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Find anything you save across the site in your account Great Durability Curtain
By Daphne Bugler and Thomas Barrie
The right pair of curtains can make a surprising amount of difference to your home. Here are our pick of the best ready-made curtains to shop now
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The best curtains aren’t designed to be centrepieces; they should complement your room's aesthetic and interior design style without becoming the focus themselves. Opt for the wrong pair, however, and they'll be the only thing anyone can notice. Choosing the right type of curtain, colour, drapery and curtain material is an essential part of styling any room, not just because without curtains, your room will look bare and (if it's a bedroom) you'll be waking up as soon as the sun comes out, but to add that final finishing touch to frame your windows and ensure you're making the most of any natural light.
To help you find the right curtains for your living room or bedroom, we've searched high and low for the best window-framing pieces around, from the best blackout curtains to the best velvet curtains. And to make sure you're on the right track, we've also included a bit of information you might want to peruse first.
Light in colour but not in thickness, these blackout curtains from John Lewis & Partners will do wonders for your sleep if you're struggling with the sunlight breaking through seemingly just a few hours after you fall asleep.
Corduroy is back in, but not only on trousers: curtains get the cord treatment too.
Yes – we know it looks like it’s come straight out of Freddie Mercury’s gaff; that’s the whole point.
We’ve listed all of our favourite curtains below, but if you fancy reading just the highlights, here’s a quickfire guide to the best curtains on the market.
When you're shopping for curtains, before you choose the colour, style or material of curtains you want, you need to make sure you know what type you need based on your window size, curtain poles, and the look you're going for. We've summarised what you need to know about a few of the key styles below.
The type of curtain that best works for your space really depends on what kind of curtains you're looking for. You'll need to take into account the amount of light you want to block out or let in (blackout curtains will block out almost all of the outdoor light while sheer curtains will let most of it through), whether you want thermal curtains, and then what kind of movement or look you're hoping to achieve with the curtains.
The type of material you choose and how it moves can make the most difference to how the curtains frame your windows and your room; go for something floaty and light, like a voile, for example and you can emphasise atmospheric features such as patio doors or larger, bright windows while maintaining your privacy. Opt for something darker and a heavier fabric like velvet and you might instead give off a more vintage, old-fashioned and almost regal aesthetic.
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It's not just their light-blocking abilities that make these curtains so appealing; it's the duck egg colour that brightens up your space, and the fact John Lewis has made so many sizes available. As such this is one of your best options around for stylish blackout curtains. £50. At johnlewis.com
In the warmer summer months, you don’t want to be sitting in a room with heavily textured, thicker curtains that just make everything feel even hotter. Instead, you’ll want to make sure you’re using curtains that are thinner and in a more subtle shade to create a breezier, lightweight sensation. From AM.PM, these curtains are made from pure linen with a pleated finish, in a sheerer design that still lets in the light. A divine choice for creating an ambience where you’ll want to relax indoors. £250 £112.50. At laredoute.co.uk
Sometimes, such as when hanging a curtain over a back door, say, you want privacy rather than darkness. In these instances, a voile curtain is the ideal go-to, with an ultra-light material that will diffuse light into the room rather than cut it off. La Redoute’s Nyong curtain does just that, filtering light from outside into a peaceful, calm atmosphere. From £18 £13.50. At laredoute.co.uk
As far as fabrics go, linen is a good choice if you're trying to achieve that more natural feel with your curtains, adding a subtle amount of texture to the room rather than a softer, silkier curtain might. Known for its quality fabrics, Anthropologie is the ideal place to find some of the most premium linen curtains around. Whether you're after a subtle light grey colour or want to push the boat out a bit more and opt for burnt orange or lavender, there's also an extensive shade range to choose from to help you match the look to your space, with two sizes options (short or long). From £118 £78. At anthropologie.com
For an effective blackout curtain that doesn’t feel too intense or overbearing, Marks & Spencer has incorporated a faux silk material to still give its wares a silky flow. It’s the ultimate fusion of practicality and style and looks best when draped to the floor, creating a long line and elegant feel. We’re particularly fond of the lighter champagne, ivory and duck egg shades which continue to offset the intensity of the curtain’s thickness, but there is a range of ten shades in total to choose from. From £14. At marksandspencer.com
While we normally opt for a more neutral, single-shade curtain design, Morris & Co’s exclusive collection for John Lewis & Partners has a range of patterns which are giving us major Bridgerton, English countryside vibes. In a classic William Morris print, they have an eye-catching and striking vibe to them, adding plenty of warmth through the bright red background colour, but without the intensity that a curtain in just one shade might bring. It’s a soft look, yet still one which livens up the space. From £65. At johnlewis.com
California designer Amber Lewis is a lifelong Californian, which isn’t hard to guess from the lightweight, breezy curtains she’s designed for her exclusive Anthropologie collaboration. In natural colours, her Rowena curtains will offer privacy but won’t keep out light, making them ideal for a bright living space like a conservatory or kitchen. Just looking at them, we can imagine them floating on a gentle, warm breeze. From £68. At anthropologie.com
If you already have plenty of colour or a statement piece in your room, you might be looking for a simpler, more minimal aesthetic from your curtains. In which case H&M Home is exactly the place to be looking. In a blackout style which makes these suitable for bedrooms, they have a heavier feel to them and come in a long, classic draping style that just can’t be beaten. £80. At hm.com
What better way to invite summer into your home than with these unlined voile panels, whose whimsical buttons look almost like the loops of spacious dungarees, and whose lightweight and textured linen-effect fabric will give you privacy while leaving the room they hang in airy and bright? Use them on double doors, or even as a stylish room divider. £14. At habitat.co.uk
Looking foxy! If you’re after curtains for a child’s bedroom or perhaps a playroom in the family home, then Scion’s collaboration with Habitat is the perfect answer. Cartoonishly stylised foxes trot happily across sage green background, which is 100 per cent cotton (so are the foxes). £25. At habitat.co.uk
Jennings is, of course, the name of a beloved 1950s British children’s book series set in a school, but these curtains are anything but comic – hang them in your bedroom in one of six colours, which you can then match to cushions sold by Dunelm, and they’ll look top of the class. From £40. At dunelm.com
In a sort of rose-gold-meets-champagne colour, these linen curtains are the epitome of understated luxury and elegance. The loop top really flatters their charming natural crumple as it bunches when the curtains are open. And if you don’t fancy the colour, have no fear – there are nearly 30 other options to choose from. From £89. At secretlinenstore.com
House of Hackney’s wonderfully kitsch (and actually deeply cool) tiger-print velvet curtains are louche, chic and unafraid of being the centrepiece of any room. They’re also a good investment for those who want to see real tigers out in the wild, because each set sold funds House of Hackney’s partnership with the World Land Trust, which has committed to protecting 35sqm of forest per unit sold. £8,485. At houseofhackney.com
Simple and straight, but with a pleasing heaviness to them, John Lewis’s Anyday curtains will fit a contemporary or post-war flat or house nicely. They’re affordable and customisable – we particularly love them in Dark Teal – and will add an element of subtle distinction wherever you hang them. From £40. At johnlewis.com
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