5 Stylish Curtain Alternatives To Use In Your Bedroom
You know the DeBeers slogan, "a diamond is forever"? Well, according to Drape Style, when it comes to home décor, curtains are forever. (That's probably because everyone enjoys a bit of privacy, and you don't want the sun blasting into your chalet from morning until night.) It's true. Curtains never go out of style, although the fabrics and materials they're made with most definitely do. That being said, it's totally OK with wanting to change things up a bit, because becoming bored by your surroundings isn't really that uncommon. In an article by The London Economic, the media outlet notes that nearly 41% of 2,000 homeowners and renters were bored with their new habitat within a year. Nearly one in 10 people claimed that they would have no issue redecorating their space every four weeks.
When it comes to your bedroom (the place that should technically be your own zen zone), you should be just as happy with your window coverings as you are with your bed. It is, after all, your personal place to unwind. There are so many different types of window treatments, it might be hard to pick one. So we did the hard work for you and found some of the most trendy curtain alternatives that you can check out for your own relaxation station.
1. Embrace the wooden vibe
Matchstick blinds, or woven wooden or bamboo blinds, are great for people who enjoy a more natural feel in their bedroom retreat, notes Blinds Chalet. These wood-based shades are ideal for areas where the climate is warm year-round, because not all of them hold up to moisture that well. (It all depends on the wood, though.) Matchstick blinds are excellent at filtering out light, which means less need for air conditioning and more money in your wallet. (Can you say energy-efficient?)
Bamboo blinds come in a variety of colors and prices, so there's a little something for everyone at the table, per The Wood Grain Cottage. They're also incredibly easy to clean, because if you open and close them each day, they practically dust themselves. That being said, these wooden window coverings are also one of the more fragile and delicate blinds that are available. So if you have a rambunctious dog, cat, or kid(s), then going the wooden route might not be the best choice.
2. Improve your sleep with blackout curtains
If you're having trouble sleeping at night due to a horribly placed streetlight, or vehicle lights constantly illuminating your resting place, then it's high time you invested in some blackout curtains. Blackout curtains were created for the individual who enjoys a nice, deep sleep. With these heavy-duty shades, no light will be able to penetrate into your bedroom. (So vampires, Tauruses, and Leos love them.) All kidding aside, everyone knows that a good night's rest is imperative for a properly functioning body. Lack of proper shut-eye could add years to your skin, dull your hearing, make you moody, and can be a catalyst for procrastination. Light of any kind, even the smallest artificial light, can disturb your sleep and gunk up your circadian rhythm, per NPR.
While blackout curtains will knock out any light that tries to point its laser-like fingers into your bedroom, Residential Acoustics reminds us that these coverings don't work for sounds, but they do knock outside noises down just a bit. Blackout curtains are also energy-efficient because they're thermal and keep heat trapped inside.
And contrary to what it may seem, blackout curtains come in more than just black.
3. Go café curtain chic and add some window clings
Café curtains are great for individuals who want to wake up with the sun, but also want to keep their bedrooms private. These window coverings are different from the typical curtain in that they're not supposed to cover the entire window, notes A Little Design Help. They're usually hung at the midway point of a window via tension rod, but it's not uncommon to find them hung so that three-fourths of the window is covered. Window curtains are optimal for light and privacy control, and can be single- or double-paneled, depending on your preference. These mini window coverings do best with smaller windows, so that's something to keep in mind.
If you like the idea of café curtains, but still aren't excited about having bright sunlight blasting into your room like the Kool-Aid man first thing in the morning, you can always add removable window film to the top. Window film, or window clings, come in a variety of colors, patterns, and sizes, per Kendall Press. The best thing about them is that they're easy to apply and remove if you accidentally put it on a little wonky. If you really want to get creative, you can add some seriously intense faux stained-glass cling to the entire window. Because from the outside, it would look a bit odd to only have half a window all dolled up, right? (Uniformity is key in this particular situation.)
4. Get rolling with some Roman shades
If you're into stylish sophistication, but also enjoy the simpler things in life, then Roman shades are your window treatment of choice. Blinds.com notes that these minimalist curtains are unique because unlike other types of folding window coverings, Roman shades are just one piece of fabric that continues to fold onto itself. These lightweight fabric blinds do well at blocking the sun's rays as well as protecting your privacy, and add a classic yet modern feel to your bedroom.
Roman shades can be placed above the window, on the actual frame, or in the recess of the wall, per Fabrics and Papers. They're also relatively easy to make, totes The House That Will. So if you're an avid DIY person, consider yourself to be adept with a sewing machine, and aren't privy to the plethora of colors, patterns, and fabrics out on the market, then maybe making your own is the way to go. (Hey, some people might want Roman shades with patterned images depicting the Colosseum being built. Those can't be easy to find.)
5. Go green
Plants can most definitely be used as functional, living window coverings, and in more than a few ways. Of course, the most obvious way to use plants as sunshades would be to hang your flowing foliage on the inside of your home via curtain or tension rods, per Balcony Garden Web. Though you still might need to have a sheer or semi-see through panel to allow light to filter in, and keep prying eyes out. That being said, it's never a bad thing to wake up with the sun, according to Good Earth Plants. But if you're still seeking a bit more seclusion from the outside world, and semi-sheer curtains with a living layer of plants isn't doing it for you, then you can also add an extra layer of plant protection outside.
There are a few ways to incorporate a "living curtain" into your bedroom aesthetic. The first is to permanently add it to your outdoor landscaping. You can use tall growing shrubs, flowering bushes, or even get creative and rock a geometric topiary or boxwood hedge, via Topiary Tree. You can also use a strategically placed trellis and train creeping plants like honeysuckle or morning glory to either climb up or down the structure. It'll look just like a green waterfall right outside your bedroom. If that doesn't say zen, who knows what will.