This Curtain Hack Made a Designer’s Dark, Dreary Living Room Look 10x Larger (and Lighter!)
Designer Scott Faverty fell in love with his Cincinnati apartment, thanks to the living room’s abundance of natural light. “When we first entered the space, the 11′ ceilings [and] large windows drenching the interior with light really captivated us,” he explains. The rest of the apartment, though, needed some serious TLC — particularly the kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom. But the designer had just one “nonnegotiable” (and seemingly simple) change in mind for the living room: a stylish curtain trick.
The designer wanted to use drapery to bring the drama. “As soon as we saw this apartment, even before we put in an offer, I knew [I wanted] full-height, wall-to-wall curtains on these east-facing windows,” says Faverty. Although you might think window treatments would block the abundance of light, they have the opposite effect here. By covering the whole wall in curtains, Faverty actually made the space look lighter — and larger — than before. Here’s how he created that fool-the-eye effect.
Fresh Paint Lightened Up the Living Room
Faverty’s vision for the living room was decidedly light, bright, and airy. So first, the dark navy paint color would have to go. The designer chose Benjamin Moore’s Swiss Coffee (OC-45) in a matte finish for the walls and the slightly-darker Natural Cream (OC-14) in a satin finish for the trim. Sure enough, as soon as the painting was underway, the space began to perk up.
Installing the curtains proved to be slightly more difficult than anticipated. “To accommodate the curtains, I had to reduce the size of the exposed HVAC duct, as it extended all the way to the wall,” the designer explains. Because he was already doing renovations on the rest of the apartment, this wasn’t a total roadblock. Once the HVAC duct was out of the way, it was on to the installation.
Light-Filtering Linen Curtains Kept the Space Bright
Faverty’s vision of wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling curtains would certainly up the drama factor. But the wall in question was very large — about 11’ tall and 18’ wide. Faverty knew he’d likely need custom curtains made, but he definitely didn’t want to spend a fortune. He turned to a somewhat unlikely source: Amazon. “I had never purchased curtains on Amazon before,” he says. “I was unsure of the quality, but I couldn’t find any off-the-shelf options.”
After doing his research, the designer ended up purchasing three sets of these custom natural pinch-pleated linen curtains from TWODRAPES. “They had great reviews, so I gave them a try — and for $400 total, I didn’t have too much to lose,” he says. The order arrived quickly and fit the windows perfectly. The natural color and texture of the linen added a luxurious (yet casual) feel to the space; plus, the fabric filters the light perfectly, making everything feel breezy and bright. Each morning “the light spills in through the drapes, creating the softest glow,” Faverty says.
Installing the Curtains Floor to Ceiling Visually Enlarged the Space
The designer hung the curtains himself using sturdy curtain rods, also from Amazon. As a final touch, he added these chic khaki roller shades for extra privacy. The result? Pure magic. Using sheer, light-filtering curtains actually amplified the space’s natural light, and bringing them all the way up to the ceiling gave the illusion of an even taller space.
Faverty stuck to his vision, and boy, did it pay off. The designer says he “couldn’t have been happier” with the result. “The curtains transformed the space into the most relaxing, serene space,” he says. His little slice of paradise was totally worth the time and effort — about $650 and just a few hours’ worth of work.