In a super modern environment with white walls, even if you go with white fabric, drapes can add a layer of softness and texture, says interior designer Julie Assenberg. ‘In a more traditional setting, drapes are always at home and are an opportunity to add color and pattern. Besides being a design feature, they’re also functional: they can block sunlight if you use a blackout lining. They can also absorb sound and help with noise.’
The answer, then, isn’t that curtains are out of style – it’s just that we need to revisit how we use them as modern window treatments. I see curtains and drapes as the “hairdo” of the room,’ says Allison Knizek. ‘They bring a soft and drapey element to a space and add a dramatic element of height, lifting the eye regardless of the ceiling height.’