Voiles and Sheers as Curtains for Contemporary Look
Using Texture and Color to Good Effect in Modern Window Treatment
Sheers and voiles are underutilized as decorative options for contemporary window treatments.
If you don’t need the drapery for insulation reasons then using sheers or voiles provides a large scope for creativity as shown in this photograph below.
Sheers and Voiles as Curtains
The simple soft falling white sheer shown diffuses the light and provides privacy for the room. However the wonderful color choice of the side drape highlights the window and adds an air of romance with its soft bunching holdback in the form of a flower made of sheer fabric.
This contemporary room has used color and texture well, the vertical linear wallpaper creates height. The soft intensity of the orange colored sofa creates a focal point with a subtle floral pattern which is upstaged by the oriental lilies on the cushion. We cannot see the entire room in this photograph but what we can see appears modern well balanced and inviting.
I go back to texture here. Imagine that the walls were painted one color, perhaps a soft apricot and that the fabric of the sofa was an orange canvas, the whole dynamics of the room would look different. It would appear flat and uninteresting. So always look at the room as a whole when you are considering your curtain selection.
Help Choosing Sheers for Windows in your Home
Don’t make the messy beginner decorator mistake of choosing a different sheer fabric for every room in the house.
Oh, just think what it will look like from the street? A rainbow house (if you used colored sheer fabric) or a textured tea cosy ( if you use patterned or net material).
It is vitally important when you select fabric for your windows, to visualize how your scheme will look like from the inside of the house as well as from the outside, then walk from room to room and look through and imagine what you will see.
A simple method is to keep something constant in your scheme so that you eye isn’t continuously being threatened by different textures and colorways.
The best option is to keep the constant item your sheer and make that choice subtle when choosing the fabric to use.
Sheers have multiple uses:
- They are create privacy at a window – for you looking out and others looking in.
- They reduce direct harsh sunlight entering your home.
- They help a little with insulating your home.
- They are also there to be a back drop for your drapery or curtains.
This is usually where the problem arrises with color or texture selection, because to achieve the best result with a sheer, they should be all the same at every window of the house, your main drapery fabrics and styles can change from room to room, but here is the difficult part…..making sure that the sheer coordinates with these colors and fabrics. So before you select your curtain fabric, take a little time to think about what sheer you would like to go with it.
My suggestion is to pick the sheer fabric first and then you will be able to select all the drapery fabrics and ensure that none of them “scream” out at you when they are combined with the sheer at the window. Good Luck and happy sheer hunting.
Interested in taking your love of fabrics and curtains further? Only watch if you are ready for change!
