Trisha Roy was frustrated after ordering her own curtains and set up her own curtain company. This senior technical expert who used to work at PayPal and eBay founded Barn & Willow to help customers complete the entire online ordering process. Roller blinds, Belgian linens, Roman blinds-she has designs in many shapes and sizes. Roy can solve your curtain handling problems. . Every week, Jura Koncius will help you achieve family happiness. She and the weekly guests, whether it is Martha Stewart, Marie Kondo, Property Brothers, or Amy Astley, editor-in-chief of Architectural Digest, will answer you The decor, design and cleanliness issues. Jura is always happy to whip her paint shards, find a piece of hard-to-find furniture or provide experienced advice on real life and organization. For more than 20 years, our “Thursday Q&A” has been online discussing how to make your home comfortable, stylish and fun. We invite you to submit questions and share your own awesome tips, ideas and techniques. There is no problem if it is too big or too small.
The trend of lighter and lighter curtains has created a new generation of blinds, curtains and curtains. Trisha Roy founded Barn and Willow after feeling helpless after trying to order curtains. Her company specializes in sewing European fabrics and deliver them to your home within ten days. lets chat
Good morning everyone! I am very happy to be here to chat with you to discuss the difficulties and problems you are facing.
As Jura kindly introduced, I am the founder and CEO of Barn & Willow. Barn & Willow is a digitally-native custom curtain brand that is changing the way people buy custom shades, curtains and curtain hardware.
We know how difficult it is to buy curtains, especially if it is a custom size and style, not to mention the crazy price tags associated with customization, and we truly believe that it should not be done.
I want to figure out whether to use Roman blinds or roller blinds in the living room? Any ideas?
Hi, good question. We also always get benefits from our customers. Roman blinds and roller blinds are beginning to become very popular again. The main difference between roller blinds and Roman blinds is the material they are made of and the appearance they give to the space. By the way, both curtains can be installed internally or externally.
Roman shades are usually made of linen, cotton, polyester and other fabrics, and they look very soft. If you are looking for a room darkening function, you can definitely line the Roman shade with a blackout lining; if you just want to use a simple privacy filter, you can stick to a privacy lining. But in general, because it is made of conventional linen, its cotton cloth tends to have a soft look and feel. It has a timeless appearance, depending on the fabric style, color and shade style (using flat style, cascading style, etc.), it can look both classic and modern.
Roller blinds are made of certain types of vinyl or polyester materials and are usually blackened (treated) and/or partially blackened to make them half-extinguished. This material is much harder, and because of this roller blind, windows and spaces look cleaner and tighter.
If you are looking for a more modern, simple and minimalist living room, I would say with blackout curtains.
Therefore, the drapery should just hit the floor-the puddle-or it should just fall on the edge of the floor.
It all depends on the look you like. Some people prefer it to be about ½ inches from the floor or just touch the floor, which is usually very useful for having a more modern appearance. It is also easier to maintain the curtains regularly, especially in light colors. Puddle curtains are a more classic style and add more drama to the room. So it all depends on which style you like. If you have a pet in your home, it is usually recommended to place it ½ inch above the floor for easy maintenance.
It is very difficult to find suitable curtains for the entire house. Any suggestions on how to deal with this issue?
I totally agree. It can be daunting. I recommend using only one room at a time, just like you are decorating every room in your house. We see that usually in terms of curtains, the master bedroom or living room is the most important. Therefore, I recommend starting one room at a time.
What our team of design experts like is to ask customers for pictures of rooms and windows so that they can send them some design suggestions, and even draw some renderings processed by Photoshop to show the appearance of shadows and overhangs. So you can consider something like this.
I usually prefer ordinary cotton drape curtains or shades. Will the curtain be used as a shower curtain or one of the bathroom windows? If you want to take a shower, make sure it has a waterproof lining or a separate lining. For windows, I suggest you use pure cotton or polyester style curtains. Flax absorbs water easily, which is not a problem in the short term in the long run (and looks good), but it may cause the fabric to sag.
Oh yes. You can get customized Roman tones in high-end linen, organic cotton, velvet. All types of high-end fabrics can be used to make Roman shades. Normally, sheer linen cannot provide the structure needed for shadows due to its soft and loose weave, so I recommend choosing a tightly woven fabric.
Everyone wants a beautifully decorated house, including curtains. How do you get that look but still keep it practical? Some of our children seem to like playing with curtains. Which type of curtain do you recommend looks good, but still lasts?
This is a big question, and I often hear from many customers who have toddlers. Yes, you are right, kids just like to play with curtains. I have a child who likes to play hide and seek with our bedroom curtains 
Generally, roller blinds or Roman blinds provide a cleaner and simple appearance for the space. If you think that is decorative beauty, please choose blinds instead of curtains. Depending on the height of your window frame, children can hardly reach that height in many cases, so the effect is very good.
Make sure that the curtain has a child safety lock that secures the cable to the window frame rather than letting it hang loosely on the side. This is absolutely necessary if you take the shadows to take your children home.
If you prefer drapery because it may be more suitable for your aesthetics and space, then I suggest you wear your tie back to make the drapery stack and gather properly. From the point of view of ease of cleaning, curtains are easier to clean than curtains. You can definitely clean curtains and curtain fabrics locally.
I am looking for blind/window care for my daughter’s bedroom. There are 4 small horizontal windows on the low closet on one side of the room. They are not standard sizes, and they are all continuous. Two together, there is a small gap, and then there are two more. Nothing can hang there for too long, because it will clog the closet below. I was considering the Roman shade above the closet, but the size was so unusual that when I set a price for a custom closet, I was shocked by the price. Any suggestions? Also, should I make 4 blinds (one for each window) or 2 blinds so that each window covers a pair of windows? The windows are very close, but there is a gap (about 6 inches) in the middle, separating the two pairs. The windows are also shaped around the windows. There are 3 other windows in the room. They are more standard in size. I don’t know if the same blinds should be installed there or if there is something that can be coordinated but not matched.
Thank you for sharing your design challenges and room details-very helpful. To find a solution, certain odd-shaped windows or irregularly positioned windows will definitely be challenging. You already mentioned that every window is horizontal, so I guess it might be a wide window? Depending on the width of each window, it may be good to have 2 blinds or shadows covering each window. The reason I tend to choose 1 shade for a pair of windows is to avoid the boxed appearance of the wall. Having 4 separate smaller shadows may make the walls and rooms look a bit partitioned and closed, and you may not want these windows to be the focal point of the room. Therefore, I think you can use 1 shadow for a pair of windows to achieve a simpler look.
I recommend using the same shade or blinds for the other 2 windows in the room to maintain a certain consistency. Unless you want to match curtains, it is absolutely fine.
Can you provide information about hanging curtains? I know they should be “high and wide”, but what does that mean. Should they hang 1/2 inch on the floor? Why are the curtains I can buy always too long or too short for an 8-foot ceiling? This seems to be the standard height of the house, but I don’t know how to hang these prefabricated curtains without dragging to the floor or being too short? So it seems that I have to buy customs, which is too expensive for me.
This is a good question. The ready-made curtain sizes are 84″ long, 96″ L, 108″ L and 120″ L. For an 8-foot ceiling (96 inches from floor to ceiling), what happens is that when you install the curtain rod and curtain ring, the diameter of the curtain rod and curtain ring will reduce the height of the curtain by about 1.5″. So , Suppose you buy a 96-inch long L curtain, even if you install the boom on the ceiling, it will lower the curtain by 1.5 inches and present a puddle-like appearance. Therefore, there is a solution, that is to buy 96 The product is inches long (L), but change the length so that the final length is about 94.5 inches (L). Hope this helps.
Nice to chat with curtain experts! I had a bow window in my 1948 house-this means that the actual walls and windows are curved, so traditional straight rods cannot be used. There is also no obvious area to add internal shadows to various parts, which is possible with modern bay windows. Oh, its width is 14′! Any suggestions for companies that can make custom rulers? If they can produce quality products, I can actually work with a company!
Bow windows are definitely hard to use:) Last fall, we actually launched a hardware series, although we don’t offer specific bay windows or bow window custom bar options in the store, our manufacturer does make bow/bay windows Everything in the style of the rod is customized. Feel free to leave us a message at designer@barnandwillow.com, one of our design team can help you.
In terms of curtain color or type, what trends do you see? What classic look will not appear in a few years?
good question. The curtains are usually timeless and are perfect for any style of room. For a very modern look, Euro pleated or grommet drape curtains look great. For modern style, it will be pleated curtains.
Roller blinds are usually popular in TV rooms, family rooms, and study rooms, and have a clean and tidy appearance.
In terms of color, white has always been popular, and white can never go wrong, especially when your wall color is taupe or shades of gray. For a more modern vibe, use gray (light or dark). I think gray will not be out of date for a long time. In addition, jewelry shades are very popular today, so dark blue, emerald green, etc. are also popular, although it may not be the most timeless.
Hi, we need to handle curtains in multiple rooms at home and have two very young children. Curtains are not suitable for furniture, but I don’t want blinds with blinds (paranoid about the safety of children). When we moved in, some rooms in our house had cordless blinds, but the mechanical devices in them suddenly fell off within a few months, and now they have become very clumsy, so I really don’t want to repeat it. Any suggestions? Thank you!
Between curtains and shadows, when I am at home with children, I tend to shade rather than curtains. Do you have a manual roller blind or remote wireless roller blind with pull-up or pull-down options. From a security perspective, remote control is actually great. If possible, I suggest you consider this option.
Yes, electric blinds and curtains are very good. In fact, we at Barn & Willow are committed to launching our own style of electric curtains and curtains. I think it is easy to operate and convenient, and it is becoming more and more popular nowadays. Modification is also very important, and we are looking for something to start.
Good morning! I live in a townhouse apartment, so all my windows follow a wall. In my open-plan living room/kitchen/dining room, I have two large rectangular windows (approximately 32 inches by 65 inches), 30 inches apart. I’m considering using a single curtain rod to hang several sheer panels, with curtains hanging on both sides-my idea is that this looks neater than two separate curtains and curtains. Do you think this looks strange? Thank you!
Yes, this is a good choice, and you are right. If you want the wall to have a consistent appearance without being too cluttered, please install a long rod to hang multiple curtain panels. Just make sure not to make the panel too wide or too full, because you don’t want to put too much fabric on one wall in the room. So just balance it out
I found the curtains in my house very challenging. They can be very expensive. Although I don’t mind investing in features that I like, it’s very difficult because you can’t easily try or experiment before submitting. Do you have ideas on how to decide on the right treatment or get help so that you know that your investment will not turn into a pity?
That’s a good question, I agree before investing your money (yes, curtains are an investment ), you might want to try it if possible. For this exact reason, one of the programs we provide on our website is the “Try at Home Example” panel. You can rent a 25″ W x 50″ L mini soft cloth panel for $15, and we will refund your payment once you return the panel with the prepaid shipping label sent by us. I don’t know if other brands offer this kind of functionality, but I think this is a good way to fix the sample panel next to the window to see how much light is passing through, get color matching, etc. The panel is also lined. Unfortunately, due to the hardware, things like this are difficult to operate in the shadows.
Although in order to better understand fabrics and colors, most companies will provide free fabric samples. Have you tried it?
Black matte finishes or carbon appearances are usually popular these days. The simple end cap looks clean and modern.
I always see the suggestion to put the rod above the window frame, but how high is it? Does it depend on the ceiling height? My ceiling is only 8 feet high. Between the top of the frame and the ceiling? Is there a distance below the ceiling or above the frame? I’m lost!
If your ceiling is 8 feet high, it is recommended that you move the fishing rod to the ceiling line or as close to the ceiling as possible. It gives the room a visual height. If that is not what you want, at least 8-10 inches above the window frame.
good question. I recommend using curtains, just make sure to extend the rods at least 12 inches on either side of the door on the wall, so that when the curtains are stacked on the side, the curtains can sit on the wall instead of the glass door. Shades or blinds can also fit well, but it depends on the structure and overall decorative style of your sliding glass door; for a modern and clean look, you can install rolling sun blinds on the wall above the glass door or wooden frame. There are two different shades for each part of the door, but they all depend on the structure and space of the door. Usually, curtains are sliding doors that people usually use.
Yes, it is always best to dry it before using it to avoid any form of fabric shrinkage or damage to the lining and wrinkles. For routine maintenance, you can clean the curtains on site, or you can gently brush off the dust.
How important are fabrics and gsm specifications? Lighter fabrics have lighter GSM. Does this mean it is cheaper?
Wow, this question impressed me. Very knowledgeable, not everyone knows GSM Thank you for your inquiry. Therefore, GSM is the number of grams per square meter of fabric weight. Cheap and expensive do not need to do anything. 70-95 GSM is probably a very high-end 100% pure linen made from the best linen. On the other hand, textured linen may be 350 GSM. Both can be equally high-end and high-quality. If I had to speak from a non-technical point of view, it would be more of a tighter weave than a looser weave and the weight given to the fabric. Hope it helps.
Shutters are usually made of plastic and/or vinyl materials and have horizontal or vertical slats. It also has some environmental protection options. Shadows are usually made of fabric, not plastic or vinyl. The functions are the same, and they can be installed inside or outside the window frame. You will have to decide which one is more suitable for your house aesthetics. There are indeed various cheaper options for shutters.
What is the best treatment for kitchen windows? Mine is right next to the stove (it gets hot, loses grease, and occasionally smokes), and faces a pedestrian street (so I need privacy at least a few times a day). Help!
If possible, I suggest you use Roman blinds or roller blinds, and install them internally. I recommend optimizing the fabric around the stove to avoid any accidents and damage. Some shading materials are flame retardant, so they are also good choices.
Thank you very much Trisha for joining us! We have a lot of questions about curtains. Obviously this is a hot topic. Please join us next week, when Melissa Ozawa, special guest and garden editor of Martha Stewart Living, will chat here to discuss the issue of greening houses in 2020. You can ask questions here.
Thank you for inviting me to participate in this Q&A session, which is really great, and there are still many questions. When I bought a house in 2014, I was shocked by the boringness and difficulty of buying quality curtains. And I’m sure that many of you still have a hard time deciding which curtain or curtain to buy. We have established a company to eliminate unnecessary decision-making fatigue and friction during your shopping process.
I hope I can answer some of your questions today, please feel free to send us your questions at designer@barnandwillow.com where we want to contact you. Also, please feel free to post your window/space photos and send us questions on Instagram, one of our design experts will be happy to provide you with quick help.
Post time: Dec-21-2020