15 Different Types of Curtains for your Home for a Great Decor

From curtain styles to materials, this concise list will help you get on your way to putting the finishing touches on your home!

Windows are a permanent fixture in all homes.  So, when it comes to adorning them, and also blocking out light on those oh-so-sunny lazy Sunday mornings, there are a plethora of options available.

Whether you want to go for blinds, shutters, shades or curtains – the choices within those choices are also endless.

If your choice is curtains, it’s not as easy as picking your favorite pattern and moving. You need to choose everything from the rod, attachment, hanging style, material and pattern.

There is a lot that goes into making a home a home, but, hopefully, this list of different curtains (curtain types and attachment styles) will make the journey of endless decision-making a little easier!

Attachment Type

There are many different ways to hang curtains; whether you want them on a rod or pulley, concealed, embellished and the list goes on. Here are a few popular styles you can choose from:

1. Box Pleated Curtains

Credit: https://www.touchofclass.com/artisan-box-pleated-curtain-pair/p/F874-001/

Usually used for formal rooms like the study or dining areas, these pleated curtains look neat and tailored with their perfect deep folds that flow along the length of the curtains.

2. Pinch Pleated Curtains

Credit: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Exclusive-Home-Curtains-Loha-Beige-Linen-Pinch-Pleat-Top-Curtain-27-in-W-x-96-in-L-EH8302-03-2-96P/307268406

These curtains can vary between 2 to 5 finger pinch pleats depending on your preference. They are meant to give the folds in a curtain a decorative finish at the top, giving the curtains a more formal look.

3. Goblet Pleated Curtains

Credit: https://www.indiamart.com/proddetail/goblet-pleat-window-curtains-20517639955.html

This style is usually seen in extremely formal rooms, such as ballrooms or formal dining areas. The pleats at the top of the curtain resemble an inverted wine bottle – these pleats are usually made with lining for structure reinforcement.

4. Rod Pocket Curtains

Credit: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Belgian-50-in-W-x-96-in-L-Sheer-Rod-Pocket-Top-Curtain-Panel-in-Snowflake-2-Panels-EH8093-01-2-96R/303955793

This casual style of hanging curtains requires a pocket to be sewn at the top of the chosen fabric. The curtain rod is fed through this pocket and out the other side. The pocket can be embellished for a more formal look.

5. Tab Top Curtains

Credit: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Exclusive-Home-Curtains-Loha-54-in-W-x-84-in-L-Linen-Blend-Braided-Tab-Top-Curtain-Panel-in-Winter-White-2-Panels-EH8332-01-2-84L/307627398

Tab top curtains are also hung exclusively on rods; they are hung by fabric loops that the rod is threaded through. These loops are often seen with buttons stitched on as a decorative element. This is a more contemporary style to hang your curtains.

6. Eyelet Curtains

Credit: https://www.harrycorry.com/hollywood-silver-ready-made-eyelet-curtains

These easily opened and closed curtains feature a ring sewn into the curtain where the rod slides through. The fabric does not hang on the rings that are on the rod like a shower curtain, rather the ring that lies in the fabric is large enough for the rod to pass through.

Style

Depending on your need, curtains exist in all types of styles. Small windows in kitchens require short curtains, usually featuring a pattern, while a French door requires a panel curtain usually cinched in the middle. Here are a few styles to help you determine what you need:

7. Valance

Credit: https://www.touchofclass.com/tango-panel-with-attached-valance/p/A934-001/

This is a purely decorative addition to preexisting curtains. It is a short curtain added to the top, usually to conceal the rod and give a more formal appearance.

8. Austrian Curtains

This ornately scalloped curtain is used to give a regal look to a room; the style is reminiscent of palaces out of Disney movies; it can either look luxurious or out-dated; this style is definitely not for everyone.

9. Window Scarf

Credit: https://www.warmhomedesigns.com/products/warm-home-designs-1-pair-of-dark-ocean-blue-sheer-window-curtains-with-grommet-top

Another style solely for embellishment, this is a thin, usually sheer piece of fabric that is draped on top of the rod. One side is usually left longer than the other to create a dramatic effect.

10. Swags

This is a pair of valances designed to flow elegantly down on either side of the window

11. Café Curtains

These curtains are usually used in kitchens; they are short, eyelet curtains that can be used on small windows or where you want partial view into the room.

12.  Single or Pair Panel

Credit: https://www.thecurtainshop.com/militowwatoh.html

Pair panels are the more common style where two fabric panels make up the curtain, while a single panel is a large panel of fabric which sits only on one side of the rod when open.

13. Priscilla Curtains

These curtains are ruffled and usually made of lace and mounted on two separate rods to create a criss-crossed, overlapping effect; these are used for decorative purposes rather than function.

Material/Opacity

Whether you want to block out light with heavy-duty fabric, want to be fancy with velvet or rustic with burlap, curtains come in all sorts of materials and opacity. Here we are discussing two types and what they are used for:

14. Sheer Curtains

Sheer curtains are made of semi-transparent fabric like net – they are usually featured in rooms that don’t need to block out any light. They give an airy, open feel to a room.

15. Blackout Curtains

Credit: https://www.costco.com/Silk-Home-Delta-Blackout-Curtains%2C-2-pack.product.100480926.html

Black out curtains exist for the purpose of blocking out all light. They are usually a little more than floor length and are seen mainly in bedrooms. They block light that might filter in through other curtains.

We hope this guide helped you with making your decision for your home! Just remember, there is no right or wrong choice; just your preference.