What types of curtains & blinds are best for different rooms?

Indoor Blinds

Roman or roller blinds help make smaller-sized rooms become more spacious or create an effect of 'spilling' out into a garden or patio. When blinds are open, they are a neat feature that do not draw the eye away from the view outside the window. Roman blinds suit single, period style or bay windows where roller blinds work best in more modern windows.

In contrast, wider blinds work better in large, open-plan lounge and living areas, as they allow uninterrupted views when open.

Dual or "day/night" rollers are an excellent solution for living spaces where you want to filter light or keep out the heat and glare of the sun without completely closing off the space. Roller blinds are also a fantastic option if you have French, bifold or sliding doors, as they seamlessly move out of the way.

Venetian blinds in timber or faux wood are also suitable for living spaces as they are easy to clean and enable you to manage the light filtration without being opened or closed.

Curtains

Curtains are perfect for adding a sense of drama to living areas, and they can be dressed up with pelmets, trims, tassels, rods and other accessories. Many interior designers will hang curtains a little bit higher than the window frame to emphasise room height or, for a more traditional look, add a few centimetres to the length so the curtains 'puddle' on the floor, creating a textured & luxurious look.

In the modern home, where home theatre rooms are more and more common, curtains can also offer extra sound absorption. If you want to create romance in a room, unlined curtains or sheers that billow in the breeze are perfect but, at certain times of the day, the sun will diffuse the colour of the curtains across the room.

If your curtains are blue or a cool colour, this will result in an eerie effect. If your curtains are pink or a warm colour, the effect will be cheery. Of course, curtains of this type are not appropriate for sleeping or privacy.

But the best method for minimising lightand sound is blockout curtains. You can purchase curtains that are especially designed to block light or you can choose to line your curtains with blockout fabric if you're set on a certain style.

Everyone likes a little sunshine in the bedroom so that's when layering sheer curtains with your other bedroom curtains works a treat. Sheer curtains bring light into the room but also ensure privacy because nobody can see in from the outside.

You can feature timber or other venetian blinds in a bedroom, but they are not ideal in creating a room suitable for sleep - unless layered with other heavier window treatments

For a child's bedroom, sleep and safety are the two dominant factors. In terms of safety, make sure any blinds don't include cords that can be easily reached from a bed or cot.

Sunout blinds and curtains can also aid in creating a sense of 'night' -which can assist in getting children to sleep, especially when daylight savings hits.

Your bathroom is a very private space but it's also wet and humid so that needs to be high on the priority list when choosing the right window furnishings.

Given that bathrooms are naturally full of condensation, it's important to select window treatments that are not prone to water damage - in other words, soft fabric curtains are just not going to be suited to wet spaces. Materials like plastic or vinyl are perfect for the bathroom, as they don't absorb moisture, which means minimal mould and mildew and, consequently, minimal maintenance.

Roman blinds are the most popular bathroom window treatment for the modern home because they imitate the drape effect you get from curtains but with the kind of durability that bathrooms require. Roman blinds also offer versatility in their appearance because they come in a number of finishes and fabrics that can suit any number of interior design schemes - traditional or contemporary.

The kitchen is one of the hardest working zones in your home so you'll want window furnishings that are hardworking too.

Of course, you'll want the windows in your kitchen to look as good as the rest of your home but your main concern should be cleaning and maintenance. Kitchens can contain steam, grease & food aromas, which is why blinds are a popular option when it comes to kitchen window furnishings.

However, that said, if you're looking for something quainter than blinds, cafe curtains are perfect, featuring a short-tier that covers only part of the window and a valance/header up top. They can even be used for other small windows in the house such as bathrooms, nurseries, hallways and landings but, when made from a gingham fabric, they create a kitchen ambiance that bursts with retro charm.

Blinds that are made from plastic or metal are ideally suited to the kitchen. Aluminium blinds have naturally smooth surface that can be easily cleaned with just a simple wipe of a cloth. If you don't like the cool slickness of aluminium, then timber or faux wood venetian blinds are an excellent alternative for introducing warmth into your kitchen design scheme.