Curtains, shades or blinds?
The choice of a curtain, shade or blind does not depend just on a taste. Sometimes you must choose one or the other because of the needs of your home.

Curtains have a great decorative value. You can match their fabric to that of the upholstery, so long as the room is not too small or has little light.

If the upholstery of the furniture or the bed linens have a pattern, the curtains should be of one single color or at most have a single stripe. On the other hand, if the other fabrics are solid, curtains with large flowers can look great. They can be made of many fabrics such as cotton, velvet, silk, linen and others.

Shades are thin fabrics of cotton, linen, polyester or a mix of them. They are used mainly to attenuate the light without blocking the view outdoors altogether. They are used generally used to complement curtains and blinds but in small rooms or ones with little light it can be best to use them by themselves.

Blinds are the most contemporary alternative but are comfortable only if used on big windows or sliding doors. With windows that fold or open inwards they can be cumbersome. They can combine with shades and made of solid fabrics or mild striped patterns.

The most appropriate fabric
Choosing the fabric is as important as the design and sometimes one depends on the other.  For large windows in sunny rooms, where you need to keep out light sometimes,  velvet and corduroy go well.  These fabrics are also good for cold places because they serve as insulation for the windows.

For shades and blinds, which need a lighter look, cotton, linen and threaded fabrics are most appropriate. They let light through but not the rays of the sun and they move easily in the wind, so they do not keep cool air from coming in.

Taking measurements
To know how much fabric you need in each case, measure how wide the window is and add 15 cm on either side. Multiply by two if the design is going to have a light curl, by 2.5 if it is going to have a tight curl and by 3 if it going to have more elaborate decoration. To calculate the length, measure the distance between the rod to the floor or to below the window, depending on what the curtains are going to be like, and add 30 cm for hems at the top or bottom.

It is a good idea to wash the fabric before sewing the lower hem. Thus they will not end up too short if they shrink a few centimeters in the wash.