Every color has a place in interior design, but when it comes to curtains, draperies, or shades, we’re particularly fond of black. It offers exclusive benefits, and we’re happy to share them with you.
Curtains, Shades, or Drapery?
Before we discuss why we love black curtains so much, we want to clarify the differences between curtains, shades, and drapery. Shades are in a class of their own, using a single piece of fabric to cover your window when you lower it fully. Curtains and drapery share the same basic construction, two fabric panels, but differ from there. Curtains tend to be shorter, made of lightweight, casual fabric like cotton or linen, and hung in informal rooms like kitchens and children’s bedrooms. Drapery is often floor-length, made of heavier, more luxurious materials, and seen in formal areas of a home, like dining rooms or primary bedrooms. We’re fans of all types of black fabric, whether you prefer curtains, shades, or drapery!
1: They’re Easier to Maintain
Once you embark on floor-length drapery territory, you have specific enemies to battle. These include dirt, dust, pet hair, and even shoe prints. If you own a white car, you know how often you must wash it to keep it looking great. The same is true of white drapery or furniture; it tells far more tales than its black counterpart. You’ll do yourself a favor by opting for black shades or drapery, especially if you choose a luxe, dry clean-only fabric like silk or velvet. The caveat to black fabric is that it will show discoloration from the sun more prominently, so ensure you invest in a quality liner for your drapery.
2: Dress Them Up or Down
This might be our favorite reason for loving black window treatments: they strike the perfect balance between drama and romance. You can use black window treatments to make open spaces feel cozier or to balance areas with a lighter, neutral color palette. They’re also the perfect contender for extravagant top treatments. If you’re choosing black drapery, chances are the rest of your décor is striking, and a valance or cornice is the perfect way to complement it.
3: Sleep & Privacy
Black fabric is inherently room-darkening so that you can enjoy better sleep and more privacy than with lighter-colored fabrics. City life is fun and exciting but also very bright, especially at night. Night owls appreciate room-darkening window treatments because they allow you to sleep longer after a long night on the town. The need for privacy doesn’t require an explanation. Cities have a lot of people living close together, which makes the privacy given by your window treatments of the utmost importance. Black shades or drapery offer both day and nighttime privacy. Room-darkening fabrics also eliminate glare throughout the day. Sunrise, midday, and sunset all come with pretty impressive glares, and black material easily handles them.
Black Shades and Drapery in NYC
Our designers are standing by to help you design gorgeous black window treatments for your New York City home. Janovic is the city’s premier dealer of Hunter Douglas window treatments and Benjamin Moore paint and has everything you need for your next interior design adventure. Stop by one of our showrooms or book an in-home consultation today.
