Are curtains out of style?

[Anonymous]

I noticed on the pottery barn website for example that many of the living rooms have bare windows. I love how light and refreshing it looks! What day you DCUM, curtains or just bare windows/wood blinds?

[Anonymous]

I think it depends on your style and on the view. There are a couple of areas I've decided to do away with curtains in the house. We have big picture windows in the living room that look out to a really nice view. I also have a big fireplace in the living room that is the main "focal point" (to the side of the windows). Taking the curtains down and adding trim around the windows really suited what I was going for in that room - lightening it up and drawing attention to the view/fireplace.

Other areas I still like curtains. They warm things up and make it cozy.

What looks good in photos/for staging isn't always what looks good when you're living in it. Luckily this is an easy one to try out or even to take a photo of the room and use one of the many apps to try out curtains on the windows and without.

[Anonymous]

Generally yes. Light and modern is in. The only place I have curtains is in my kids' room because they're not old enough to have blinds safely near them.

[Anonymous]

Curtains are of course still 'in' as you can see in any design magazine. Not for every room, or for every house. What you see for staging or show is not a real life representation. If you want to know what is in - follow designers you admire on Instagram and they will have photos of real life design

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it depends on your style and on the view. There are a couple of areas I've decided to do away with curtains in the house. We have big picture windows in the living room that look out to a really nice view. I also have a big fireplace in the living room that is the main "focal point" (to the side of the windows). Taking the curtains down and adding trim around the windows really suited what I was going for in that room - lightening it up and drawing attention to the view/fireplace.

Other areas I still like curtains. They warm things up and make it cozy.

What looks good in photos/for staging isn't always what looks good when you're living in it. Luckily this is an easy one to try out or even to take a photo of the room and use one of the many apps to try out curtains on the windows and without.

NP but what are these apps and do you know of one where I can change all of my windows trim and doors black before commiting to that?

[Anonymous]

Drapes are still in, roman shades are still in. Bare windows make for a good photo shoot when you're trying to highlight things other than the windows, but for those of use who live on streets and have neighbors, we need something we can close over our windows for privacy at night.

[Anonymous]

I don't think of Pottery Barn as an indication of what is in style.

Color, trim, and patterns on drapery is in. People are moving back towards a more classic style after years of a more contemporary, white wall look.

[Anonymous]

Interesting. They seem like they’re “out” to me except for very traditional style which doesn’t vary that much anyway.

[Anonymous]

I have a very old home with tall ceilings and big windows. When we bought it I took down all the curtains and painted the window trim. I think the windows are so beautiful and I feel like they stand out more and it feels more open and full of light.

I also feel like curtains are dirty?? they collect dust. Just my opinion! I'm sure i'll change it in a few years

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a very old home with tall ceilings and big windows. When we bought it I took down all the curtains and painted the window trim. I think the windows are so beautiful and I feel like they stand out more and it feels more open and full of light.

I also feel like curtains are dirty?? they collect dust. Just my opinion! I'm sure i'll change it in a few years

You don't mind people looking in at you at night?

I have curtains--most of them plain white or off-white, so unobtrusive. We pull them closed when it gets dark. They're all cotton, machine washable, and I wash them regularly.

[Anonymous]

I have curtains. We live on a busy street.

[Anonymous]

Curtains and heavy window coverings are generally out. Exception is for people who are intentionally including them in a traditional design aesthetic, or alternatively, in a quite modern space with loads of tall windows where they soften the room (and are very simple). Unfortunately, most people I know in DC with curtains are just doing middle of the road pottery barn with their heavy curtains, so yeah, these curtains look dowdy and dated.

When we lived on a very busy street in a row house, we had sheer honeycomb blinds. I've also used roller shades in a home recently. So while some windows definitely need coverage, there is clearly a movement to "less is better".

[Anonymous]

It depends on your style. I dislike modern design and traditional is the only way to go for me, so we have curtains. We have blinds too though!

[Anonymous]

Curtains are never completely "out of style" for the majority of houses in this area. If you have a modern or mid century modern home, curtains may not suit the spaces, but most homes in the area are colonials or traditional to some degree so curtains will suit most rooms just fine.

I'm a fan of curtains in bedrooms as well as the formal living space. Curtains that are well chosen can generally work in any space imo. Look at pictures online (hang them high and wide as a rule) and you'll see many transitional styles that look good with curtains.

Windows that have no window dressings look bare/naked to me, especially if you have crown molding and nice/detailed trim everywhere. Window dressings being curtains, cornice boxes, roman shades, etc. Blinds are not window dressings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Curtains and heavy window coverings are generally out. Exception is for people who are intentionally including them in a traditional design aesthetic, or alternatively, in a quite modern space with loads of tall windows where they soften the room (and are very simple). Unfortunately, most people I know in DC with curtains are just doing middle of the road pottery barn with their heavy curtains, so yeah, these curtains look dowdy and dated.

When we lived on a very busy street in a row house, we had sheer honeycomb blinds. I've also used roller shades in a home recently. So while some windows definitely need coverage, there is clearly a movement to "less is better".

Eh, honeycomb shades scream "I outfitted my entire house at IKEA."