The right curtains can immediately improve a room’s comfort and aesthetics. But did you know that it’s possible to hang curtains incorrectly? It may seem unlikely, but I’ve been in a room this week where the curtains were the wrong length and it was literally the only thing I could look at! Even minor mistakes can make a big impact so, before I invest in any curtains for my new home, I’ve been doing some research into what not to buy. I thought I’d share this advice with you so that you can take a look around your home and make sure your curtains don’t suffer from the four common problems I discovered…
I made my own caravan curtains & blinds – read the blog post here!
1. Too-long curtains
Off-the-peg curtains can sometimes be a little too long for your room and you’ll end up with extra fabric that bunches up on the floor. If the curtains are really long they can look like a pile of laundry that’s been neglected for weeks! Raising your curtain rod is the easiest way to make long curtains fit your room. Just make sure you raise the rod high enough so the curtains don’t touch your floor. If you’re handy with a sewing machine, the alternative is to shorten the hem of the curtains. I shortened some curtains for my own home and now they are perfect for the space.
2. Too-short curtains
Short curtains not only affect a room’s comfort, but it can make your home look rather silly. Think of short curtains as the interior design equivalent of too-short trousers! I’ve actually got some curtains in my home that are a little short for the window, but that’s because I’m in the process of decorating my house and a lovely friend lent the curtains to me so that I could get some privacy in the meantime. Short curtains will let in daylight when you’re trying to blackout the room, and will allow evening draughts from the vents into the room. If the room still feels uncomfortably draughty after you’ve lengthened those curtains, you should inspect your vents and windows for leaks. You have two options for fixing too-short curtains; you can either lower your curtain rod, which might be enough to do the trick, or buy longer curtains. 
3. Clashing colours
Curtains that look gorgeous in one room can look hideous in another space, and it all depends on the decor. If the curtains don’t match the rest of the room’s colour scheme, they will look really out of place. In some cases, the curtains may look a little quirky and that’s okay: a burst of bright colour looks great in a room. But in some rooms, it can be obvious when you’ve ‘made do’ with an old pair of curtains. Replacing your curtains is the easiest way to solve this problem – or redecorate the whole room, haha! When I couldn’t find the right pastel shade of curtains for my caravan decor I decided to make some myself using blue star-print fabric and now the colour is just right.
4. Narrow curtain rods
If your curtain rod isn’t long enough, then your curtains will look squashed up in an uncomfortable and unattractive way. Narrow curtain rods can also make it difficult for you to get enough sunlight into your room, because you can’t pull the curtains fully open. When the rods are too short, your curtains will bunch at the edges and block light. You have two options for solving this problem: replace the rod or have your curtains altered. It’s usually cheaper and easier to buy a longer rod, so most people choose that option. If you do decide to alter your curtains be sure to make them wide enough to still cover the window, but not so wide that they bunch up at the edges.
Curtains play an important role in how attractive your rooms look. Luckily, these common curtain mistakes are relatively easy to fix. They don’t take much money or time, so you can make your home more attractive with little effort. I can’t wait to sort out my too-short curtains in the hallway – perhaps a roller blind will work well there? I’m still considering the options so watch this space!
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