As the days get longer and the light starts flooding back in, spring is a natural time to look at your windows with fresh eyes. The curtains and blinds that kept the winter draughts at bay can start to feel heavy and dark once the season turns – and sometimes a change at the window is all it takes to make a room feel completely different.
But with so many options available, where do you start? Here’s a straightforward guide to the main choices and what each one does best.
Sheer Curtains: Light and Airy
Sheer curtains are made from lightweight, semi-transparent fabric that filters sunlight rather than blocking it. Instead of darkening a room, they soften the light coming through – giving everything a warm, gentle quality that works particularly well in spring and summer.
They’re a popular choice for living rooms and bedrooms where you want to feel connected to the outside without giving up your privacy during the day. In rooms that catch a lot of afternoon sun, sheers also help take the edge off the glare without making the space feel closed in.
One thing worth bearing in mind is that sheers offer very little privacy once the lights are on inside at night. For most people that means pairing them with a blind or a second, more substantial curtain for the evenings.
Lined Curtains: Polished and Practical
Lined curtains have a fabric backing sewn in, which gives them better structure, improved insulation and a fuller hang. They tend to look more considered and finished than unlined curtains simply because the extra weight helps them drape properly.
In spring, the lining earns its keep for slightly different reasons than in winter. It helps block out early morning light in bedrooms – genuinely useful as the mornings get lighter through May and June – and it protects the main fabric from sun damage over the long bright days ahead.
If you’re going for lined curtains and want them to feel right for the season, the fabric and colour choice matters. Something in a soft white, warm linen or a muted botanical print will feel fresh and springlike rather than heavy.
Blinds: Neat and Unfussy
Blinds suit rooms where you want clean lines and practical light control without the bulk of full curtains. They work especially well in kitchens, bathrooms and home offices where a more streamlined look makes sense.
Roman blinds are a strong choice right now. They sit flat against the window when raised and fold into neat horizontal pleats when down, giving a smart, tailored finish that works across all sorts of spaces. In a light-filtering fabric they let in a soft glow while still giving you shade and privacy when the sun is strong.
The one limitation of blinds on their own is that they can feel a little sparse in larger rooms or on tall windows. That’s usually where a layered approach comes in.
Layered: Blinds and Curtains Together
Combining a blind with curtains either side is the approach a lot of interior designers default to, and it’s not hard to see why. You get the practicality of the blind alongside the warmth and softness of the curtain, and the combination tends to make windows look bigger and more finished.
A simple pairing that works well for spring is a light-filtering roller or Roman blind with sheer or lightly lined curtains. During the day the curtains frame the window and let the light do its thing. In the evening the blind handles the privacy while the curtains add texture and cosiness to the room.
Layering also gives you more room to play with pattern and colour. A plain neutral blind with a curtain in a bolder print adds depth without going overboard.
A Few Things Worth Knowing
Hanging height makes a bigger difference than most people expect. Curtains fixed just above the window frame can make a room feel low and boxy. Getting the pole or track as close to the ceiling as possible, even in rooms with average ceiling heights, instantly makes the space feel taller and more open.
Fabric weight is also worth thinking about seasonally. Spring is a good time to move away from heavier velvets and wools towards linen, cotton or voile if you haven’t already.
It’s also worth thinking about how a room gets used at different times of day. A bedroom needs very different things from a living room, and a space that gets strong morning sun needs a different solution to one that’s mainly used in the evenings.
If you’re thinking about updating your window treatments this spring, at Brookside we’re happy to help. Whether you’re after made-to-measure curtains, blinds, or just some honest advice on what would work best in your home, come and see us in the showroom or give us a call.