To hang curtains over outside-mounted blinds, install your curtain brackets on the wall outside the blind’s footprint—specifically, higher and wider than the blinds. Use projection brackets or French return rods to extend the curtains past the blind's depth, preventing the fabric from bunching.
For most homes, placing sheer curtains closest to the window and blockout curtains behind provides the best balance of light, privacy, and visual appeal.
Pairing curtains with blinds elevates your room's aesthetic while allowing for adjustable light and privacy. To achieve a designer look, choose your blinds first based on function. Next, layer them with stationary or functional curtains in a complementary solid color, hanging the curtain rod high and wide for a more expansive window.
Pairing curtains with blinds is a really easy way to mix and match colours, textures and patterns and create a gorgeous focal point for any room. It's also great for layering practical solutions with more stylish ones, so the finished result not only looks stunning, but works hard too.
Why Choose Outside Mount Shades? For the ultimate flexibility, mount your window treatments on the outside of the window frame. This is a great choice if you want to create the illusion of a larger window, creatively dress an odd-shaped window or hide unattractive trim.
You can mount your blinds to the trim as long as it is flat and meets the minimum requirements for an outside mount. Mounting on the trim of the window is the easiest route because all you need to collect is the size of the trim dimensions.
Thankfully, Stewart was quick to ease our curtain concerns. She says, “They're beautiful, I don't have anything against them, I just don't live with them… I like to look outside. Every window [in my home] looks out to something nice, and it's just all open to the view.”
Yes, putting curtains over blinds is a very common interior design choice. This layered look is highly practical—blinds provide excellent light and privacy control, while curtains soften the hard edges of the blinds and add color, texture, and extra insulation to the room.
Some of Stewart's homes utilize interior blinds for light regulation and privacy. Others feature windows framed by exterior shutters, operable versions of which can also be used for light control, ventilation and privacy.
Layered Curtains
While heavy curtains are the answer to a room in need of some privacy, they can feel a little stuffy, often preventing light from gently filtering through during the daytime. This is where the ever-popular window treatment trend comes into play: the layered curtain.
One of the easiest ways to ensure a seamless, cohesive aesthetic for your living space by combining blinds and curtains is to select complementary colours and textures. You should always start by considering the existing colour palette of the room, and selecting window treatments that help to harmonise the space.
Curtain trends in 2026 are shifting from purely functional covers to architectural statement pieces. The top looks emphasize rich, natural textures, layered depth, warm neutral and earth-toned palettes, and smart home integration to bring quiet luxury and character to interior spaces.
An ideal combination if you're opting for prints, is blinds in a single colour, paired with patterned curtains that feature the colour on the blind. If you love the natural texture of timber, install a solid colour curtain to balance the look or create layers of texture by adding patterned drapes to contrast it.
Yes, you absolutely can use sheer curtains with blinds. This designer-approved combination (often called layering) adds texture and depth to a room while giving you ultimate control over your privacy and lighting.
Curtains usually look cheap because of flimsy, unlined fabrics, insufficient width (looking like a "flat sheet" when closed), or a length that stops too short above the floor. Additionally, plastic hardware and visible metal grommets often detract from an elevated design, making budget curtains stand out negatively.
Even though ornate valances were once a staple in traditional-style homes, they are now considered outdated. "Avoid overly ornate valances, which can feel dated and heavy," says interior designer Danielle Chiprut. "They can feel at odds with today's preference for light, airy interiors."
Trending Window Treatment Ideas for Every Room
Martha Stewart, 83, has nothing to hide. She's always been unabashedly candid about her life and career, including her divorce and her 2005 stint in prison for insider trading. And now, the lifestyle guru is opening up about being diagnosed with the autoimmune disease vitiligo for the very first time.
How to Make Your Curtains Look More Expensive
To hang curtains over existing blinds, choose a curtain rod with "projection brackets" that extend outward (usually 3 to 4 inches) to clear the blinds. Mount the rod brackets 4 to 6 inches outside the window frame and slightly higher than the blind's headrail. This allows your curtains to open and close without snagging.
Not at all! Layering curtains over blinds is a very popular interior design choice that perfectly balances style and function. This approach allows you to use blinds for precise light and privacy control, while the curtains add color, softness, and a luxurious finished look to the room.
Installing Curtains Over Blinds Has Never Been Easier
With Kwik-Hang's no-drill, damage-free curtain rod brackets, hanging curtains over blinds is effortless. Put up curtains in minutes with just a few hammer taps — absolutely no measuring, drilling or damage. Then add a matching curtain rod, and you're ready to go!
Martha Stewart recently went on the In Bed with Paige DeSorbo Amazon livestream and dropped a hot take about how often she swaps her bedding. Stewart revealed that she has her sheets changed every two to three days.
Martha Stewart does not wear a wig for her day-to-day look. For her signature blonde bob, she typically uses volumizing hair tools like Velcro rollers. However, she has openly worn temporary wigs and extensions provided by celebrity stylists for quick, dramatic transformations for photoshoots and special projects.
No, blinds are definitely not out of style. While thin, generic vinyl blinds can look dated, modern blinds emphasize natural textures, smart home technology, and minimalist profiles.