When you’re redecorating or simply adding a few trending special additions to your home, you’re likely going to ask how to tie these new pieces into your existing aesthetic. That, in turn, brings up another important question: What is your personal aesthetic?
The aesthetic of a room is determined by a few key elements, including the color scheme, how minimal or maximal the space is, and the design theme. Once you’ve loosely narrowed down your home’s aesthetic, you can start finding the perfect furnishing to incorporate into that style.
Curtains are no exception when it comes to matching your furnishings with your aesthetic. While your window treatments serve a functional purpose in a room, they are also a design piece. That’s why we recognize how vital it is to feel comfortable that your drapery matches your aesthetic.
There are plenty of ways you can approach picking new curtains for your space, so we’ve put together a handy guide to walk you through the process with ease.
Start With Help From an Interior Design Expert
It’s always a great idea to consult with someone who has experience in the design field. There are so many ways you can get design advice. There are tons of resources online for style inspiration and tips from experts.
If you want in-depth design expertise catered specifically to you, you can always reach out to us for complimentary design assistance. Our in-house design experts are ready to help you tackle any design questions you come across. We’ll answer your queries within three business days. In the meantime, you can peruse our Style Guides and Spice Market for some fresh new ideas.
Pair Custom Curtains With Custom Wallpaper
Walls and curtains are a dream team. While you can choose curtains to match your existing wallpaper, you can also work in reverse to match your wallpaper to the custom curtains you’ve designed.
Thankfully, we’ve already picked out perfect pairs for you; just scroll to the bottom of your custom curtain’s webpage to check out the best wallpaper pairings for your patterns.
Choose the Right Curtain Construction
When customizing your curtains, construction plays a big role in personalizing your drapes. Firstly, you’ll want to be familiar with the different options for construction styles. Then, you’ll need to consider which construction style flows best with your aesthetic.
If you’re looking for something simple and functional, a ring top may be the right construction for you. This style makes opening and closing your curtains easy and effortless, so we recommend this style for rooms that use curtains more frequently, such as living rooms and home offices.
If you want to retain the functionality of the ring top but add a bit more texture, the pinch pleat or tailored pleat may be the right choice for you. These styles of construction add an eye-catching element to your curtains and are great for solid linen curtain panels that you want to imbue with some flair, too.
Our construction styles that do not require rings are rod pocket curtains and grommet curtains. The rod pocket is ideal for mostly decorative curtains, especially those dramatic curtains that puddle on the floor. The grommet top is as functional as the ring top but with an interesting wavy element added through texture.
Our curtain hardware recommendations and helpful installment guide can make choosing your construction style easy and fun.
Unify Your Home Decor With Matching Curtains and Pillows
Customizable pieces can vary from large design elements like your wallpaper to small room decor details like custom pillows. You can never have too many pillows, and with so many great ways to store them, we advocate for having seasonal pillows and new pillows to match your new decor.
Pillows are one of our favorite ways to accessorize a room. Simple yet practical, custom pillows are an affordable way to add color and pattern to a space. Our favorite spots for throw pillows are sofas, armchairs, beds, and rocking chairs, especially for nurseries.
They’re also a fantastic way to tie a room together. We’ve even put some perfect pair suggestions together on our pillow product pages so that when you find that flawless custom curtain, you’ll have no trouble customizing pillows to go with it.
On the fence between multiple custom pillows? No problem! You can order fabric swatches and even pillow piping swatches so that you can test out different styles in your home. This is a great way to feel confident when ordering your customized pillows and curtains by getting rid of the guesswork.
Pick a Curtain Color That Matches Your Room
Color is extremely important when narrowing down custom curtain options. You want to pick out window panels that match the color scheme of your room. Pulling together prominent colors in your space and creating a digital or physical collage is a great way to determine your existing color scheme.
The colors you choose for your drapes determine the effect they have on your room. Do you want a bold watercolor statement piece to contrast with lighter colors around the room? Do you want something that blends in well with the wall and doesn’t distract? These are all important questions to ask when narrowing down a color.
Don’t Be Afraid of Patterns
Patterns can be a designer's best friend. Patterns are an excellent way to add another design element to your space. Still, they don’t have to always be something bold and eye-catching like paisley velvet curtains with matching valances and tassels.
You can incorporate patterns that are minimalist into a room so that you can enjoy that added interesting element without distracting from other areas of your space. We’re a big fan of minimal patterns on drapes with pastels. This brightens a room while keeping your design simple if that’s your personal style.
Choose Between Blackout Curtains and Privacy Curtains
One of the last steps to choosing custom curtains is choosing between blackout curtains and privacy curtains. We recommend blackout curtains for places that would benefit from total darkness, like bedrooms and nurseries. These curtains come in a variety of colors, including white blackout curtains, so that you don’t have to worry about sacrificing the style.
Privacy curtains are more ideal for spaces that could benefit from room darkening but don’t require total darkness when the curtains are drawn, like living rooms, dining rooms, and kitchens.
It may come as a surprise that choosing between these two types of curtains also ties into your aesthetic. If you enjoy some light filtered through your curtains while maintaining your solitude, privacy curtains are perfect for you.
If you want the option of blackout curtains but also enjoy natural light, we recommend layering sheer or semi-sheer curtains under your blackout curtains. That way, you can enjoy some vague privacy while also enjoying the benefits of natural light.
Curtains that are too short or too narrow will allow light to leak through, meaning your blackout curtains aren’t as effective as they could be. No matter which curtains you choose, remember to use our Curtain Calculator to make sure you purchase the perfect size for your space.
Make Your New Curtains the Start of a Home Makeover
Once you’ve found the right pair of custom drapes, you may find you’ve learned a thing or two about your own aesthetic. You may even feel inspired to make other changes around your home towards styles that are more boho, retro, or classic. We say harness this inspiration and start planning your next DIY home makeover.
A home makeover may seem like a long process, but it really doesn’t have to be. Especially once you understand your personal style and the color scheme of your home, it’s easy to start finding furnishing that flows well together. You can also always contact our design experts for any type of help in the home makeover process, so you don’t have to go it alone!
Custom curtains, even shower curtains, are a fantastic way to bring different rooms around the house together. Understanding your home’s style and color scheme along with our curated perfect pairs provides you with all the tools you need in order to find curtains that match your new designs.
Transform Your Home With Custom Curtains
When you approach any new home design element, it’s good to ask yourself about your personal style. Not only do you learn more about yourself, but it helps you find the right furnishings, like custom curtains. Both functional and fashionable, custom curtains are a key feature of any room.
Once you’ve answered the big questions, you should feel ready to find the perfect curtains to match your aesthetic. And once you design your dream curtains, Pepper Home will have them shipped to you in just seven days so that you can enjoy them as soon as possible.
Sources:
6 Decorating and Remodeling Tips From a Top Interior Designer | Time
11 Things to Know About Natural Light and Your Health | Healthline