Your First Step to Choose your Curtain Fabric

Choosing fabric would seem to be a simple and straightforward task. But there is such an amazing range of beautiful and tactile fabrics available today that it would be foolhardy to spend just a short amount of time making that choice.

Firstly it pays to keep an open mind when you are selecting fabric for your new curtains. The best place to begin is with the actual window you are buying curtains for. You may decide to opt for something different such as Roman blinds for example, but if you are going to stay with curtains there are many different things you need to consider before you can actually order them.

You can actually make a good start by considering how good the curtains are that you have in place at the moment. Do they seem too thin for the window in question? Perhaps the sunlight still streams in even if you have the curtains closed.

The thickness of your new curtains is a very important point to bear in mind. Thicker curtains won't just cut out the sunlight they will also keep the heat in much more effectively during the winter months and make a room feel much cosier as a result. They also have a feeling of total luxury that is rarely surpassed by thinner fabrics, so bear this in mind if you want something heavy and luxurious to hang.

You also have style to think about. Choosing one fabric over another can give the room a whole new spin that you hadn't thought of before. You may also decide to get some inspiration from items that you already love having in your home. Think of those thick luscious velvety cushions you have squished into that favourite armchair for example, or the delightfully colourful bedspread you have on your bed. Perhaps you could continue the theme set by one such item into the curtains as well?

Choosing fabric is also made easier by having samples to look at and feel. This holds true regardless of whether you are ordering your new curtains online or in a shop. When you have samples you can use them at home to hold up against items of furniture, or to hold up against the light to see how effective they will be. You can also quite literally get a feel for the fabric to see whether it looks and feels exactly how you want it to.

Another very important aspect to bear in mind when choosing fabric is the colour. You should consider pattern choices at the same time here, because the two can sometimes be very closely entwined.

For instance the colour scheme in the room you wish to buy new curtains for may be blue. But it could be anything from a subtle pale shade of blue to an electric blue. Similarly your new curtains may look wonderful in a deep pure shade of blue - one plain block of colour that will really catch the eye. Alternatively you may wish to introduce a pattern of some kind to the curtains, all the while keeping that blue theme running through them very strongly. You could opt for a check pattern that features several different shades of blue for example. It may even help to link up several items in the room quite beautifully indeed.

You can see how important it is to spend some quality time choosing the best fabric for your new curtains. They will be hanging in the room of your choice for a long time to come so it makes sense to consider all your options carefully before you make your purchase. If you do this you will be delighted with the finished product.