New Window Treatments

When choosing new window treatments for a room, you have a slew of different options available to you. If you are going the way of draperies, one of the things you need to take into consideration when you choose them – other than color, fabric type, style, and size, of course – is whether you want them to be lined or unlined. Each comes with its own particular benefits, so your decision will be based on what you need your new window treatments to do for you.

Lined or Unlined?

Whether you decide to go for lined or unlined drapes will depend on what you want them to do, which will most likely depend on where you plan to put them up. Lined drapes are perfect for bedrooms, but you can use them elsewhere in the house, too, of course. Choosing to put up lined draperies in your bedroom is a smart decision for several reasons. Lined drapes offer you complete privacy, because their lining is completely opaque. No one will be able to catch even a small glimpse of you through your lined curtains. That opaque lining provides other benefits for your bedroom, too, because they can reduce both light and sound. If you have ever heard the term “blackout drapes,” that is another term often used for lined drapes, because they keep the sun from flooding your bedroom. This is particularly useful if you work a second or third shift and need to sleep during the day. While the lining is working to keep sunlight out, it is also reducing the amount of outside noise that gets in, too, giving you a quiet and dark sanctuary whenever you need it.

Unlined drapes, on the other hand, bring different benefits. They are perfect for you if you are on something of a limited budget, and they come in an endless parade of different styles, colors, fabrics and patterns. Unlined drapes can often be machine washed at home, unlike lined drapes which may need an industrial washing machine or dry cleaning, so they are a little more convenient in that way. But keep in mind that though lined drapes are more expensive to purchase and clean, they last longer than unlined drapes will – their heavier construction makes them much sturdier, and the lining that blocks out the sunlight when you are sleeping also blocks the sunlight from fading the colors in the fabric of your draperies. The lined drapes insulate your home from more than just sound and light, too – they are a great way to provide insulation for your windows, blocking cold air drafts in the winter, and hot air drafts in the summer, giving you a helping hand in controlling the climate of your home and providing yet another way to help keep you and your family comfortable.

You can see that both lined and unlined draperies are good choices that will fit your needs, whatever they may be, so when you shop for your new curtains, keep these factors in mind to ensure you find the perfect window treatment solution for your room.