When I profiled Liz and Chris for Before & After: Stage One of Liz & Chris' "Transitional" Renovation, Liz told me that she had originally planned on yellow silk drapes for their dining room. But her husband Chris balked, saying, "I don't want to live in the White House. We're in our 30s. Can't we have some fun curtains that look young?" So they took a risk with a fun, bold lattice pattern for the curtains (Image 2).
I think they made the right call. The geometric print dramatically highlights the traditional chair backs while also giving the room a young, vibrant feel. But I know pulling the trigger on a bright graphic print — especially for something as central and expensive as window treatments — can be scary. It takes a lot of experience to be able to visualize how a given pattern will play out on a large scale when all you have is a fabric swatch and a blank window.
If you need a little hand-holding, here are some examples of relatively conservative rooms that have been successfully enlivened and enhanced by scene-stealing window treatments.
FIRST ROW
• 1 Angelique's Feminine Vintage Harmony House Tour — Imperial Trellis by Kelly Wearstler
• 2 Before & After: Stage One of Liz and Chris's Transitional Renovation
• 3 Meg's Traditional Mix House Call
• 4 Callie Grayson
• 5 Callie Grayson
SECOND ROW
• 6 Fly Through Our Window
• 7 Egg on the Head
• 8 Green Your Decor
• 9 Case Sugar
• 10 Everything LEB
Images: as linked above
Smart & Simple Small Space Solution: Angela & Tania's "Murphy Table"
Monica & Austin's Charming Bungalow
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Ercol Bar Stool
Why I Became a 1-Gallon Homebrewer
True Greek Recipe: Paximadi Bread Salad with Tomatoes, Feta and Capers
I <3 the 8th feature. I've contemplated including chevron patterns in my decor but I'm not sure where it would be appropriate. Maybe some small does on some white boxes that sit on yellow shelf against a white wall..... mmmmmm.
Very nice. I love heavy drapes. The longer and more dramatic the better!
Oh, and AT? This is my umpteenth complaint about spam. Can't you please make spam reporting easier?
All of these pictures are making me want to finish making new curtains for my entire house!I've been on a curtain kick recently, we just made bold curtains for our master and art room, and I love them!
I love patterned curtains, it's too bad that if you want them you either have to have them custom made or make them yourself.
I have no idea what to do with drapes. There's a lot of color and pattern in my rooms, so much so that a patterened drape seems extremely hard to pull off. I love these examples but none of them would work with all the crazy colors I have.
#5 #5!!!
What a great selection! Bold drapery patterns are indeed scary, thank you for such inspiring and artistic examples.
Great post! It's so helpful to see these examples! Maybe another post idea could be about pairing bold drapes with an area rug without them competing? That would be super helpful because I'm feeling a little fearful about finding a fun area rug to pair with my curtains!
great post! I adore drapery and what they can do for a room!
thanks for the links.
xx
callie