Sonnaz Nooranvary, known for her upholstery and soft furnishing skills on the BBC's Repair Shop shares the traditional curtain styling tip that will help make your home warmer. With all the curtain ideas we may have, it's key that we know how to maximise their efficiency.
Sonnaz is supporting the National Residential Landlord Association's Home Bank initiative, encouraging landlords and tenants to work together to keep their homes cosy this winter, as well as being educated on how to save energy at home.
Curtains make a huge impact on the overall warmth of your room and are often at the forefront of insulating a home. We've been told before what not to do when choosing curtains, but even so, there's still something we miss when opting for longer curtains to keep our house warm in winter.
We asked Sonnaz what one thing she'd recommend homeowners and tenants do to reduce heat loss this winter and she said, 'The most effective but also easiest hack would be to fit a door curtain either over a front door or I've also fitted them before on living room doors.'
'So if you've got a really draughty hallway and you mainly spend time in your living room in the evening, I know people who have fitted curtains to those doors and they really do make a difference.' It's possible to even make a door curtain of your own.
And here comes the key nugget of information that many still miss. 'The most important thing with that is to make sure that if you can, the track or the pole is actually wider than the door and also that the curtain puddles a little bit on the floor because a big draught does come through the bottom of the door,' Sonnaz explains.
'So it's key to get fabric puddling at the bottom there. This is why traditionally curtains in old houses puddle.' That's the trick – ensuring that the track is wider and that your curtains puddle.
Some often complain that their curtains aren't doing the job of keeping heat in, therefore find themselves having to crank up the thermostat. But have you considered whether they're actually the ideal width and length?
So next time you wonder 'should curtains touch the floor?' be aware that it's of course personal preference, but if reducing heat loss and staying warm is what you're after, then you know the answer.
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