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A child's bedroom features kids curtains made of Family of Cranes in Waverly Blue for a playful, vibrant look
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April 16, 2024

Kids Curtains: Explore Drape Styles & Fabrics

Drapes have a soft, inviting look, easy functionality with the right pleat style and hardware, and come in cute and playful designs, as well as sophisticated styles. This all makes them a great choice for kids rooms. When it comes to finding the right kids curtains for your child, it’s important you understand what your options are as well as how to choose the best one for your needs.

To choose the best kids curtains for your space, think about pleat style and fabric option as it relates to both your functional needs and aesthetic preferences.

Cover photo: Ripple Fold Drapery, The Novogratz Family of Cranes in Waverly Blue with Blackout Lining and a Cornice and Inner Layer: Roller Shades, Ava in Birchwood

Best Pleat Styles for Kids Room Curtains

When thinking about pleat style for kids room curtains, it’s important to start with function. This is because you’ll likely want to adjust the drapery frequently — maybe even multiple times a day — to get the right level of light control and privacy levels. Some pleat styles are functional while others are better used decoratively. Explore the functional pleat styles first and then get a quick look at decorative styles to find the right one for your kids room.

Functional Pleat Styles

Drapery comes in eight main pleat styles, but only four of them are considered to have easy functionality. This is thanks to their compatibility with track system hardware which allows easy gliding of your curtains back and forth.

understanding drapery hardware

Drapery hardware is available in two main styles: rod and rings hardware and track system hardware. Both are easy to use, but track system hardware offers the easiest functionality for your kids curtains. You can also get motorized track systems for truly effortless ease. The following functional pleat styles are all compatible with track system hardware, including motorization.

Ripple Fold Drapery: Modern, Linear Look

A girl's bedroom has kids curtains made of Wool Flannel in Glacier with blackout lining for an elegant look & room darkening
Pictured: Outer Layer: Ripple Fold Drapery, Wool Flannel in Glacier with a Standard Track System in White and Inner Layer: Roller Shades, Hudson in Grey, photography by John Bessler

Featuring soft S-curves and gentle waves of fabric that create linear highlights and lowlights, Ripple Fold Drapery delivers a more modern or contemporary aesthetic for your kids curtains. The linear design also helps add a sense of height to your room, which can help rooms with lower ceilings feel more spacious.

Ripple Fold Drapery is only compatible with track system hardware — both manual and motorized tracks — giving you effortless ease in adjusting your drapes whenever you need.

Start Customizing Ripple Fold Drapery

Select your fabric, color, hardware and more to create the perfect look for your kids curtains.

Pictured: Ripple Fold Drapery, Basket Sheer in Winter, design by Anita Yokota for the 2019 Real Simple House, photography by Christopher Testani for Real Simple

Tailored Pleat Drapery: Streamlined & Contemporary

A child's room features kids curtains made of Linen in Ivory with blackout lining, paired with a woven shade for texture
Pictured: Tailored Pleat Drapery, Linen in Ivory with Blackout Lining and Steel Rod & Rings Hardware in Antique Bronze and Inner Layer: Waterfall Woven Wood Shade, Artisan Weaves Sienna in Ivory with Blackout Lining, design by Ariel Okin

With three-finger pleats pinched at the very top of the panel, Tailored Pleat Drapery offers a streamlined, contemporary aesthetic for your kids curtains. The continuous design with the pleats pinched at the top draws the eye upward, which helps create a sense of height and spaciousness in your room.

Tailored Pleat Drapery is compatible with both rod and ring hardware and track system hardware. Both types of hardware are easy to operate, but the rings may be a little more challenging, especially with wider and taller panels. For the easiest functionality, choose a manual or motorized track system.

Start Customizing Tailored Pleat Drapery

Select your fabric, color, hardware and more to create the perfect look for your kids curtains.

Pictured: Tailored Pleat Drapery, Wool Blend in Snow with Brielle Embroidered trim in Sand and Lexington Track Hardware in Satin Nickel, photography by Anne Gattilia

Pinch Pleat Drapery: Traditional Elegance

A bedroom has sill-length kids curtains made of Holland & Sherry Emerson in Sky with a matching pillow on the bed
Pictured: Pinch Pleat Drapery, Holland & Sherry Emerson in Sky with Steel Rod & Rings Hardware in Antique Bronze

A traditional pleat style, Pinch Pleat Drapery features three-finger pleats pinched four inches from the top of the drape panels. The pleats create a natural visual break between the drapery and your wall or ceiling, which creates a more grounded design.

Like Tailored Pleat, Pinch Pleat is compatible with both rod and ring hardware and track system hardware. For the easiest functionality, choose a manual or motorized track system.

Start Customizing Pinch Pleat Drapery

Select your fabric, color, hardware and more to create the perfect look for your kids curtains.

Pictured: Pinch Pleat Drapery, Shoreline in Reed, photography by John Bessler

Cubicle Drapery: Casual Simplicity

A room with large windows has Cubicle Drapery which is great as kids curtains thanks to its easy functionality & casual look
Pictured: Outer Layer: Cubicle Drapery, Holland & Sherry Dashing Stripe in Palomino and a Standard Track System in Black and Inner Layer: Solar Shade, 10% in Black

Featuring small grommets a few inches from the top, Cubicle Drapery attaches to hook carriers in a track system. The result is wide, gentle waves that deliver a more casual, carefree aesthetic. Thanks to its design, Cubicle Drapery uses less fabric than other styles of drapery, and so has a very tight stack (the amount of space the panels take up when pulled fully off your window). A tight stack is especially useful for smaller spaces.

Like Ripple Fold, Cubicle Drapery is only compatible with track systems, so it’s very functional and easy to use.

Start Customizing Cubicle Drapery

Select your fabric, color, hardware and more to create the perfect look for your kids curtains.

Pictured: Cubicle Drapery, Holland & Sherry Dashing Stripe in Palomino

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Decorative Kids Curtains

Rod Pocket Drapery made of Shoreham Stripe in Oatmeal is used as kids curtains in a casual bedroom with soft neutral colors
Pictured: Rod Pocked Drapery, Shoreham Stripe in Oatmeal and Inner Layer: Roller Shades, Cora Blackout in Shell

Decorative pleat styles offer charming aesthetics, however, keep in mind they’re not the easiest to use regularly due to their hardware compatibility, design restrictions or both. That’s why, if you opt for decorative pleat styles, it’s best to pair decorative pleat styles with a more functional window treatment like Roller Shades or Roman Shades.

A close up of Goblet Drapery made of Silk Dupioni in Leaf shows the elegant goblet-shaped pleats of this style

goblet
drapery

With goblet-shaped pleats at the top of the panel, this pleat style offers a luxe, feminine look. The goblets don’t stack nicely which is why this style is best used decoratively.

A close up of Grommet Drapery made of Velvet in Antique shows the deep, dramatic folds of this style

grommet
drapery

Metal rings pressed in the panel fabric one inch from the top give Grommet Drapery deep, dramatic folds. Only compatible with rods, this style is best used decoratively.

A close up of Inverted Pleat Drapery made of Wool Blend in Fleece shows the crisp, flat pleats of this style

inverted pleat
drapery

Featuring flat, crisp pleats across the top panel, Inverted Pleat creates clean angles and lines for a stately look. These pleats don’t stack nicely so it’s best used decoratively.

A close up of Rod Pocket Drapery made of Shoreham Stripe in Oatmeal shows gathered bunches of fabric on a curtain rod

rod pocket
drapery

With a sewn pocket of fabric at the top to thread a curtain rod through, Rod Pocket Drapery features a charming, casual look. It’s difficult to adjust so is best used decoratively.

shop all drapery

Explore all pleat styles and select your favorite to start customizing your kids room curtains. SHOP CUSTOM DRAPERY

Best Fabric Choices for Kids Room Curtains

Choosing the best fabric for your kids curtains is about finding the right balance between aesthetics and durability. In a kids room, your drapery will likely put up with a bit more wear and tear than in more formal rooms, so the hardiness of your fabric is an important factor to consider.  

For the best durability — as well as kid-friendly designs and sophisticated aesthetics — choose from performance synthetic fabrics and hardy natural fibers.

Performance Synthetic Fabrics

Made from engineered fibers like polyester, acrylic and more, these fabrics offer excellent performance in terms of moisture, stain and fade resistance. Plus, they’re less prone to tearing.

Explore examples of synthetic fabrics in attractive solid colors and charming patterned designs.

A drapery swatch of Denim in natural is ideal for kids curtains thanks to its durability and soft color

denim in natural

Made of 100% Polyester

A beautiful and durable twill weave that’s made to endure wear and tear, in a soft warm white.

A drapery swatch of Korinthos in Aloe is ideal for kids curtains thanks to its durability and soft green color

korinthos in aloe

Made of 100% Polyester

Features the look and feel of a cotton-linen blend in a subtle, inviting sea glass green.

A drapery swatch of Highland in Batik Blue is ideal for kids curtains thanks to its hardy fabric blend & plaid pattern

highland in batik blue

Made of 50% Acrylic, 25% Wool & 25% Polyester

A simple plaid pattern with cool blue and grey stripes on an off-white background.

A drapery swatch of Celeste in Light Pink is ideal for kids curtains thanks to a cotton-polyester blend & charming starbursts

celeste in light pink

Made of 69% Cotton & 31% Polyester

Features tiny, embroidered starbursts in a soft pink for a charming, whimsical look.

For Top Performance & Nature-Inspired Textures Choose Sunbrella

Featuring versatile solid neutral colors, Sunbrella offers beautiful aesthetics as well as top performance. Made from Sunbrella acrylic, these fabrics are fade- and stain- resistant and will stand up to rougher handling they may encounter in a child’s room.

Hardy Natural Fibers

Natural fibers vary in terms of performance as some are more durable than others. For the best performance, choose fabrics made of linen, wool or cotton. Silk is much more delicate and not the best choice for kids curtains.

Explore examples of natural fabrics in attractive solid colors and charming patterned designs.

A drapery swatch of Luxe Linen in Oyster is ideal for kids curtains thanks to its heavyweight durability and soft feel

luxe linen in
oyster

Made of 100% Linen

A beautiful heavyweight linen with a textured look and soft feel in an inviting, warm off-white color.

A drapery swatch of Cotton in Sky is ideal for kids curtains thanks to the durability of cotton and the inviting blue color

cotton in
sky

Made of 100% Cotton

Features the clean, fresh look and soft touch characteristic of cotton, in a cheery sky-blue color.

A drapery swatch of Gemma in Seastone Gray is ideal for kids curtains thanks to it's 100% cotton makeup & charming starbursts

nate berkus gemma in
seastone gray

Made of 100% Cotton

Hand-painted white starbursts create a charming, yet chic microprint on a cool blue-grey background.

A drapery swatch of Emerson in Shea is ideal for kids curtains thanks to a 100% wool makeup & inviting plaid pattern

Holland & Sherry Emerson
in Shea

Made of 100% Wool

An elegant plaid pattern with creamy colors offers a classic appeal that immediately warms your room.

Explore All Fabrics

Discover all the possibilities for your kids curtains. Order swatches of all your favorite colors and patterns to compare at home.

Kids Room Curtain Ideas

With knowledge of your pleat style and fabric options for kids room curtains, get inspiration from curated spaces featuring a variety of pleat style, hardware and fabric options.

Alternatives to Kids Room Curtains

Not sure if kids curtains are the right choice for your child’s room? You have additional options for kids window treatments, including Roller and Roman Shades.

Check out these additional ideas for your child’s bedroom.

Explore Selections for Your Kids Curtains

To continue your search for the right kids room curtains, order swatches of all your favorite fabrics to compare them in your own home. Be sure to observe them all in different light throughout the day to get a true sense of the color. Make sure to order swatches for any layered window treatments as well, such as Roller or Roman Shade materials to see how they complement your favorite Drapery designs.

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A close-up image of white swatches featuing different textures and materials shows the declicate details of these designs