How to Choose Curtain Fabric: A Room-by-Room Guide

The heading style gets most of the attention when people are choosing curtains. But fabric is what determines how a curtain actually behaves — how it falls, how it moves, how it handles light, and how it makes the room feel. Choose the wrong fabric and even perfect measurements and an ideal heading style won't save you.

Here's how to think about fabric, room by room.

What Fabric Does

Curtain fabric does several things simultaneously. It controls light — how much enters the room and in what quality. It defines weight — how the curtain hangs, how full it looks, how much it moves in a breeze. And it sets tone — whether the room feels formal or relaxed, structured or fluid, warm or cool.

The best fabric for your room is the one that gets all three right simultaneously.

Living Rooms and Dining Rooms

These are the rooms where sheer fabrics do their best work. A good sheer in a living room softens the light, creates a sense of warmth and enclosure, and makes the whole space feel more considered without darkening it or obscuring the view.

For living and dining rooms, look for a sheer with enough weight to hang well and hold a consistent wave — too lightweight and the fabric can look flimsy; the right weight and it falls with an elegant, gentle drop that moves beautifully.

Bedrooms

Bedrooms are where blockout fabric earns its keep. The ability to sleep past sunrise — or to make the room dark for an afternoon nap — depends entirely on the fabric doing its job. True blockout fabric uses a tightly woven or coated construction that prevents light transmission.

In most bedrooms, we'd recommend a double track setup: sheer on the inner track for daytime use, blockout on the outer track for sleeping. You get the beauty of the sheer during the day and the practicality of the blockout when you need it.

Children's Rooms and Nurseries

For children's rooms, blockout is non-negotiable. Early morning light is the enemy of sleep-ins (for children and their parents), and afternoon naps are impossible without genuine darkness. In these rooms, prioritise light control above everything else.

For children's rooms specifically, also consider ease of care. A fabric that can withstand regular cleaning and the general chaos of family life will serve you far better than one that requires delicate handling.

Home Offices

Home offices have a specific challenge: managing afternoon glare on screens without making the room feel dark or closed-in. Sheer curtains are ideal here — they filter the directional glare of afternoon sun while keeping the room bright and usable.

For home offices, a sheer on its own is usually sufficient. If the room doubles as a media space or guest room, add a blockout on a double track.

Linen and Linen-Look Fabrics

Linen and linen-look fabrics have become synonymous with the considered Australian interior — and for good reason. They have a natural warmth and texture that works in almost any setting, they're available in both sheer and blockout weights, and they develop a beautiful softness with use.

If you're unsure where to start, a linen-look sheer is the most forgiving and versatile choice in our range. It suits almost any interior style and looks equally at home in a beachside house or an inner-city apartment.

Order Samples First

This is the one piece of advice we give every customer, without exception: order fabric samples before you place your curtain order. Light behaves differently in different rooms — a fabric that looks warm and creamy in our imagery might read cooler in your south-facing bedroom, or warmer in your north-facing living room. A sample lets you test the fabric in your actual space, in your actual light, before you commit.

It's a small step that makes a significant difference to the outcome.