Short curtains in the living room up to the window sill: photo of a beautiful room interior

Short curtains, that is, not exceeding the size of the window bay, are not the most common element of the interior. However, they are worth paying attention to, because they allow you to create an interesting and unique design solution.

Short curtains are practical and functional, and due to their short length they often become the central element of the living room interior.

Features of short curtains in the living room interior

Short curtains are not the most well-known tool for decorating a living room, but they have a number of advantages:

Easy to care for thanks to its compact size.
Economical use of material.
Freeing up additional space in the room.
Free access to the windowsill.
The supply of warm air from the radiators directly into the room.
Opportunity to customize the space.

However, short curtains can either decorate or ruin the interior, and therefore you need to understand when their use will be appropriate.

They will look good in small living rooms, where the space under the window is occupied by furniture. This could be a work area based on a window sill or upholstered furniture. In this case, short curtains are convenient to use, easy to open and clean. They will also look appropriate when there is no heating radiator under the window.

Window sill curtains are ideal for small living rooms with a lot of furniture

However, if the room has low ceilings or narrow window openings, the use of short curtains will only spoil the interior by visually reducing the already small height of the walls. The width will seem excessively large.

Short curtains are sewn individually for each window, and it will almost certainly not be possible to use them in another place.

Long or short

Each housewife has the right to choose curtains to her taste. They must fit into the design and match the format of the room. With short tulle they save space. The dining table can be placed close to the window or in a corner.

Laconic curtains are suitable for medium-sized kitchens or “Khrushchev” kitchens. In the adjacent living room they look “skinny”. The situation is easy to fix - for short cuts you need side curtains up to the baseboard.

The shortened style is considered safer; it does not pose a risk of fire. Flapping in a draft, long curtains can ignite over the burner.

Types of materials and fabrics of short curtains

Cropped curtains are made from a variety of materials, and the choice here depends on the style and purpose. However, in any case, the material must meet the following requirements:

durability;
weight suitable for the cornice;
ease of maintenance;
flame resistance;
resistance to odor absorption;
elasticity (if necessary to create folds);
resistance to sunlight.

Short curtains for the living room are made from a wide variety of fabrics

Types of curtain materials:

Organza. This is a hard and prickly material that is often used for curtains. It can be shiny or matte and drapes easily. Organza curtains are lightweight, but still do not fly apart at the slightest wind.
Veil. Lightweight fabric, most often made from synthetic materials. Does not prevent the penetration of sunlight, but fades in the sun.
Cotton. Cotton fabrics vary in thickness, color and style. They are resistant to dirt, but are susceptible to fading in the sun, so cotton curtains are often lined.
Linen. Linen fabrics can be very different, ranging from a thin veil to thick upholstery. They have an interesting checkered structure, which is a production feature. Linen allows air to pass through and disinfect well, which is important for allergies.
Silk. Silk curtains are very smooth and durable, however, in order for them to retain their shine, they should not be exposed to heat. Also, silk does not burn, but melts under the influence of fire.
Taffeta. This material looks best in sunny rooms due to its good reflective properties. It is quite dense, but drapes easily.

Caring for most fabrics is quite simple, but each of them has its own characteristics that need to be studied in advance.

Decorative elements

Short curtains and blinds are often made with additional decorative details.

Lambrequin - soft or rigid design (bando). Looks great with short curtains, covers the cornice, and gives the structure a complete look.
Pickups. They fix the curtains in the desired condition and serve as a decorative element. The functions of grabs can be performed by ribbons, cords, strips of fabric, chains, hairpins.
Ruffles, lace, embroidery. Delicate and romantic ruffles are perfect for curtains made in a romantic style. Canvases with hand embroidery fit organically into the rustic style.

To add originality, the curtains are made in an asymmetrical shape, with a semicircular bottom edge, and a tie-back on one side (this option is suitable for light, airy models).

Ways to decorate curtains

In addition to drawings, patterns, color palette and texture of curtains, you can complement the design of the curtain structure with some details. The most common decorative elements include:

Lambrequin. This is a horizontal drapery that is placed at the top of the curtain composition. Well suited for shortened curtains, giving the whole composition completeness.
Fringe. Allows you to highlight the general appearance of the curtains and emphasize other details.
Pickups. They are carried out using tape, rope or any other material that allows you to assemble the curtain. Moreover, this can be done either in the center or by moving the curtain towards the wall.
Edging. It can be made of a material different from the main color with which the product is trimmed around the edge. This gives the composition expressiveness, making the outlines more vivid.
Double curtains. With this design, the canvases are placed in parallel, placing the brighter ones on top. In this case, light fabrics are used to add fluffiness.

The photo shows short curtains with tiebacks in a neoclassical style living room

Fantasy with short tulle

The designers of the curtain making studio are able to turn any cut into a masterpiece. It is impossible to collect all the ideas in one article, but you always want to see beautiful models in your home. The video gives a general idea of the variability of short tulle.

An excellent decoration for windows would be the overlay of similar canvases with different lengths. If desired, it is easy to make vintage curtains “new”. For this you need a good idea, scissors, a sewing machine, and some accessories.

Shortened kitchen curtains are great opportunities for realizing creative inclinations. Ready-made models can be complemented with fringe, ribbons or bows. The video shows a good example of how easy it is to make tulle for the kitchen with your own hands, transforming the room in just a couple of hours.

Shape and design of short curtains

A very interesting result can be achieved using an unusual shape or design. For example, curtains are:

two-color - this combination fills the room with comfort;
on one side - highlight the selected interior elements;
asymmetrical - look unusual, adding dynamism to the design;
with lace or embroidery - they become original and distinctive;
semicircle - have a cute and sophisticated look;
oblique shape - visually divide the space.

Different shapes can be combined with each other, but it is important not to overdo it and end up with something tacky and tasteless. It’s quite easy to ruin the beauty of short curtains in the living room.

In the photo there are double Roman blinds - translucent ones hide the living room from prying eyes, and denser ones protect the room from the sun

Roman

Roman blinds are flat fabric that is raised and lowered using a special mechanism. They are convenient because they tightly close the window and do not interfere with various activities in the kitchen: cleaning, cooking.

Perfect for a small kitchen of 9 square meters. meters and more. Modern, high-tech or loft would be appropriate in the interior.
These curtains can be made from fabrics of various densities and completely or partially cover the window from sunlight.
The pattern can be anything - from an even tone to bright and unusual prints.

Examples of unusual short curtains in living room design

If you want to get a more unusual option, you can not only combine different shapes and decorations, but also modernize them. For example, you can use the following options:

Curtains in the form of a wide, intricately twisted ribbon. They are most often made of light translucent fabric.
Long, 30-40 cm lambrequins. They are made from dense material, such as calico, satin or jacquard. Moreover, they are decorated with bows, folds, tassels and other elements.
A short tulle lambrequin in the living room right up to the window sill. It consists of transparent soft waves that fall neatly. Moreover, such curtains can be asymmetrical, two- and three-color, multi-layered.

When striving for an unusual result, it is important not to overdo it. It is necessary to design the curtain composition based on the overall interior of the living room. For example, if the room has wallpaper with a large pattern, then it is better to choose curtains of a single color or with an ornament that exactly repeats the ornament of the walls.

What does short tulle mean?

Tulle (masculine noun) is a special translucent fabric that transmits up to 80% of daylight. Tulle curtains are made from natural and synthetic fibers. Light window curtains are made from translucent material, which was invented in France. They perform several functions:

protect eyesight from sun rays;
reduce drafts when ventilating;
decorate the window opening;
keep insects away;
give the kitchen environment more comfort.

Where food is prepared, there should not be a lot of textiles on which dust and fat suspension settle. Every housewife tries to make the room where guests and household members gather comfortable. Short and combined types of curtains are suitable for the kitchen. Short varieties include:

curtains just above the window sill;
roller blinds covering the upper third of the glass;
curtains up to the radiator level;
asymmetrical solutions on one side (under a transom or balcony door) that do not reach the floor.

Kitchen textiles should be practical. Preference is given to laconic models made of lightweight synthetics.

Choosing a color palette for short curtains

When choosing the color of curtains, you should take into account not only personal preferences, but also:

the color of the wall decoration, which should differ by one or two tones;
the color of furniture, the shades of which can be repeated in curtains;
colors of fabric decorative elements, the tone of which can be played up in curtains.

In the case when the interior is built on a combination of shades of white, white curtains look very unusual, as if dissolving in space.

The color of the curtains largely depends on the overall color scheme of the room.

Bright curtains are used when they want to highlight a window and draw attention to it

Short curtains are a rather unusual detail in the design of a living room. But if you manage to harmoniously match them to the overall interior, then they will become a real highlight of any room.

Choose by Size and Style

It's not always possible to find good curtains for the bedroom the first time. People consider this a real art, since even small interior details should be taken into account when choosing. All parameters must be selected correctly so that the canvases are beautiful and protected from bright light.

Before choosing, you should consider the style of the room. With the right combination, you will get a unified interior. Popular ways to decorate a bedroom:

Scandinavian;
Classical;
Asiatic;
Mediterranean;
Loft and others.

In addition to the style of the room, it is worth taking into account its size. If the bedroom is narrow and small, then go for the short version, suitable for a child’s room and a room with a wide and low window sill. When designing the interior decoration, remember that you need to take into account all the details and decorate it in the same style, taking into account the size of the room.

Photos of interesting examples of living room design using short curtains up to the window sill

To better imagine what curtains of a particular style look like in various living room designs, you can look at the photo selection:

Photo gallery more than 40 photos

Shortened curtains can be purchased in a catalog or sewn with your own hands. For clarity, it is advisable to look at photos of ready-made design solutions - short tulle in different rooms.