Door Curtains

Door curtains aren’t just functional in the sense they can keep out the draft on winter days and block the sunlight (and therefore save your furniture fading) during warmer months, but they also add a design element to any room.

Then again, they can prevent people from looking in to your home – especially if you have French doors which can be viewed from the roadside or your home is very close to neighbouring properties. They can also keep out pesky insects if you live in a warm country and, if they contain certain noise-making elements, can also act as a warning system alerting you to the fact someone is indeed making an entrance.

Another use for the door curtains is to block off certain elements of a room (for instance a makeshift wardrobe area which doesn’t have a door, so that the curtain itself literally becomes the door.

Different Materials for Door Curtains

A door curtain can either be a contrasting element to a room’s current design, or it can blend right in. If you decide to use it to contrast then a plain fabric in a dramatic colour is usually best; you could also choose a lighter material such as voile which would have the added advantage of blocking the view from outside but still allowing you to see out.

Door curtains can be heavier of course, and even lined to ensure maximum blockage from outside winds or damaging sun rays.

Different Lengths for Door Fabrics

If you’re using the door curtains for means of keeping out drafts then it’s a good idea to have custom made curtains which are long enough to bunch up on the floor. This ensures any drafts coming in under the door are thwarted. However, it can also lead to a dusty curtain at the bottom if you’re not careful about having it cleaned every now and again. Another problem with this method is that they can prove an obstacle for actually getting in and out of the door. In the case of the latter it’s a good idea to invest in matching tie backs so they can be held back when the doorway is in regular use. As such a reasonably light cotton mixture would prove best here.

Installing Door Curtains or Blinds

Maybe you have enough space in the door entry way to put up a curtain rail? Then again, you could also attach the curtain to the door itself.

So far we’ve just mentioned door curtains but of course it’s also impossible to install door blinds, especially if there is glass in the door and it’s mostly for the sake of preventing the sun rays from entering or adding a decorative touch (in which case a patterned shade would prove ideal).

You can find a selection of designer fabrics to use as door curtains or blinds here at Curtains Made Simple. They include collections from Prestigious Textiles, Ian Mankin, Kate Foreman, Susie Watson Designs and The Swedish Fabric Company.