The Coziness Conundrum: Curtains to the Rescue
I think we can all agree that the one thing we all want our homes to feel is cozy. Coziness is a feeling that makes us feel safe, warm, and welcome – like a giant hug that brings us comfort and peace. We all crave that snug, soothing sensation, so how do we capture it in our homes? There are countless ways, but one of my personal favorites and most impactful is with window treatments.
Window treatments are typically functional – blocking out sunlight or providing privacy at night. But they can also be aesthetic masterpieces, creating a layered and dimensional look that infuses a room with texture, pattern, and color. They can make a bold statement or blend seamlessly into the background. With so many styles, shapes, and varieties to choose from, let’s dive deep into how to use them to transform your personal oasis into a cozy haven.
The Coziness Cacophony: Exploring Your Options
You might think this would be a pretty short list, but there are actually quite a few different window treatments out there. Which can be totally overwhelming. So I’m going to stick to the most common ones and the ones that we use in our own home.
Window shades are a “soft” option that hang above your window and can be pulled up and down by hand, cord, or automatically. They’re made of a continuous roll of material to cover the entire window opening, without any slats. We recently installed Serena Smart Shades by Lutron Electronics in our living room, and they’ve been an absolute game-changer. These automated marvels open and close on their own, and we can control them with remotes or through an app, even setting schedules to adjust with the changing seasons. Not only are they incredibly functional, but the wide selection of high-end fabrics and colors makes them a true design statement.
Blinds, on the other hand, are a “hard” window covering with adjustable slats that can be angled to let in varying amounts of light. These come in materials like metal, wood, composite, or bamboo, and vertical blinds are great for longer windows or sliding doors.
And then there are curtains – those beloved fabric panels that can be hung alone or as a pair, transforming any room with their soft, cozy presence. They come in a variety of materials, from sheer and decorative to blackout, allowing you to control the light levels to your liking. Curtains are so versatile and can add an instant sense of warmth and comfort to any space.
The Layered Look: Blending Curtains and Shades
After we installed our smart shades, I felt like something was missing, and I knew curtains were the answer. Blinds or shades are great on their own, but I love layering them to create an even cozier look.
When we hung our shades, we opted for an outside mount rather than an inside mount, meaning we placed them on top of the window frame instead of inside it. This trick makes your windows look taller and your eye can travel up the wall, creating a more seamless, continuous look.
For the curtains, the first thing to consider is the material. If you’re outfitting a nursery, you may want blackout curtains for optimal sleep. We used beautiful velvet blackout curtains in my friend’s nursery, and they look so high-end! If you’re going for a more decorative, light-filtering look, sheer curtains might be the way to go. And if you’re craving a luxurious feel, velvet is a perfect choice.
But my favorite trick to amp up the coziness factor is to double up the curtain panels. If your window is large enough, try using two panels on each side. This creates a much fuller, custom look that instantly makes your room feel more inviting and snug.
For our living room, since we already had our smart shades for privacy, the curtains were going to be purely decorative, with the goal of adding warmth and coziness. I’m drawn to moody, earthy tones, so I knew I didn’t want something light and bright. I almost went with the same dark green velvet curtains we have in our dining room until I came across these stunning black floral sheets from Target. They were the perfect pattern (and price!) and I knew I could easily turn them into curtain panels.
The Perfect Proportions: Hanging Curtains with Intention
The number one thing I see people do wrong when hanging curtains is hanging them too low. They’ll often place the rod directly above the window frame, but this creates a stunted look and doesn’t maximize the space well. If you have standard 8′ ceilings, you can hang your curtain rod all the way up to the ceiling! This will immediately make your windows look taller and your curtains feel more sophisticated.
You can also hang them split between the top of your window frame and the ceiling, but they should always be at least 4-6 inches above the frame. If you have a vaulted ceiling like we do in our living room, you can go even higher! With all that negative space above our windows, I didn’t want to create a breaking point, so I decided to hang them about 10 inches above our shades. This allows your eye to keep moving up the wall and take in the entire room.
You also want to avoid having curtains that are too short. For a more luxurious look, you can let them pool on the floor, but otherwise, they should be barely above the floor, about 1/2 inch. And depending on how much room you have on either side of your window, extending your rod further out will also help to make your windows feel bigger. A good rule of thumb is to hang your rod 4-6 inches past your window on each side.
I’m absolutely obsessed with how our new curtains turned out and the cozy warmth they’ve added to our living room. Even though they’re black, the floral pattern helps them feel lighter and more delicate, creating a softer aesthetic that pairs perfectly with our smart shades. I used a return black curtain rod, which I think gives a more sophisticated look, and the slight curve on the ends is a beautiful detail.
This room always felt like it was missing something, and I don’t know why I didn’t hang curtains sooner! As you can see from the before and after, adding those layered panels totally transformed the space, making it feel so much more inviting and comforting. I can’t wait to curl up on the couch and enjoy the cozy ambiance.
Stay tuned for a tutorial on how I turned those stunning Target sheets into custom curtains – you’re not going to want to miss it! In the meantime, be sure to check out Home Curtains Philadelphia for all your window treatment needs. Their expert designers can help you create the cozy oasis of your dreams.
