How do I Choose the Best Jacquard Curtains?

Jacquard curtains or window treatments can be a beautiful addition to any room, and when choosing jacquard curtains one of the most important things to look for is high quality fabric. Jacquard fabric is woven, and the quality can often be measured by the tightness of the weave. The quality of the weave can sometimes be determined by the light-filtering capacity of the fabric. When held up to light, a high grade of jacquard will allow very little illumination to penetrate the fabric. One of the reasons jacquard is so popular for curtains may be that in addition to being beautiful, high quality jacquards are also excellent insulators.

Other than finding the best possible fabric that is within a specified budget, color and texture are primary factors in selecting jacquard curtains. Jacquard is a fabric that is woven so that the surface of the fabric has a raised design, and frequently the motif is in a different color than the background fabric. The raised design often varies, but most jacquard fabric features geometric or floral motifs. Sometimes jacquard is mistaken for another type of fabric called brocade, which is almost identical to jacquard. The primary difference is that brocade is usually more lightweight than jacquard and is often used in clothing, whereas jacquard is used almost exclusively for home interiors.

The size of the raised motif will have a great impact on the overall look of the jacquard curtains and how well they blend with room décor. In some types of jacquard, the motif measures very large, sometimes more than 16 inches (40.6 cm) across. A print this large can sometimes overwhelm a small room, especially if the jacquard is two toned. For smaller rooms it is probably a good idea to choose single-toned jacquard curtains or jacquard with a smaller motif.

When choosing any type of window treatments, including jacquard curtains, it must be decided whether the draperies will be a focal point within the room or more of an accent to other furnishings. If the curtains are meant to be more of an accent, some interior designers recommend choosing colors that are found in other areas of the room. If a sofa is multi-colored, the curtains should ideally be in a color that is already present in the sofa. The color of the draperies and how they look against the wall is also considered very important in creating color symmetry within the room. In most cases, the wall color and drapery color should match or create a nice contrast.