Sheer curtains, also known as ‘sheers’ for short, are a staple in interior designing today. Made out of lightweight fabrics, it’s easy to see why. They go beyond the traditional scope of the curtain, allowing you to use them in a variety of creative ways.
They also help you create ambience by manipulating light. Too often you may find yourself dealing with the problem of too much or too little light. Well, window furnishings like sheer curtains can help soften lighting, giving you just the right balance. With it, they also add a dose of style by elevating the room’s overall appearance. And while they won’t give you complete privacy, they will obscure views to a degree. When combined with each other, curtains and blinds can also contribute to a unique end result.
Because they’re so easy to use and versatile, they can even be used outdoors to frame a patio or verandah. You can create your own little oasis away from inquisitive neighbours and *cough* your kids. They also work excellently for layering, which is when you use more than one set of curtains for a window to amplify the effect.
How To Clean Curtains
The good thing about curtains is that they are easy to clean. You just need to put them in your washing machine. However, as you know there are various cycles available, so you should pick the ‘Delicate’ cycle or something similar for sheers. Blockouts can take a bit more of a rigorous cycle if needed, but don’t go for the highest. Keep in mind that the fabric in question will be the one to decide.
Seeing as how window window furnishings are an investment in their own right, it’s important to know them well. Sheer curtains are widely used for an array of purposes, so it’s time you discovered them for yourself. Here we cover some of the key things to know about sheer curtains, and how they serve you.
1. They Perfectly Diffuse Window Sunlight
Remember what we said earlier about sheers manipulating light?
They’re certainly built for the purpose. They’re made from a rather transparent, lightweight fabric, whose aim is to function as a light filter. What this does is, instead of blocking light out, it allows it to flow through in a controlled manner. The fabric helps diffuse the rays, so when it hits your home it’s not as harsh. In fact, it’s incredibly pleasant to be in a room with sheer curtains as there’s gentle warmth with soft light.
There are a couple of benefits to this:
- Control your view: If you have a gorgeous view, then sheers can help by not blocking it out completely. If on the other hand it’s nothing to write home about, you can still use them to block it out.
- UV protection: It’s likely that you don’t want your home to be dark and closed up all day when you’re at work. But you don’t feel all too comfortable leaving it all open for everyone to see. You can come to a middle-ground with sheer curtains. Leaving them closed will allow sunlight in, while restricting views in. Additionally, they will help protect your interiors, including your furniture and flooring from direct UV rays.
They are also great for those Summer months, when bulky window coverings just won’t work. You want to make the most of the Summer sun and the breeze, which sheer curtains can help you do. They create a fun, outdoorsy environment while also keeping insects and dust at bay.
2. They Provide Softness, Texture and Movement
The ambience of a room defines its personality. You can achieve this in many ways, from furniture to lighting and of course, window furnishings ranging from curtains to vertical blinds.
You may have felt the difference between spaces before. For instance, the feel of a room with plain old retail blinds and custom-made curtains is vastly different. It’s all about how you feel when you walk in. Does it feel like a space you want to hang out in?
Sheer curtains have the ability to inject softness, texture and movement into any space effortlessly. Their light, airy character means they’re free spirits so to speak, and when layered they add texture as well. They also move beautifully when there’s a breeze, adding to the overall atmosphere as a whole.
If you’re looking to amp up a room without breaking the bank, luxurious designer-quality sheer curtains are an easy way to do that. They offer so much more than you’d expect, with results that are the envy of all.
3. They Add Daytime Privacy to Your Rooms
With houses now being built closer and closer to each other thanks to competitive real estate, privacy is paramount. It’s also hard to attain. Expecting it however, isn’t about you being picky. After all, we think that wanting privacy in your own home is only natural.
However, blocking your home to prying eyes means that you miss out on sunlight. While the easy solution would be to draw your blinds and curtains closed, you’ll feel like you’re living in a hole. This impossible situation poses a conundrum; how can you enjoy the features of your home without obscuring them completely?
You guessed it. With sheer curtains of course. They have the superpower of adding daytime privacy to your rooms. As mentioned above, they allow light to filter through, but the fabric itself helps obscure any views to the inside. So when you have them closed, you don’t miss out on the uplifting light of day nor are you seen by outsiders. They’re especially great for sunrooms, when you want to relax in peace.
4. They Often Come in Waves
You’ll find out soon enough that sheer curtains most popularly come in what’s known as ‘S-waves’. This is the heading style of the curtain, that dictates how it drapes. This means that most sheer curtains have a natural wave to them. This particular style is also commonly picked for this very purpose. It’s also great for functionality, as they slide along the rod with ease.
As they’re typically wavy, they help the room not look ‘flat’. In saying that though, you also have the freedom to opt for a different heading style. There are many interesting variations you can play with, for a look that’s just right. We encourage you to look into them before deciding on a final style. However, it is worth noting that S-wave curtains come with a slim track, which makes them easy to fit into narrow spaces.
As a general rule of thumb, deciding on a heading style will help you decide how to hang curtains.
5. They Work Well With Layers
We’ve saved the best for last.
If layering window furnishings isn’t something you’re familiar with, it’s certainly worth looking into. You get double the effect and double the benefits. From insulation to the final look, you stand to gain a lot more.
Thanks to their look, sheer curtains are a more neutral option which makes them perfect for pairing. They are companions to blockout curtains, and also go well with Venetian blinds and roller blinds. They’re excellent with veri shades too, which have very similar looks. Of course you can use them across a range of other blinds as well. It will give you an extra layer of comfort from light and heat.
Sheer curtains are also now available in a variety of colours. Though once predominantly white, they have evolved over the years and have more features as a result. This means that when used against light, they diffuse a lovely, warm and soft hue into the room. Think light yellows and pinks or even purple if you want to stand out.
That about concludes our crash course on sheer curtains, we hope that was insightful. It’s time to create your dream home, starting with your windows. You may of course have questions, so feel free to reach out to the team and ask. We’re here to help iron out any concerns you may have, even if it’s something as simple as a heading style. We also have plenty of ideas when it comes to matching themes and colour schemes, so don’t hesitate to pick our brains. We’re waiting to share our inspiration with you and be a part of elevating your home.
If you’d like someone to visit you and assess your needs, our expert consultants stand ready. Just let us know you’d like to book an appointment, and we will take it from there.