Curtains are found in almost every residential and commercial premises. They commonly serve the purpose of blocking the light partially or wholly, helps in creating privacy by obstructing the view for outsiders into the room and also serve as decorative accessory for any interior. A lot of diversity of shapes, materials, sizes, colours and patterns are found for curtains. We can find many shops exclusively dealing in curtains like furnishing shops. The look and texture of curtains vary according to geographical locations also, like in warmer countries fabric of that is airy and light are used for curtains, in colder countries silk fabric or double lined curtains are used.

We can find a wide variety of curtains in different types in market today serving different purposes. The usage of curtains have increased immensely as people today give preference to interior decoration. Some of the different types of curtains are listed below:

Shower curtains

Now-a-days apart from being an item for necessity, curtains have become important from dcor purposes also. Same holds true for shower curtains. Apart from being used in bathroom to keep the water dripping all over the bathroom floor, it is being used to enhance the dcor of the bathroom. The whole look of the bathroom can be changed by hanging shower curtains available in exciting colours and prints. The two most popular types of shower curtains are vinyl shower curtains and fabric shower curtains.

Vinyl shower curtains are available in many different designs and styles; hence shopping for seasonal styles is not difficult. They are designed to match many of the different bathroom decors that are available. There are many retailers that sell shower curtains online or through catalogues. These shower curtains are affordable allowing for a regular seasonal purchase. Vinyl shower curtains are waterproof and is available in many designs and styles.

There are two types of fabric shower curtains available- one which is 100% waterproof and do not require the lining and the second type which is of normal fabric and requires the shower liner. It is recommended to wash and dry the fabric shower curtains on regular basis to keep the growth of moulds or yeasts at bay.

The benefit of shower curtains is that they come in reasonable price range also which gives the added advantage of changing the bathroom dcor in every season. The seasonal dcor of the bathroom can be easily accessorized by choosing matching soap dishes, floor rugs, soap dispensers, trash cans, etc.

Window curtains

Another type of curtain is- window curtain. There can be different types of window curtains to be considered such as - bathroom window curtain, kitchen window curtain, bedroom window curtain, and a variety of windows found in a house. The homes that are constructed now-a-days have all windows of more or less same measurement, whereas in older houses the sizes of the windows use to vary according to their location. However it is always better to take measurement of the windows before purchasing. Also avoid selecting drapes with full length as it could be expensive. Therefore deciding on proper curtain length is a matter of consideration. There are primarily three different curtains lengths to choose from :-

1)Long curtains These curtains hang uptil the floor level. Long curtains looks best in living rooms.
2)Mid length curtains These curtains hang in between the window sill and the floor. Bedroom curtains with this length would look flattering.
3)Short curtains Short curtains hang just above the window sill. Kitchen and bathroom curtains of this length would be more effective and practical.

Before selecting window curtains keep in mind the wall colour, theme of the room dcor, furniture style and most importantly your budget.

Beaded curtains

Beaded curtains provide more of an element of luxury to the interior. They belong to retro dcor style. They have been used since ancient times in Asia, for separating living spaces which do not require a door. They are available in wide variety of designs, materials and styles in the market. They can be made of different materials like glass, bamboo, plastic, crystals, etc. These curtains can be immensely decorative.

It has found significance from viewpoint of feng-shui also. As it is considered that the usage of beads breaks down the airflow in a residence and grab the positive energy which is beneficial for the residents of the house. Also the sound produced by the beads creates positive vibes in the atmosphere.

Silk curtains

Silk fabric is often associated with the rich and wealthy people as it is considered a very luxurious fabric. We have been using silk fabric in decorating our interiors in the form of silk flowers, silk tapestry, silk curtains and silk flowers.

Silk fabric is available in many forms like pure silk, raw silk and blended silk fabrics with other fabrics. Dupioni is the most popular used silk used for making curtains. It can be dyed easily with a variety of colour shades and gives attractive and appealing look to the room interior.
Silk curtains needs special care and maintenance. They should not be hand washed but dry cleaned. If by chance some stain is caused on silk curtain do not use water to clean them. The safest option is to follow the washing instruction provided by the manufacturer. Silk curtains should not be hanged where there is too much inflow of sunlight as silk fabric is delicate in nature and can be damaged by harsh sunlight. Dry warm iron should be used to dry silk curtains.

Stage curtains

Stage curtains are used in places such as church stages, theatre stages, school and college stages, etc. They bar the audience from viewing what is going behind the stage or screen. They also serve the purpose of blocking the outside light to ensure dark viewing in the theatre or auditorium. These curtains are generally thicker in texture and in darker colour tones. Single or double layered curtains are used according to the requirement. In school and college stage curtains they can be made decorated by hand printing or by patch work on them, or writing the name of the institution on the curtain as per the liking and requirement.