Kids Curtains: Styling Ideas & Tips

Tips for Choosing Kids Room Curtains

Choosing kids curtains can be tricky: You want the look to suit your child’s sense of style, while not straying too far from your own. And you likely also want them to be functional so you and your child can open and close them easily and without struggle. These tips can help you discern the right style of kids curtains as you explore your product options.

Choosing the Right Look (that Lasts)

To choose the right look, it’s important to consider the following: Do you want the design to suit your child’s style now, with the potential of updating the drapery as they get older? Or would you prefer to choose a more neutral “mature” look that will last through their teenage years? As you consider the answers to these questions, think about them in a twofold sense: budget and aesthetics. If you want to go with a more fun style that reflects your child at the age they are now, you’ll need to factor in budget for the kids curtains today and the updated window treatments as your child grows up. If you choose a more neutral, mature look, the only budget you have to worry about is the one you’ll spend now.

Achieving the Right Level of Privacy & Light Control

Drapery fabric comes in many different materials and opacities, from sheers to thick wool blends, as well as lining options like privacy and blackout lining. When considering the right fabric and lining in terms of privacy and light control for your kids curtains, think about your child’s needs and sleep preferences. Blackout lining can be a game-changer in terms of giving them a better night’s sleep. Or, if they prefer to wake up with the sun, a lighter drapery fabric like cotton or linen, along with privacy lining may be just the right combination to give them privacy while still allowing the warm glow of morning to gently wake them.

Safety Features

Depending on your child’s age and abilities, the safety of your kids curtains may be of prime importance. The biggest danger to children lies in the use of cord control systems, but luckily, there are lots of safe control options, including those with Best for Kids® certification. Your best choices for better safety including kids room curtains with one of the following controls:

• Rod and rings hardware with or without a baton: Rod and rings hardware systems from The Shade Store come without any control type: You simply pull the drapery panels by hand back and forth. However, you can custom order a baton for each drapery panel so you can avoid touching your drapery each time you want to draw it open or closed.
• Track system hardware with a baton: Track systems from The Shade Store come with either a cord control or baton control system. While the looped cord is kept taut with a tension device to prevent entanglement, for the utmost safety, be sure to choose the baton as your control type.
• Motorized track system: Motorized track systems have no control cords at all and operate effortlessly with a remote, an app on your smartphone or even with the sound of your voice when you pair it with a home automation system. And if you’re worried about power cords, don’t be: A battery-powered option is available from The Shade Store. If you do choose a plug-in option, you can likely rewire the electrical in your child’s room so that the motor plugs into the ceiling rather than an outlet near the floor. However, keep in mind, if any rewiring is necessary, you’ll need to work with an electrician.

Material Concerns

For kids room curtains especially, the durability and maintenance level of fabric is an important factor to consider. You want to make sure the material you choose can stand up to everyday use as well as possibly occasional tugging or rough handling. For the most durable and easiest-to-maintain materials, opt for synthetics like Sunbrella materials that are beautifully made for longevity. Or, if you prefer the imperfect beauty of natural materials, opt for hardier fibers like linen, cotton or wool.