Curtains are the essence of a home interior, they not only cover the window but defines your interior and most importantly the class of the family members. Curtains can be made out of variety of different materials. Below are some materials that can be used to make curtains.
- Decorator Fabrics: Considered the best choice for curtain-making, especially in terms of opening and closing, and for them to last long. Decorator fabrics have a high thread count, making them more durable than other fabrics. The more the weight the more it helps curtains hang nicely.
- Linens: silks and faux silks
- Cotton and cotton-blend chintzes: have a shiny coating
- Madras Cotton: chequered cotton with vibrant colors, used for festive happy feel curtains.
- Twill cotton on it has a subtle pattern as part of its weave which is very attractive.
- Gingham cotton is check-patterned cotton which is very popular to make kitchen curtains.
- Warp sateen: smooth and heavy
- Drapery antique satins with characteristic slubs: These are some special fabrics for drapery with floral and other patterns. Damask has a two-tone design i.e. two tones of the same color. Can be of cotton or silk fibers. These fabrics may need to be lined to preserve their patterns and drape.
- Brocades: with raised, tapestry-inspired motifs made from either silk, cotton, linen, or wool, and occasionally from man-made fibers. It is a thicker, richer fabric than others, and often presents with two or more different colors. Brocade makes a great fabric for curtain and upholstery projects, thanks to its design and dense, sturdy feel.
- Velvet: With texture bringing out elegance and style
- Chenille fabric is a soft, warm, and comfortable feeling fabric for curtains with a similar texture to velvet. Its looped pile makes it soft and fluffy.
- Sheer Fabrics: Sheer curtains without fully blocking light offer some amount of privacy and are used either alone or as a decorative accent layered over an opaque window treatment, such as blinds. These complement a feminine style of décor as they are delicate and light weighted. Light weighted, transparent sheers, usually polyester, are available in a wide variety of colors and sometimes prints.
- Lined curtains, except for sheers, have a more professional-looking finish, block more light and offer more insulation than unlined ones. They look more attractive from the outside and are fade resistant.
- Special blackout fabric is a good choice for bedrooms as they are available for lining curtains.
- The insulated lining is another specialist option, keeping a room warmer in winter, blocking drafts.
- Interlining is an extra layer of fabric sandwiched between the curtain fabrics and lining, that further adds insulation and more body to the covering.
- Garment and Quilting Fabrics: Garment and quilting fabrics are suitable for more lightweight window treatments, particularly decorative rather than functional.
Examples include:
- Cafe curtains: cover just the bottom part of a window
- Hourglass curtains: cinched in the middle and mounted at the top and bottom of a glass-paneled door
- Simple and plain panels: that hang from clip rings.