Windows looking a little weary? Small living room curtain ideas are about to become your best friend. You may not have paid much attention to your curtains in the past, but trust us — they can make or break a space.
We've got you and your windows covered if you want to zhuzh up your curtains. Our interior designers have shown us what they do to make these shine in their clients' spaces. Breezy fabrics and coordinating colors are just some of the ways they do this.
If you're searching for small living room ideas, paying attention to details such as curtains will give your space the wow-factor it deserves.
Small living room curtain ideas
Curtains are an important part of making small living rooms feel cozy, so it's a good idea to get yours looking fab.
Where our experts have recommended specific styles, we have also found curtain buys to help you shop their tips.
The prices below were correct at the time of publishing this article.
1. Add drama with length
By maximizing vertical space, you can make a small living room appear bigger, as the eye will be drawn upwards. This is a clever trick to easily tick off with curtains.
“A fantastic way of making a small living room look more spacious is utilizing floor-to-ceiling curtains (we like these Lilijan Home & Curtain Panels from Wayfair),” says Ivo Iv, home improvement expert and founder of Decor Home Ideas.
He adds, “One thing you need to pay attention to is your curtain height. It needs to be long enough to touch the floor barely, or else they’ll look unfinished.”
Ivo also says hanging your curtains at ceiling height, rather than window height, adds an element of drama to your space.
Size (in.): L84
Made from: Linen, polyester
Price: $36.99
Size (in.): W52 x L84
Made from: Polyester
Price: $22.99
Size (in.): W52 x L95
Made from: Linen, polyester
Price: $33.99
2. Go light and airy
Going for breezy vibes with your curtains will lighten your space and give your small living room a boho look.
Ivo explains, “Sheer curtains are great at diffusing light, allowing a soft glow which will make small living room feel airy.”
He adds they also lend a soft, textured look to your space, and you can layer them with much thicker curtains to add interest.
As well as curtains, you could also go for sheer shades (these Hidodo Light Filtering Shades are Amazon's Choice) for a similar effect.
“They function super well, are adjustable to cut the light, and give a gauzy and soft element to the windows without taking up space,” says Caroline Kopp, interior designer and founder of Caroline Kopp Interior Design.
They are also a great solution if your windows have big sills, like the ones in the New York City apartment Caroline designed.
Size (in.): W52 x L84
Made from: Linen
Price: $19.90
Size (in.): W42 x L63
Made from: Synthetic fabric
Price: $22.99
Size (in.): H54 x W59
Made from: Polyester
Price: From $7.83
3. Play with color
One of our top tips is to use curtains as a colorful small living room idea, as this will help you bring vibrancy to the room.
Ivo explains, “Curtains are an excellent avenue for completing or enhancing a room’s color palette.”
This is especially useful for those who are renting and can’t add the best paint colors for small living rooms (we can relate to this pain).
“I recommend choosing curtains which complement the color of your walls to make your room feel much more open and brighter,” Ivo adds.
If you want to add extra pizzazz, you can still use a contrasting color, but Ivo says to make sure you use matching accents to create a cohesive look.
Size (in.): W54 x L84
Made from: Polyester, cotton
Price: $38
Size (in.): H84 x W42
Made from: Polyester
Price: $33.99
Size (in.): W45 x L84
Made from: Microfiber
Price: $27.49
4. Bring in fun patterns
It’s not just color you can use to create a striking interest point with your curtains, you know.
“The benefits of adding patterns to small living rooms include creating dimensional accent walls, providing privacy, and adding character in spades,” says Stephanie Meyer, principal designer and owner of AVCO Design.
She adds, “A small living room can be just the place to imbue personality to gathering spaces.”
From gorgeous geometric prints (these Exclusive Home Geometric Curtains at Target are stunning) to fabulous florals (we're swooning over these Jinchan Paisley Curtains on Amazon), there is so much style potential.
Size (in.): W50 x L84
Made from: Polyester, cotton
Price: $28
Size (in.): W50 x L63
Made from: Polyester
Price: $13.99
Size (in.): W54 x L84
Made from: Polyester
Price: $28
5. Choose shutters
You can also add shutters to give your space even more light and privacy. These can either be hung by themselves or alongside curtains.
“I prefer for the shutter to be on the lower portion of the window if they are double hung, so there is still natural light coming through unobstructed,” says Sarah Storms, interior designer and founder of Styled By Storms.
You may need to get this custom-fit for your windows — you could always DIY your own if you’re particularly crafty — but the slick result will be worth it.
Curtains are a quick, easy way to elevate your small living space. If you don’t want to purchase new curtains, you could even sew up your own with material from secondhand furniture stores for a statement piece no one else will have.
