The very first curtains on a doorway appeared among people in the Stone Age (and perhaps earlier). It was a skin that covered the entrance to the cave. For some time, the very idea of covering a doorway with fabric or other materials was irrelevant and was considered unnecessary or a relic of the past. This “relic” lasted the longest in villages or in the homes of “creative individuals.” Recently, a trend has emerged again - to decorate the doorway with drapes or curtains. This idea is not without meaning. Even taking into account the functionality of our homes.
How practical is this?
There are two options for using curtains for a door. The first option is that they serve as an addition: the doorway has both a door leaf (or doors) and curtains. Why do you need curtains in this case? For comfort, to make the atmosphere more intimate, to block the light, if the doors are glass, to reduce the penetration of noise. At the entrance to a private house or from the balcony - to reduce the number of insects, so that passersby look into the windows less. There are many more reasons, including “because I want it or like it.”
Doors cannot always be without curtains
The second option is when there are only curtains and no door itself. In this case, it is more a delimitation of space, although all other reasons are also present.
We weigh the pros and cons
As for the practicality of using door curtains, everyone decides for themselves. Here are a couple of notes so you can decide whether this is right for you.
- In families with children, many prefer to have doors because they dampen noise well and do not disturb the child's sleep. On the other hand, dense fabric will further absorb noise. By closing the curtain, you can also cut off the light from another room/corridor. But children love to tug on them or hide in the folds of the fabric. And one more thing: with a child in your arms, getting through doors with curtains is not very convenient, unless they themselves do not block the passage.
In some cases, curtains are simply irreplaceable - For adults, doors are not required. Especially if a person lives alone or is a couple. Only the doors to the bathroom are left in the apartment, the rest of the space is demarcated with curtains of different designs.
- A curtain instead of a door is an excellent solution if there is little space or the door is physically impossible to install. For example, the canvas can perfectly cover a built-in wardrobe - this is a budget replacement for sliding doors.
- Exit to the terrace is often made using glass doors. They are not always completely glass, but, in any case, the glazing area is large. Few people would agree to leave such a door without curtains.
The main advantages of curtains in a doorway are aesthetics, low price, and the ability to quickly replace them. By changing textiles and accessories, it is easy to change not just the color scheme, but even, to some extent, the style of the room.
Manufacturing of textile curtains
You shouldn’t have any particular difficulties when sewing curtains, because the technology is practically no different from making curtains for windows. So, you will need:
- Textile.
- Cornice.
- Sewing machine.
- Chalk for marking.
- Scissors.
- Pins.
- Threads.
Before starting work, take measurements of the opening; you will need its width, curtain height and mounting points. Decide on the fabric. Add 3 cm to the total width of the curtain for seam allowances, and 5-10 cm for fastening to the curtain rod.
In order for the fabric to shrink before cutting, it must be soaked in hot water, dried and carefully ironed. Cutting is carried out in accordance with the measurements.
If you wish, you can decorate the edges, for example, with fringe, frill or beads. It depends on the style of the interior. After sewing the curtain, all that remains is to hang it on the cornice.
Classic style
Not long ago, such a concept as modern classics appeared. To decorate it, strict draperies with luxurious outlines are used. These can be straight curtains with large vertical folds. To do this, you can purchase thick textured or smooth fabric. If you want your doorway to look more elegant, then complement the curtain with a light translucent curtain. Often lambrequins with folds are used to decorate the cornice. The process of sewing such curtains is no different from the technology described above.
To make curtains in a modern classic style, use only natural textiles. The bottom of the curtains should not reach the floor by 2-3 cm.
Fabrics that shimmer with silver or gold are ideal for making curtains over an opening. If you consider this combination too pretentious, then it is better to make curtains from a plain dense fabric.
Romantic style
Light, airy chintz curtains are an excellent solution for decorating a romantic summer style. If you combine them with transparent curtains, the effect will be truly delicate. Chintz transmits light well, but at the same time softens it.
To make a chintz curtain, you will need 3 times more fabric than the size of the opening. This way you will get beautiful and large folds. To prevent the curtain from fraying at the edges, it needs to be hemmed. The cornice is a wooden or metal pipe onto which large rings are placed. Otherwise, the technology for making chintz curtains does not differ from the technology for making any fabric curtains.
The cornice is usually screwed 5-10 cm higher from the top edge of the opening. If desired, you can install clamps on the walls that allow you to open the curtains slightly, thus letting the coolness of the night into the house.
Types of curtains in the doorway
In general, curtains are not the only name for fabrics (and not only) that cover a doorway. They also say drapes and curtains. Names in use in different regions mean the same thing. First, let's look at what materials doorway curtains are made of:
- From fabrics. The most common type with many variations.
- Fabric curtains with varying degrees of drapery, with and without lambrequins, with tiebacks on the sides at different heights and hanging freely. Can be hung on any curtain rods.
Along with the usual ones, there are creative ideas for designing doorways - Filament curtains. This is a new product that has a mainly decorative function. This is not fabric, in the full sense of the word, only knitted strips of different thicknesses, more like threads. Hence the name. This also includes wicker macrame curtains.
Thread or beads - decorative only
Japanese curtains. They differ in that it is a straight fabric with a rod inserted into the bottom to avoid wrinkles. Special guides are required along which Japanese curtains can slide without creasing or folding.
There are at least six types of curtains on the doors. In addition, there are still a variety of combinations. Roman blinds can also be hung on the door. They look great in some interiors, but in order to pass through, the door Roman blind must be raised. To do this, you need to pull the chain/rope. And then lower it behind you - again pulling on another rope. How many times will you do this? There is a very high probability that, after some time, it remains raised for a long time. And it will be lowered only if increased privacy is required. Which is also, in principle, not bad.
How to properly decorate an opening without a door with curtains
Let's talk a little about the selection of fabrics. If the aesthetic side is important to you, everything is clear - you choose from these criteria. If some practical component is required - shading, sound insulation - it is worth approaching the selection of fabric with practical standards.
You can even decorate the entrance doors with curtains
Ordinary fabrics for curtains are often called decorative. They can be smooth, textured, with different types of weave. They can be plain, embossed in the same color or with different patterns.
For darkening, there is another category - denser ones that transmit little light or cut it off almost completely. They are called “darkening” or maybe also called BlackOut. In the characteristics of such fabrics, in addition to the material from which it is made and the density of the weave, the degree of light transmission is indicated. The highest degree is 95-97% dimming. This means that such a curtain will practically exclude light from entering the room.
Select fabrics depending on what functions the curtain on the door will perform
For a greater effect of sound absorption or darkening, or so that the color of the curtains is different from different rooms, double curtains are made (example above in the photo in the center). In this case, the same opening will be decorated with red curtains on one side and beige on the other. Moreover, they do not have to be sewn around the perimeter. Two fabrics can only be sewn/joined at the top.
Curtain fabrics can be patterned
It is not necessary to use plain fabrics for door curtains. They can also have a pattern - floral print or geometry, checkered or striped. Floral curtains fit perfectly into country, shabby chic, and Provence interiors. The fabrics are usually lightweight; in addition to tiebacks, there may also be ruffle gathers.
Decorative curtains for the doorway
If the main function of door curtains is decoration, you can choose any type of curtains. Literally any will do. It is important that they fit into the decor and match in style.
Made from soft flowing fabrics
If the choice falls on fabric curtains, you can choose any fabric that suits the interior. They may be more or less draped. If you want a lot of draperies, the fabric should be soft and flowing.
Curtains in a doorway are most often hung on ordinary tubular curtain rods. You can hang it on one side of the opening (as in the photo below on the right and left) - this is what is done most often. There is another option. It is in the center in the photo - when the cornice is located in the doorway itself - from one edge to the other.
Curtains in the doorway are hung on tubular curtain rods
Notice the photo above on the right. An interesting idea is presented here - two canvases overlap each other. Each of them will cover the doorway in width, but they are hung so that the larger half of one overlaps the other panel. The tiebacks for door curtains must always be “in use”, otherwise you simply won’t be able to get out of the folds. But the drapery looks very interesting.
Pendants made of wood, bamboo
Decorative door curtains include thread curtains and hanging curtains. The latter can be wooden or bamboo, made of beads. There can be a variety of combinations of these materials.
Such curtains have only a decorative function
It is often thought that wooden and bamboo or wooden hangings do not fit into all interiors. It is clear that they look most harmonious in a country-style setting. But they will also be very useful in a modern style. You just need to choose more “technological” options for links and add at least one addition to the interior in the same color. Moreover, this “addition” does not have to be wooden. It is enough that the color is the same. An example in the photo above right.
A curtain instead of a door to the kitchen should be resistant to dirt. And these are definitely not fabrics. Bamboo curtains would be most appropriate here. They are not necessarily brown or have graphic patterns. They can have different designs that are more reminiscent of a painting or graphic object.
Bamboo curtains for the doorway can be patterned
Thread curtains and their options
Thread curtains in a doorway look good and they won’t cost that much. Now they offer a variety of shapes and textures of threads/strands and there are more and more of them every day. Still, this is a more stylish and easier to use alternative to conventional curtains, which are often hung on entrance doors in the summer.
Another type of decorative curtains on the door is thread
We rarely see hanging curtains made of metal links. But they are the ones that best suit modern styles and minimalism. The weight of the links makes them look different, even though they are the lightest alloy. They look different (pictured below).
It would seem, well, what curtains on the door can be in a modern style... But here are examples for you
Even in a technocratic style, an iridescent curtain will look good. By the way, there are similar curtains made of beads. Beads are not necessarily pink or colored. If they are painted with mother-of-pearl, they will fit perfectly into a modern style. And if they are matte and neutral colors, they will look great in a loft.
Advantages and functions of curtains
By choosing curtains to decorate a door, you can get a large number of advantages:
- modeling of space due to selected fabrics: reduction and increase;
- saving space due to the absence of the need to open the door;
- original design of a non-standard opening, for example, arched;
- using various materials from textiles to stones to create curtains;
- saving money (a wooden door will cost much more than buying fabric or glass beads);
- a quick way to decorate a room.
Note!
Curtains made from various materials are suitable for decorating any room: kitchen, bedroom and children's room.
In addition, it is worth considering the functions of curtains:
- Decoration.
- Protection from sunlight.
- Zoning of the premises.
- Changing the geometry of the room.
- An excellent exit for an opening of complex design.
- Style decision.
Note!
Once you have decided on the purpose of the curtains, you should move on to choosing the material. It will depend on him whether he will emphasize the shortcomings of the room or hide them.
Curtains for an interior arch
Doors are not placed in some openings, but the portal itself remains. It can have sharp corners or rounded at the top. The shape of the opening has little effect on the choice of curtains. It's more about the overall style of the interior. When are curtains needed? If we see two openings of different sizes, heights or shapes (photo below right). In this case, we remove the dissonance.
Curtains are usually used instead of interior doors if privacy for the room is not very important
Zoning is also emphasized with the help of curtains. Modern interiors are increasingly being designed as a single space. In this case, the demarcation makes the room more “homey”. Not everyone likes to live in a “theater” - coziness and adding draperies in the doorway.
Thick curtains between rooms will muffle sounds a little. Curtains, of course, cannot replace doors, but they cannot be compared in terms of installation complexity and price. In addition, doors are not always easy to install. If the door portal starts immediately from the wall, you will struggle with installing the door. This is a general problem with arches - besides the fact that the doors will be made to order at a special price, the installation will also cost a pretty penny.
The whole difficulty is to figure out what the curtains will look like
The photo above shows different types of draperies on arches. What should you consider when choosing the type of drapery? Of course, the height and width of the arched opening. The option on the left - with pompous drapery - is suitable only for very high ceilings. At a standard height, you won’t be able to arrange the folds this way. The option on the right is more suitable for low openings. And the cent is interesting because the opposite folds are sewn. But this is only for those curtains that are stationary and cannot move along the cornice. You shouldn’t do curtains between rooms like this - it’s very impractical - you need to move the fabric back every time. But you can completely cover the entrance to the dressing room.
Double pleated blinds are effective in summer and winter
A good solution for improving the thermal insulation of a room during the winter cold is to install double pleated blinds in the windows, reminiscent of the structure of a honeycomb. They can also be installed in skylights, which are particularly vulnerable to heat loss.
In the summer, pleated blinds can perfectly cool your home, protecting your household from the heat, and in the winter they can serve to maintain a comfortable indoor temperature. Their 100% impenetrable honeycomb structure not only acts as sun protection, but also effectively traps warm air in any room, even the attic.
Advantages of double pleated blinds:
- They can significantly reduce heat loss in residential and commercial buildings.
- The dual honeycomb structure is 100% waterproof and very durable.
- Thanks to the aluminum coating, it allows you to optimally darken the room.
- Can be ordered for any window size.
- Easily adapts to windows of atypical shapes.
- Works well to protect roof windows from heat and cold.
- A variety of colors allows you to choose them to suit the design of any interior.
We arrange access to a terrace or balcony
As mentioned above, doors to the terrace often have a very large glazing area. Some have only a frame made of wood, metal or plastic, the rest is glass. And not everyone has it mirrored or tinted. In this case, to maintain privacy, the glass must be covered with something. Usually this is one of the types of curtains.
Folds, folds, folds - this is what you often see at the doors to the terrace
Blackout fabrics will come in handy, although this is not necessary. Simply with their help you can make it “almost night” even during a bright day. What are the features? Here, of course, you can organize tiebacks (on racks/beams in the glazing), but more often they simply make free-falling large folds that move to the side. And their height is from floor to ceiling. And no lambrequins or other pomp, unless the style of the room requires it.
As an alternative to folds, you can consider Japanese curtains. There are no coattails here, just a flat canvas.
Japanese curtains on the terrace door: a more modern and stylish option
Japanese curtains require special guides that are attached to the ceiling. The canvases move along these guides. A metal or wooden rod is sewn into the lower part of the panels, which prevents the formation of folds. Here, in fact, is the entire device. These curtains have a more formal look and are suitable for modern, laconic designs.
What to think about in advance
Various curtains are designed: straight (reaching the floor or short), curved (in an arc or intricate arch), with rare or frequent gaps between the ribbons, in one layer or in several tiers.
When starting work, you should:
- think over the design;
- determine horizontal and vertical dimensions;
- prepare a drawing (drawing) taking into account the parameters of the opening and details.
When planning the curtain model, take into account:
- Vertical stripes visually increase the height of the room, especially if the composition is assembled from narrow ribbons of contrasting colors.
- Horizontal stripes visually reduce the height of the ceiling, but expand the space.
- If you want your ceilings to appear lower, you can add a decoration on top, placing it horizontally and attaching it as high as possible.
- Warm tones “bring together” the walls, as if making the room smaller, while cold tones visually enlarge it.
- Small details expand the boundaries, large ones narrow them.
- It is necessary to place weights (plumb lines) along the bottom to avoid twisting of the base.
Cornices for doorways
To decorate a doorway without a door with curtains, use ordinary cornices. There are no special features here. Just select the length of the crossbar and the type of cornice itself. It does not have to be tubular, but these are the ones that are used most often.
The simplest, most popular and inexpensive solution is tubular cornices
It’s more difficult if you want to hang curtains on opening doors, in particular on entrance doors. In this case, the curtain must move with the door or be hung on the side opposite to the direction the door opens. There are several types of similar door cornices. Movable, as in the photo below. One side of them is fixed on the wall next to the door or on the door frame, the second - on the door leaf. When opening and closing, the cornice rotates along with the door.
Movable curtain rods for door curtains are the most functional
For French doors with large glazing, there are short curtain holders. They are mounted directly on the sash above the glass. They are only a few centimeters away from the door leaf. The bad thing is that you can’t make large folds here, only small gathering.
Classic and Magnetic Curtain Holders for French Doors (Large Glass)
In order not to spoil the door leaf, there are magnetic holders for curtains (photo on the right). You glue magnets to the canvas, and the tubular cornice has metal plates. The curtain is small in size, weighs little and holds well thanks to magnets. You can also use a magnetic curtain rod to hang curtains on a glass door. I mean, no frame at all - just glass. Attach the magnets to the glass with glue. Here is the solution to the problem.
