CURTAIN RAISER: WHAT TO KNOW IN CHOOSING CURTAINS,

Most often than not, we find ourselves paralyzed at the prospects of choosing the appropriate curtains for our homes. We settle on what looks good on the eye and what we assume would look good after duelling in our minds on whether we made the right choice or not. I know I have. Settling on what we feel good about sparingly works sometimes. Usually, the rule of thumb is to go for colours which tickle our fancy, the texture and feel of the fabric or perhaps a recommendation from a friend which is seemingly convincing.
They are all legitimate disposition in their own right. But let me chip in the ‘what if’ clause. What if the colours do not match the setting of the living room? What if the curtains are too thick to rake in enough air into the bedroom and instead of letting in light during the day, there’s relative darkness? Your friend may have the best of intentions, but what if she is totally oblivious to what your room exactly needs. (I have seen the horrendous handiwork of a friends’ recommendation, with the victim too worried about hurting her friends’ feelings).
Judgements and playing Russian roulette with the choices we making in selecting curtains can be costly if not handled with caution. I know how in our part of the world, where the trouble of being particular and vigilant on curtain choices has never been inculcated in us by parents. So long as there is a curtain to give privacy and not let in excessive sun rays, who cares what anyone thinks, right? Well, wrong! Curtains make a room in its own right. It gives life even to an empty room.
The nitty gritty in curtain choice doesn’t involve a huge budget or break your bank account, when all considerations are aptly handled. First you need to know the mood of the room even before the choice of fabric and its accompanying colour comes in. Does the room give a formal or relaxed feeling, retro styled or perhaps classy yet simple. These concerns inform the kind of curtains you go in for to help define the general theme of the room.
For instance, in a brightly coloured room, lighter fabrics are recommended to let in enough sunlight whereas bold colours and patterned fabric will work perfectly as it livens up the room. A thick fabric curtain will not work well in this hot climate of ours as it is likely to prevent air in the room, causing discomfort.
Colours spices up the room and plays an integral role as it basically tells the personality and mood of the individual. Choice of colour can also have an effect on the longevity of the curtain since the fabric fades over time. So it is advisable to avoid bright colours in room where the is a lot of sunlight.
These key pointers can go a long way in influencing curtain choice the next time you’re out shopping. Curtains are as representative of your personality and as your clothes are. Choose the right ones to complement your home.

By: Angela Ashong-African Home Building News