look no further than velvet. This thick, luxurious fabric is a fantastic insulator, making it an ideal window treatment for draughty windows. Not only do velvet curtains block winter draughts, but their thickness also helps to reduce light and dampen sound.
Velvet has long-held associations with luxury and elegance. It drapes well and can elevate any space. From formal dining rooms to richly styled living rooms, or master bedrooms, velvet curtains add a level of sophistication.
If you’re looking to make a bold statement, try a patterned or cut velvet like this. The soft, tactile nature of velvet, makes it warm and inviting in every shade. From pale pastels and neutral tones to deep reds and verdant greens, velvet gives any room a sumptuous, yet comfortable feeling.
2. Weight for Warmth
Curtains play a unique role within the home. Not only do they serve as a decorative feature, but curtains also have the unique ability to help regulate the temperature of a room. While this may seem an inane detail, your choice of curtain fabrics can make a difference to the climate of your home. Just like your clothing, thicker, heavier materials like wool and velvet help to insulate your home by blocking chilly drafts in the winter. While wool may sound drab, these heavier fabrics can be woven into stunning decorative weaves to match any decor.
3. Lining
Whether you choose velvet or another heavy fabric for your winter curtains, adding an additional interlining to your curtains can add that extra bit of warmth in the cold winter months. Interlinings not only help curtain fabrics of all kinds fall in a more pleasing way, but linings can also make your windows much more energy efficient. Between 10-25% thermal energy can escape through windows, so the extra layers of the lined curtains act to block draughts and prevent warm air from escaping the room.
4. Look at Length
Fabric choice and thickness is not the only factor to consider when choosing curtains to keep you warm and cosy throughout the winter. Length can play a key part in keeping the winter draughts at bay. While short, sill-length curtains may be desirable in warm days of summer, during the winter their short length allows the draughts to make their way in. Consider choosing floor-length curtains for the winter months. Not only does the floor length give a luxurious feel, but it will also help prevent winter draught from creeping in.
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