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Oct 06, 2023

The 8 Best Curtains of 2023

The Emery Linen Pinch Pleat Curtain from Pottery Barn Kids earns our best

The Emery Linen Pinch Pleat Curtain from Pottery Barn Kids earns our best overall bunk bed because of its versatile style and custom sizes.

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Better Homes & Gardens / Reese Herrington

Whether your window faces a busy city street or sweeping country vistas, one thing remains true: your view can always be better with the right set of stylish curtains. Curtains serve as a practical and pretty finishing touch that leaves a room feeling put together while providing necessary privacy from passersby.

These hardworking window treatments are available online at varied price points, lengths, fabrics, linings, and colors. And, while options are usually a good thing, sometimes having endless options at your fingertips feels like too much of a good thing. So, how do you find the best curtains for your space without short-circuiting your brain during the shopping process?

We spent hours poring over online retailers and comparing key elements of dimension, material, length, and number of panels to find the best curtains for you. Then, we consulted the experts to learn their tricks of the trade for curtain shopping. Davina Ogilvie, founder of custom window treatment company Wovn Home, and designers Caron Woolsey and Katie Kime share their insight on selecting the ideal curtains for your space and offer professional tips on installing your curtains to yield maximum design payoff in your room.

"Selecting curtains is the perfect pairing of style and function," Woolsey says. "Curtains can be the creative focus for a room with bold and daring colors and patterns or they can blend nicely with the room if you prefer to highlight another decorative feature or the view from the window itself."

Read on for our top curtain picks and learn the ins and outs of choosing the best curtains for your home.

Pottery Barn

Its pinch pleat design will lend a tailored, custom look to your space without the custom price tag.

The curtains are dry clean only.

Our best overall pick for best curtains on the market is the Emery Linen Pinch Pleat Curtains from Pottery Barn. The best-selling panels sport 12 tidy, pinch pleats along the top and a blind-stitched hem for a look that appears at home in understated and elegant interiors.

Whether shopping for the best curtains for your sun-drenched family room or newborn's nursery, lighting is everything, and the Emery curtain panel provides you with plenty of options. The tailored panels are available in your choice of a light-filtering or blackout lining, which allows you to soak up the sun or stop it in its tracks to suit your needs.

This curtain panel is sold individually and comes in four sizes ranging from 84 to 124 inches long. Each curtain features 14 hanging slots for pin hooks on the reverse of the panel, and each Emery comes with 15 pin hooks.

Pottery Barn offers the natural yarn-dyed linen-cotton curtain panel in seven fail proof colors for your space. Opt for the classic white or ivory hue to add airiness or contrast to your moody walls. Oatmeal and flagstone are winning options for warming up your space, and a moody midnight blue is a solid selection for bringing intimacy into an otherwise expansive room.

The only downside to this pick is that they are dry clean only. However, because they offer a custom look and multiple color options, they are our top pick for the best curtains.

Price at time of publish: From $209

Product Details: Dimensions: 84 x 50, 96 x 50, 108 x 50, or 124 x 50 inches | Material: Linen and cotton | Numbers of Panels: One

Amazon

With these curtains, you can add a pop of color to your room without pulling out your paint supplies.

The blackout panels may leave your living room feeling a bit too dark during the day.

"I think people can feel intimidated by window treatments, like they have to be done by an interior designer or expert upholster. But I really think there are so many great resources now for selecting and installing them oneself," says Kime. Leave all intimidation at the door because there's no need to overspend to bring high-end style into your home, thanks to these wallet-friendly curtains.

The RYB Home Velvet Curtains are the best curtains for dressing your windows on a dime. Each two-panel set is forged from buttery velvet fabric and backed with an opaque blackout lining that lends the curtains a heavy, luxurious appeal. "Thickness is key. The heavier the weight and blackout lining, if possible, the more substantial they feel in the space."

Better still, these budget-friendly velvet curtains come in 19 standout hues to embolden or elevate your space. Some of our favorite velvet colors to consider for your bedroom or dining room include inky navy blue, blush, hunter green, marigold, moss, rust, ruby, and peacock green. Kime shares, "As a print lover I opt for solids when it comes to windows. They can so easily help ground other brighter, more playful parts of a room."

Price at time of publish: $39

Product Details: Dimensions: 84 x 52, 90 x 52, 96 x 52, 108 x 52, 120 x 52 inches | Material: Velvet | Numbers of Panels: Two

Loom Decor

These are the best curtains if you want to invest in custom, high-end window treatments that will last for years.

The Ripplefold drapes require a Ripplefold Track, sold separately, for installation.

Ready to invest in luxury custom window treatments for your home? The splurge-worthy Ripplefold Drapery Collection from Loom Décor has the best curtains for the job. The streamlined Ripplefold curtains are made-to-order with 100 percent fullness and customized with your selections from start to finish.

You design your Ripplefold curtains by choosing from 253 solid and patterned linen, Sunbrella canvas, and velvet fabrics to serve your space. From there, you can select a custom trim, note the direction of your panel(s), and pick unlined, privacy, or blackout lining.

The Ripplefold curtain panels are tailored to your space, coming in custom widths of 12 to 250 inches and lengths from 60 to 176 inches. Loom Décor even includes fractions in your curtain size measurements to ensure an ideal fit for your windows. Each curtain is hand-crafted in the United States to impress designers and architects with details, including weighted corners, invisible hems, and top-grade lining for unparalleled draping.

Each panel is sold individually and requires a ceiling or wall-mounted Ripplefold Track (sold separately) for installation. The luxury curtain and gliding drapery track are investment pieces. With that said, the quality and custom nature of these splurge curtains make them a sound option if you are aiming for a professional interior designer appeal in your space or if you plan to remain in your current home for many years to come.

Price at time of publish: From $497

Product Details: Dimensions: Custom | Material: Sunbrella, linen, velvet, sateen | Numbers of Panels: One

Amazon

These are the best curtains to minimize outdoor noise and block natural light on even the sunniest afternoons.

The selections are mostly limited to neutral colors and patterns.

Budget-friendly, beautiful, and blocks sunlight and chatty next-door neighbor from ruining your toddler's afternoon snooze? The Amazon Basics Darkening Blackout Window Curtains check all our boxes and reign supreme as the best blackout curtains on our list.

Each two-curtain set is crafted from polyester and promises 100% blockage of harmful UV rays and natural light for your room. The hardworking curtains work overtime to reduce outside noise when pulled too.

The Amazon Basics Darkening curtains also provide energy-saving insulation for your rooms throughout the year, blocking your heat from escaping out the window during the winter months and locking precious AC indoors during the height of summer.

The sun-blocking curtain panels feature a texture-rich triple weave fabric on the front, available in up to 18 unique hues, including inky black, beige, and sky blue. A substantial blackout coating lines the reserve to keep light, noise, and energy disruption at bay. Each panel is machine washable, too, so you won't see your dry-cleaning bill skyrocket anytime soon.

While some other curtains are hung from drapery rings or with hidden tabs, no drapery rings are required to install this chic curtain set. Each panel slides onto your existing curtain rod via rod pockets and comes with two Velcro tiebacks to pull the panels back during the day.

Price at time of publish: $38

Product Details: Dimensions: 84 x 42, 52 x 63, 84 x 52, or 96 x 52 inches | Material: Polyester | Numbers of Panels: Two

Wayfair

You can throw them in the washing machine for periodic cleaning.

You need to pair them with heavier curtains to provide privacy after dark.

Sheers are the best curtains for welcoming natural sunlight into a design and adding a soft, ethereal quality to your room. The Cannon Polyester Sheer Curtain Panel from Wayfair earns our applause for its dimensional weave and color options. Each Cannon panel is made with slab yarn at a vertical angle which yields a distinctive, elevated pattern to the feather-light fabric.

The breezy curtains come in a two-panel set, allowing you to dress one window using a single pair. This top-rated design is available in two unique lengths that cater to 8 and 10-foot ceilings. Shop the crisp and classic white Cannon sheers for a timeless appeal in your space or play with a wash of color. Try the golden ivory sheers to bring warmth to your design or shroud your window in the gray finish for silvery, sophisticated results.

Price at time of publish: $80

Product Details: Dimensions: 50 x 84 inches or 50 x 96 inches | Material: Polyester | Numbers of Panels: Two

Ikea

They provide unparalleled length and quality at a budget-friendly price.

The 118-inch length will be too long for standard 8-foot ceilings.

The Ritva Curtains from IKEA are the best curtains for framing your views in spaces with soaring ceilings and ample sunlight. The lengthy curtain panels are forged from 100 percent breathable cotton and feature a linen-like texture that reads far more expensive than the price tag reflects.

Ritva panels will wash your room in a dreamy, diffused light while providing complete privacy from the outside world when pulled closed. Install the Ritva curtains via integrated rod tabs on the back of the panels, or use the Riktig curtain hooks to create a designer-worthy pleated finish.

These curtains are sold as a set of two and come with coordinating tie backs that lend the drapes a polished look. Available in either a neutral white or gray, there is an option to match a variety of styles and aesthetics. The pair comes in three sizes with lengths ranging from 65 to an impressive 118 inches, or nearly 10 feet.

Install the 118-inch curtains to accentuate your grand 10- or 12-foot ceilings. "You can also use drapery to play with scale, visually elongating a room depending on where they are installed—at the crown molding or lower, depending on the effect you want to create," says Ogilvie.

Price at time of publish: $60

Product Details: Dimensions: 57 x 65, 57 x 98, or 57 x 118 inches | Material: 100% cotton | Numbers of Panels: Two

Amazon

The durable polyester curtains are approved for indoor and outdoor use.

The hook-and-loop tab top is casual and may look out of place in more traditional outdoor spaces.

Escape the sun and the ever-prying eyes of your next-door neighbor with the Exclusive Home Cabana Indoor/Outdoor Hook-and-Loop Curtains from Amazon. The two-panel set earns our pick for the best curtains for your porch, patio, or gazebo because of its enduring, high-quality design.

The weather-resistant polyester curtains feel weighty and substantial, making these outdoor curtains appear far more expensive than they are. Each canvas-inspired curtain panel offers a light-filtering finish that blocks UV rays, creating a shady oasis ideal for finding reprieve from sweltering temps on a steamy summer afternoon.

The Exclusive Home Cabana panels attach to curtain rods via Velcro hook-and-loop tab tops along the top. The top-rated curtains come in 10 fresh colors, including vibrant tones like teal, sundress, seafoam, and mecca orange to pack panache and privacy into your outdoor rooms. You can also match your outdoor curtains to your exterior shutter and doors. Choose from neutral tones like navy, charcoal, winter white, or taupe to achieve a refined, cohesive look steeped with curb appeal.

Be sure to measure your space before investing in outdoor curtains. Puddled drapes add drama to interior spaces, but when outdoor curtains are too long will collect rainwater, dirt, and more. These winning curtains come in seven lengths to provide a tailored fit for compact balconies and soaring covered porches.

Price at time of publish: From $28

Product Details: Dimensions: 84 x 54, 96 x 54, 108 x 54, or 120 x 52 inches | Material: Polyester | Numbers of Panels: Two

Wovn

You can customize your curtains to your exact specifications for your space.

Wovn Home curtains are made-to-order and typically take four weeks to ship from the time of purchase.

Give your windows the custom VIP treatment with a set of the Custom Pleat Drapes from Wovn Home. The contemporary bespoke curtains draw inspiration from elegant Euro pleat drapes, framing windows with sumptuous volume and tailored lines. If Euro pleats aren't your style, you can also choose from a triple pinch pleat or a flat top for a more classic look.

After you select your style, you are prompted to select your fabric. You can choose from 36 stunning solid colors including bright white, coral, or celadon. If you prefer a pattern, you can also opt for a textured design, jungle print, striped pattern, and more.

From there, you choose from Wovn's transparent, privacy, or blackout liner to best serve your space. Enter your custom window dimensions or use the thorough Wovn Fit Finder calculator to achieve a seamless look in your design.

With their head-turning hues, range of patterns, and tailormade measurements, the Custom Pleat Drapes are the best curtains for making a statement in grand rooms and common gathering spaces.

Price at time of publish: From $175

Product Details: Dimensions: Custom | Material: Varies | Numbers of Panels: One

Comparing dimensions, materials, and the number of panels led us to Emery Linen Pinch Pleat Curtain as the best overall curtain because it offers universal colorways, generous lengths, and versatility. The RYB Home Velvet Curtains come in next at number two as our best budget curtains that offer lustrous velvet panels with blackout lining for under $40 a pair.

Standard curtain lengths are 84, 96, and 108 inches. Which one is best for you? The ideal curtains are the ones that fit your window like a glove, so the key to achieving that tailormade look is to measure, measure, and measure again. Jot down the dimensions of your walls, ceiling height, and window before you begin your shopping journey.

The width makes an impact on your space, too. "Always account for room on the sides of your window for the drape ‘stackback.' This is the space to either side of your window that the drapes will occupy when drawn open," Ogilvie says.

"Not allowing for enough stackback means that your drapes will block some of the light coming through the window when all the way open. Generally speaking, 'high and wide' is a great rule of thumb to remember as you order draperies."

Curtains are available in many materials, with the most popular options including linen, cotton, velvet, canvas, and polyester. Consider the style of the room you are outfitting and determine your goals for your curtains before purchasing. Select a curtain material that aligns with your desired privacy level, light filtering level, and interior design style.

"Curtains can be the creative focus for a room with bold and daring colors and patterns or they can blend nicely with the room if you prefer to highlight another decorative feature or the view from the window itself," Woolsey says. "You can blend both goals by adding embroidered tapes or playful fringes to bring a lot of look to the right spaces."

For a luxurious or moody look, opt for heavier fabrics like velvet. But for a breezy, fresh feel, lightweight or sheer fabrics are your best bet. "Sheer fabrics are a great choice to give a light, airy feel to any room," Woolsey says. "But keep in mind that they may need to be paired with an additional layer to provide insulation or privacy."

Curtain panels are sold individually or in pairs. Typically, one window is fashioned with two curtain panels on a curtain rod. However, if you have a larger window, you may need more than two panels.

If you’re looking to cut down on your window treatment costs, purchase sets of two for your space instead of paying full price for a single curtain panel.

For a traditional look, hang your curtain rod four to six inches above the window frame using a tape measure, level, screwdriver, screws, and wall anchors. For a more dramatic look, hang your curtains even higher.

"As a general rule, installing drapery at least 8 inches above the top of the window trim draws the eye up, giving the illusion of higher ceilings," says Ogilvie. "And for even more drama, you can hang them just below the ceiling or crown molding."

Typically, two curtain panels are used per rod to frame a single window. That said, installing four panels to a single rod, with two panels flanking each side of the window, is a great way to create the illusion of fuller, more expensive curtains.

Curtains and drapes are used interchangeably in conversation, and while they are very much alike, curtains tend to be lighter weight, light filtering, and less expensive. Drapes are pricier window treatments, often tailor-made to fit your room and forged from fabrics such as velvet.

"Custom drapes are much heavier than off-the-shelf curtains as they use more fabric to create fullness and are often lined," Ogilvie says.

Maria Conti is a contributing home and lifestyle writer for Better Homes & Gardens, with five years of writing product reviews and shopping guides for digital home publications. She spent several hours comparing the prices, dimensions, materials, and panel numbers to determine the best curtains for every style and window in your space.

Maria consulted Davina Ogilvie, founder of window treatment company Wovn Home, interior designer Caron Woolsey, and CEO and designer Katie Kime for their professional tips on buying the best curtain for your space and how to hang your panels to achieve expert-level results.