The curtains you choose for your home are very important; they provide privacy from the outside world, and can block off drafts and hot sunshine in summertime. Curtains also add a bit of style and personality to a room. However, there may be more designs and types of curtains available than you realized, which can make choosing the right style a challenge. Note a few tips on how to do that for your home.

Curtains you'll open and close a lot

Not all curtains will get opened and closed often; for example, you might keep the curtains in the bedroom closed all the time, since this room is often unoccupied during the day. However, for living rooms and the like, note the curtain top, or the area that's attached to the curtain rod. Any style of curtain that has fabric wrapped around the rod, such as tab top or pocket curtains, will be difficult to open and close, as fabric doesn't tend to move easily over a curtain rod. Opt for a style that has grommets or rings of some sort instead, as these will slide easily across the rod.

Tiebacks

If you want a dramatic look for your curtains, use tiebacks. These are a type of tie or hook that holds the middle of the curtain away from the window, while the tops of the curtains stay spread across the rod. Hooks that you screw into the wall make opening the curtains very easy; simply drape the middle of the curtain behind this hook when you want the curtains opened. Curtains with sheers behind them can stay permanently opened, so you can then use tiebacks of any material; this might be matching fabric, but consider an old belt, a string of beads, a velvet cord, or anything that adds drama and style to your curtains.

Half curtains

There may be windows in your home that you don't want to cover completely, and rooms where full curtains may seem too large and overpowering. For these windows, choose cafe curtains. These extend along the bottom half of a window, with the curtains fitting inside the frame rather than hanging to the floor. Cafe curtains are a favourite for kitchens, as they obscure some of the view inside while still allowing light to come through the top half of the window. These curtains also allow you to put a shelf along the window, above the curtains themselves, which can then hold coffee mugs, pots of home-grown spices, and the like.