Thick curtains and dark curtains are known for making a regular room look slightly smaller, while sheer curtains made of lightly-colored fabrics are ideal for helping to visually expand a room's size.
Drapery in rich dark shades make large and high-ceilinged rooms visually shrink and appear cozy. If the furnishing is scarce and there is a lot of empty spaces, dark coloured drapes can make the room look fuller.
Your curtains can be lighter or darker than the walls as long as they are of the same tone as your walls. That means that warm-colored walls should go well with warm-colored curtains regardless of whether they may be lighter or darker. The same story goes for cool-colored walls and curtains.
Picture your bedroom, and give your window wine-colored curtains. Think about how little light makes it through the deep red and notice the way your eye is distracted by the window. Now picture white curtains for your room. The space opens up immediately because it's getting more light.
Making Your Room Look Larger or Smaller with Curtains
High-hanging curtains with long vertical stripes create the illusion of height, which is excellent for low ceilings. However, short curtains and horizontal stripes shorten your wall height and make the room appear smaller.
Big floral patterns make a room appear larger. Install wallpaper with horizontal stripes to make a room seem wider, or commit to vertical stripes to stretch the room visually and raise the ceiling. A busy pattern featuring chevrons, simple geometric designs, or a texture that mimics marble can make a room seem bigger.
Hang the Curtains as High as Possible
In order to make your window and the whole wall seem higher, put the curtain rod as high above the window as possible. Attaching the rail close to the ceiling tricks the eye into believing the wall is bigger. Thus, it visually expands the whole room.
A rule of thumb (from Architectural Digest) is that curtains should be hung between four to six inches above the window frame, so install your curtain rod accordingly. When you hang the curtain rod high, it will make the window appear taller.
Windows Will Make a Small Room Look Bigger
Letting in natural light is great when creating the illusion of a bigger room. Using big, beautiful picture windows, bow windows, bay windows or architectural windows are perfect for creating that spacious feeling.
It is always a good idea to match your curtain color with home decor pieces. A double layer of one sheer and one blackout is a classic and functional choice. If you are looking for minimal and modern style, pick a color that is close to you wall color or a slightly darker shade.
Blackout curtains and shades will reduce the amount of heat which is transferred via your windows by as much as 24 percent, keeping the rooms where they're installed cooler in summer and warmer in winter. This will allow you to use your heating and cooling system more efficiently and save energy.
They offer a great contrast in any room with neutral colors. They can create interesting focal points and complement other pops of black color in the entire room to bring it all style in a backdrop that is both versatile and timeless. This allows all your colorful accents and wall art to shine through.
Dark curtain benefits
Strike a balance between relaxing and romantic. Dark curtains lend a sense of drama, contrast and elegance to a room and, when used right, can be very inviting. Dark curtains don't show dirt and dust like light coloured curtains will so a good choice for high traffic areas (if the size is right).
Remove Curtains With Dark, Heavy Fabrics
Curtains made from heavy dark fabrics will make your room feel drab and dark. Replace them with sheers! Sheer drapes will let natural light diffuse for the room and will visually lighten the space too! If you don't like sheers add drapes made from light colored cotton or linen.
Ideally, you should use both types of curtains and change them from the cold to the warm season. Blackout curtains will keep your house cooler during the sizzling hot summer days, while thermal curtains will keep warmth from escaping out of the windows.
"Extending your draperies from floor to ceiling and from wall to wall surrounding your window makes them appear bigger," explains Francesco Bilotto.
Old, dark windows can reduce the amount of light that enters your home and cause your space to appear smaller. There are certain replacement window styles that can open a room by giving the appearance of more space while allowing more light to filter in.
The answer to this question is important because it can affect the way we do our decorations. Yes, curtains should be long enough to touch the floor. With a few exceptions, the longer the curtains are the more stylish and elegant it will look. This is why most standard ready-made curtains are lengthy.
No matter what the ceiling height, the minimum distance from the top of the window casing to the curtain rod is two inches. To create the illusion of height, mount the drapery rods close to the ceiling. This is particularly important to do if the room has low ceilings. Use these same rules when the windows are arched.
Your best move is to hang curtains within 8 inches of the top of the window frame. For very tall windows, which are popular in many modern homes, that means placing the rod as close to the ceiling as possible—in fact, you might want to install rods designed to actually hang from the ceiling.
If you want to make your living room look bigger, stick to lighter colors that reflect more light and make the space feel more open. Neutrals, like off-white, beige, or light grays, are a great way to add a level of sophistication and calm.
If you paint the ceiling a darker color than the walls, it will make the ceiling feel closer and the room feel smaller. But if you paint the ceiling a lighter color than the walls, it will make the room feel bigger, even if you are using dark shades on the walls.