Are Doors So Over? Why Designers Are Embracing Billowy Curtains Instead

If I had to pick an MVP of this year’s interior design trends, I’d choose the current obsession with curtains (no contest!). They’re no longer just for windows; rather, people seem to be using them in all sorts of unexpected ways these days. From curtain walls to bed canopies and half-testers, designers are clearly leaning into this macro industry trend to maximize cozy vibes in 2026. And now we’re seeing more and more people realize that soft, billowy curtains have so much more potential away from windows.

The look is certainly trending on platforms like Instagram, where I came across a post from Toronto-based designer Aya, @larinteriordesign of Spaces by Ritz. In it, she poses a simple question: “Are curtains the new doors?” And based on the enthusiastic responses in her replies, I’m inclined to say yes. “Who needs a door when a curtain can create the same sense of separation — with far more softness?” Aya’s caption reads. “It’s a timeless design detail making a quiet comeback.”

Countless comments from other designers and design enthusiasts concur, adding that they’ve already replaced their doors with curtains and never looked back. “We did this in our dining room last year to bring the Victorian vibes,” reads one comment on Aya’s post. Another explains that they used curtains as the entryway to a secret bar space in their home: “Looks cool and functional [especially] in small rooms… It works so much better than a door in a tight spot and has a bit of mystery to it!”

“Love anything that makes life feel softer,” adds another one of Aya’s followers — and I feel the same. Using curtains in doorways is a great example of the “soft architecture” trend, a macro movement that fellow editors at Apartment Therapy have reported on (it made our annual New/Next List!). The idea includes details from curved sofas to arched shelving, but design pros specifically called out curtains as a great way to soften up those unchangeable “hard” features and angles, like doorways. As Tony Machado, head of design at hospitality firm LUCID, explained: “Drapery brings softness, movement, and texture in a way that harder materials can’t.” 

There are countless places and ways to install curtains these days; doorways are simply the newest frontier for what was once reserved for window treatments. But how exactly does one install drapes in a doorway? Aya’s video shows countless different applications. The easiest way is just to use a curtain rod, exactly as you normally would for a window. Creator @polindrake did just that, but made it look extra luxe using a gorgeous brushed brass rod with stunning swan finials. 

For an even more dramatic look in a larger doorway, you could install two smaller curtain panels on either side. That’s exactly what Brigette Muller, aka @hummusbirrd, did in her Brooklyn rental apartment, pictured above. But you don’t even really need to have a doorway to get in on the curtains-as-doors trend. You can create the same effect by using them as room dividers! This is a great way to create a sense of separation in an open-concept or studio space and still keep things feeling light and breezy. Whichever direction you choose, take inspiration from design pros and lean into the whimsical feature — it might become your favorite feature in no time.