It might seem counterintuitive for me to suggest that you pull the blinds closed during autumn and winter to make your home feel brighter — 'but don't you want as much natural light as possible?' I hear you ask. The answer is, of course, yes, but there's also a clever styling trick that will instantly make your home look and feel a whole lot warmer, and it's using yellow curtains.
It's as simple as it sounds: when natural light shines through yellow fabrics, it mimics the look of warm, summer sunlight, helping to create a cozier atmosphere throughout the cooler months. There are a few things to consider, though, when it comes to how to hang curtains for this sunshine effect. Your choice of fabric, for one. You don't want it to be solid enough that it completely blocks out the light (this is where layering curtains can help, as you still need the warmth of blackouts), so make sure you choose something light-filtering like a linen, cotton, or poly-blend.
Your room orientation is another, with south-facing spaces typically getting the warmest sun throughout the day in the UK, which definitely helps when it comes to how impactful this curtain hanging trick will be in your space.
In a social post by interiors expert Marco Zamora, he shared how he's been wanting to experiment with colored curtains (a big curtain trend right now), as a way of adding color to his space without painting. He chose Nordic Knot's new Grand curtains in the Pale Green shade, and found that "when the light hits them, they give off a golden yellow glow."
Livingetc's renovations editor, Faiza Saqib, also has yellow curtains, and completely agrees, adding that, "Yellow, in general, is a great color when it comes to reflecting light, and adding it to soft furnishings could just be what you need to enhance and illuminate your home. The more natural light bounces off of this bold and characterful tone, the airier and lighter your surroundings will feel. Trust me, I speak from experience."
You can find how to buy them below, along with a few other yellow curtain options to consider, depending on your interior aesthetic.
Marco opted for the Pale Green colorway, which he says throw yellow light, but these light-filtering wool curtains from Nordic Knots also come in a soft, muted yellow fabric (Sunrise), as well as a more saturated yellow (Leo), if you really want to amp up the effect.
If you're looking to add some pattern, these honey-colored gingham curtains from Anthropologie would do the trick. Unlined, and made from a semi-sheer linen-cotton blend, they'd be perfect for adding some sunny warmth to your space.
For something more subtle, these natural-colored sheer curtains from Anthropologie would have a softer, but still impactful effect in your space. Best of all, they have a really beautiful weave that would add texture (read: coziness) to your space, though you'd probably want to layer them in for real warmth.
If you really want to go all-in on the hack, this bright orange patch-curtain from Urban Outfitters is bound to throw a golden hue across your entire space. Sold as a single curtain, I could even see this styled across a doorway like a traditional Korean pojagi tapestry.
For a subtler approach to pattern, these sweet light-filtering curtains are from a collaboration between Anthropologie and London-based artist, designer, and printmaker Ellen Merchant. Featuring a delicate floral pattern, and soft worn-in colorway, you can just see how they would soften and warm light flowing through.
Livingetc's deputy editor, Debbie Black, has mustard yellow curtains like these semi-sheer ones and says, "When natural light comes through the windows, it reflects off and through the yellow curtains, radiating into the space, giving it a warm glow, which always makes me happy."
And while yellow curtains can help make your house feel warmer during winter, you don't want them to get too warm (literally), so it's important to know whether or not curtains should cover radiators — and, don't worry, Livingetc has looked into it for you.
