Patterned Curtains & Printed Window Drapes

Sometimes, all it takes to breathe life into a space is a healthy dose of patterns!  Nothing breaks monochrome-induced monotony in a room like a tasteful interplay of shapes and colours. While there are umpteen ways to play this feat in your space, employing printed/ patterned drapery is one of the best since drapes take up vertical space and command attention effortlessly. 

If patterned drapes are topliners of your home decor list today, we invite you to learn the ropes of styling them. For, given the vast spectrum of choices and the unique personality each pattern comes with, it can become difficult to decide which pattern is best for your space. On that note, our designers share their secrets of finding the right set of patterned drapes for any space while giving you a sneak peek into our printed/ patterned curtain collection as well. Read on! 

Select Patterns that Further the Theme

Patterns range from simple stripes to intricate damasks, from feminine florals to masculine plaids, from nostalgic paisleys to modern abstracts - you name it, we have it. Each pattern has a vibe that is unique to it and points to an era in time to which they belong. 

While some patterns like stripes can go with several decor styles, some are better-suited to specific decors. Hence, when selecting the drapes, be wary of falling for motifs that don’t further your theme and style. A pair of vintage damask drapes, for example, will be out of place in a modern Scandi home because the intricacy of a damask does not typically sync in with the clean, straight lines of a minimalist decor style.

So, shop for patterned curtains that build upon the style and theme of your decor. Go for drapes with subtle patterns like 'Apple Icing' if your style borders on minimalism, ornate motifs like 'Solanthea' if frills and filigrees are your hallmark trait, realistic florals like 'Blooming Season' for a country feel,  abstract designs and sharp-edged geometric patterns like 'Dark Spot' if you’re a modern maximalist, and so on. 

Relay the Palette of the Space

Since curtains take up substantial optical space, they grab attention faster than most other decor items in the space. Hence, they present you with a fantastic opportunity to convey the palette of the room. With most printed and patterned drapes, you can further fine-tune the colour story as they bring in multiple colours to play, two at the very least.

Consider picking curtains that feature the primary colours of your decor in the patterns. Take the incredibly beautiful tribal print drapery 'Dried Stacks', for example, that can echo warm colours like mocha brown and scarlet red of the decor.

Or, let the dominating hue be the base colour of the fabric while the motifs bring in the accent hues of the space. For example, drapery in 'Moonflower' can go with a room that sports blue and green accents. 

Another option is to let your curtains serve as accents along with a few other items, say, a chair and a light fixture, for example. They become an intriguing component that breaks the flow as an element of surprise.

Consider the Scale

The size of the motif is crucial to making the patterned drapes feel perfectly in rhyme with the space. It is to be evaluated in the context of the size of the room, the dimensions of the window and the intention to stand out or blend with the space.

A grand-sized room calls for patterns apt for its size, lest they be lost out of sight and fail to meet their purpose. A small room, in exact contradiction, would feel overwhelmed by oversized motifs on the drapes.

Similarly, a small window cannot take grand-sized patterns as they fall short of space for display while tiny designs almost disappear on large windows.

If you want your patterned drapes to make their shapes and colours have a striking impact, make sure that they are in proportion to the volume of the room and the size of the window.

Furthermore, if you are looking to create a focal point, you need patterned drapes that stand out with their high-contrast palette and tangible scale. Whereas, when you want them to have a calmer effect and make room for something else to be the focal point, opt for drapes with small and mid-sized patterns, possibly in low-contrast palettes.

Decide Between All-Over and Floating Motif

Another crucial decision is regarding the layout of the patterns. Some fabrics come with motifs printed from end to end as in the case of 'Aqua Flora'. Others, like 'Northern Fields', have a generous backdrop on which the motifs seem to float as they are spaced out. Each of them has a distinct visual impact and can work for your space differently.

In an all-over layout, the motifs don’t stand out as much as their general theme and palette. Whereas, island-style floating motifs command attention effortlessly as they are highlighted by the negative space around them.

Depending on their palette and scale, both layouts can feel too bustling or just right. Evaluate their suitability to your space in relation to the size of the room and the overall feel you are aiming for. 

For example, an all-over layout of non-complex motifs, like a pinstripe or puppytooth won’t overwhelm even the smallest of rooms. But the same is not true for intricate motifs as they engage the eye and make the space look real busy when teeming on the curtains. Instead, with extremely detailed motifs, like damask, for example, take the other route of sparse layout. In addition, let them go tiny on scale and muted on  hues to further reduce their impact. Take the modern rendition of paisley in 'Essen' curtains as an example. 

Combine Cohesively with Other Patterns

As much as your patterned drapes have to be informed by the scale of the room, they must go hand in hand with other motifs at play in the space as well. For a space to feel curated and collected, the patterns must vouch for affinity to each other on some level. 

For example, pair a set of 'Raspberry Linen' pinstriped drapery with 'Hollow Granite' floral pillows on the couch. Here, the sharp edges of the stripes are complemented beautifully by the gentle curves of the floral print. And, belonging to the same colour family helps them to feel cohesive to the eye. 

Similarly, consider the scale of the patterns that have to stay together. If your windows are the focal point and you have ensured it with large-scaled motifs, downsize the patterns in the rest of the space so that they don’t vie for attention. On the contrary, if another patterned element is the star of the show, say, a floral print couch, let the patterned drapes follow a low profile with muted tones, calm layout and a comparatively smaller scale.

Pair with Solid Colours

Patterns need a stage to exhibit the act. That’s what a solid backdrop provides. Choosing the best patterns with the right scale and palette will only be a productive exercise when you give a solid background for your patterned curtains. 

So, keep your walls plain. And, if you do want to wallpaper them, go for a texture or pattern that does not vie with the motifs of your drapes.

Also, consider layering your patterned curtains with plain panels to add a designer touch to your decor. Say, you have ordered the teal blue 'Lolite Stone' plaid drapes, frame them with narrow curtain panels of plain yellow 'Equator' or add an undertreatment of 'Corn Grass' sheer curtains to match its accent hues. 

Shop Printed & Patterned Curtains and Drapes with The White Window

There’s nothing like a set of patterned curtains that laces the space with the right amount of colour and energy. Although instinct can guide you to the right set of drapes, we hope the tips enumerated above will aid you whenever you are in doubt.  Explore our curated collection of made-to-measure drapes with vintage motifs, modern prints, classic patterns and nature-inspired themes. Enjoy designing your space with printed/patterned drapes and rejuvenate your decor with the colour, fun and drama that motifs bring along.

FLORAL CURTAINS | STRIPED DRAPES | GEOMETRIC CURTAINS