Add a cozy pop of color with colored curtains
[dropcap]I[/dropcap]f you’re a color & prints enthusiast like me, adding pops of color in your space is one of your go-to decorating tactics. It helps the space feel fun, interesting, and even whimsical. Even if you’re a color lover, bright pops of color can sometimes look like too much fun if not styled correctly.
❝it can be a tough balance to style a pop of bold color in a way that still looks luxurious instead of overly playful❞
If you want a fun color in your space, but still want it to look elegant – this curtain styling tip is just for you. First up, we have the before: this office has bright coral sheers hung against a black and white speckled dot wallpaper.
check out my curtain calculator HERE
just enter your window dimensions to find the rod width, hardware width, curtain width, and curtain height
While the black and white + pop of color are a good combo, the bold print with the bright coral hue can look pretty whimsical and is a little too bold to feel luxe
p.s. see the full office reveal here: Fun & Fresh Office + Studio Reveal
The solution?
[dropcap]B[/dropcap]reak it up with a neutral – in this case, a creamy white.
By hanging a second rod with floor-length white curtains in front of the coral sheers, it separates the pop of color & bold pattern by creating a neutral space between them.
The white curtains pool at the bottom for a luxurious feel and the coral sheers can be closed to control the light or even pushed wide open to hide them behind the white curtains altogether. This gives you more control over the amount of color in the space.
This hardware is actually from Ikea, so hanging the second rod was as easy as screwing a couple extra rod holders onto the existing bracket and adding the new panels.
Of course, there are also some curtain styling basics to keep in mind as well to make your window treatments look fabulous. Curtains are an easy way to make your space feel bigger and grander. There are two ways to accomplish this:
tip 01: Maximize your Colored Curtains Length
\[dropcap]C[/dropcap]urtains that span all the way from the ceiling to the floor help to visually stretch the room and give the illusion of taller ceilings. To achieve this, hang your rod a good amount above the window – about halfway from the top of the window to the ceiling is a good rule of thumb, but on windows with 7-9ft ceilings, you’ll want to go higher if possible.
In the photos above, the ceilings are 9ft and the distance between the top of the window to the ceiling is 1 ft, but the curtains are hung just 3 inches from the ceiling to help maximize length.
The next tip for maximizing the visual height of your room is to opt for floor-length curtains. This helps draw the eye upward and feels more cohesive than curtains that stop short of the floor – which can make the room look choppy.
Choose curtains that just touch the floor for a tailored look, or opt for curtains that break or pool at the bottom for a more lived-in or romantic look.
tip 02: Create Width
[dropcap]Y[/dropcap]ou can also use curtains to not only make your room look taller, but also make your windows look larger. Instead of hanging your curtains right on the edge of each window, you want to push them out to the sides of the window. This will help make your window look larger overall since the curtains will take up more horizontal space and by covering up the wall on either side of the window – they’ll give the illusion that your window is bigger.
Not only that, since your curtains aren’t hung directly in front of the window – you’ll be able to let a lot more light into your space. Like we talked about before with the Powder Bath design strategy, keeping things light and bright helps your space feel expanded.
One thing you do want to avoid is hanging your curtains too wide. How do you know how much is too much?
Your curtains should still look relaxed and have some folds in them even when pulled shut. If your curtains are tight across the front of your window when closed – they’re either hung too wide or you need to get panels that have more width.
Up next...
check out the big reveal!
Want to see the full space? Catch my Fun & Fresh Office + Studio Reveal to get a peak inside the space an a look at some design strategies you can use for your own office design.
office refresh
Are you refreshing your space? Catch my 11 Office Styling Tips to Freshen Up Your Workspace to help you get started giving your space a makeover.
cara newhart
I'm Cara, the designer & diy queen behind Never Skip Brunch. I'm a color & prints obsessed DIY queen who's here to help you create a beautifully lived-in life through home design advice and chic DIY tutorials
Love this!! Great tips ?
I Love this Post!! You are so right!!!