Living in a small space doesn't mean sacrificing style or settling for inadequate window treatments. In fact, the right curtains can be transformative in compact rooms, creating the illusion of more space, maximising natural light, and adding personality without overwhelming the room. The key is understanding how curtain choices affect spatial perception and making strategic decisions that work with, rather than against, your limited square metres.
Whether you're in a city apartment, a compact townhouse, or simply dealing with smaller rooms in an otherwise average-sized home, these tips will help you select curtains that enhance your space.
The Power of Light in Small Spaces
Natural light is perhaps the most effective tool for making small rooms feel larger. Bright, well-lit spaces appear more open and inviting than dark, enclosed ones. This makes sheer curtains an excellent choice for small rooms, as they maximise light while still providing daytime privacy and softening the space.
Why Sheers Work Brilliantly
Sheer curtains allow maximum light transmission while creating a soft, diffused glow that flatters small spaces. Unlike blinds that create defined horizontal or vertical lines, sheers offer a continuous, flowing quality that doesn't visually chop up the room. The semi-transparency maintains a connection to the outdoors, extending the visual boundary of your space beyond the actual walls.
In small rooms, position curtain rods so that open curtains stack entirely outside the window frame. This ensures the full window glass is exposed when curtains are open, maximising the light entering your space.
Creating the Illusion of Height
One of the most effective tricks for making small rooms feel larger is creating the illusion of height. Higher ceilings make rooms feel more spacious, and curtain placement can dramatically affect perceived ceiling height.
Mount High, Hang Long
Rather than mounting curtain rods just above the window frame, install them as close to the ceiling as possible. This draws the eye upward and makes ceilings appear higher than they are. The vertical lines created by floor-to-ceiling curtains enhance this effect further.
Your curtains should extend to the floor, or just hover 1-2 centimetres above it. Short curtains that end at the windowsill or below it visually cut the wall at that line, making the room feel shorter. Floor-length curtains create an unbroken vertical line that emphasises height.
- Mount rods 5-10cm below the ceiling, not at the window frame
- Use floor-length curtains, not sill-length
- The vertical lines will make ceilings appear higher
- This trick works even with standard 2.4m ceiling heights
Colour Choices for Small Rooms
Colour significantly affects how spacious a room feels. The wrong curtain colour can make a small room feel even more cramped, while strategic colour choices enhance the sense of space.
Light Colours Open Up Space
White, ivory, soft grey, and pale colours reflect light and recede visually, making walls appear further away. Light-coloured curtains blend with white or light walls, creating a seamless, expanded feel. For maximum spatial effect in very small rooms, match your curtain colour as closely as possible to your wall colour.
Avoid High Contrast
Dark curtains against light walls create a strong contrast that draws attention to the window, making it a focal point. In small rooms, this can emphasise the limited wall space and feel enclosing. If you prefer some colour, opt for soft, muted tones rather than bold, saturated colours.
When to Break the Rules
Not every small room needs to feel larger. If you're creating a cosy reading nook or intimate bedroom, darker or richer curtain colours can enhance the sense of enclosure in a pleasant way. The goal is always intentional design, not just following rules blindly.
Pattern and Texture Considerations
Patterns and textures add visual interest but require careful consideration in small spaces.
Subtle Over Bold
Large, bold patterns can overwhelm small rooms and make them feel busy and cramped. If you want pattern, choose subtle options like tone-on-tone textures, small-scale prints, or lightly embroidered details. These add interest without visual noise.
The Power of Texture
Texture is a great way to add depth to small rooms without the visual weight of patterns. Linen-look sheers, crushed voile, or subtle weave variations provide interest and sophistication while maintaining the light, airy quality that helps small rooms breathe.
Every element in a room has visual weight. In small spaces, aim for curtains with low visual weight: light colours, lightweight fabrics, subtle textures, and minimal patterns. Heavy fabrics and bold patterns have high visual weight that can overwhelm compact rooms.
Hardware and Details
Even small details like curtain rods and hardware affect spatial perception in small rooms.
Keep Hardware Simple
Ornate, decorative rods and finials can look cluttered in small spaces. Choose simple, streamlined hardware that does its job without drawing attention. A slender rod in a muted finish maintains a clean, uncluttered appearance.
Consider Tracks
Ceiling-mounted curtain tracks are almost invisible and create the cleanest possible line. Without visible rod and finials, the curtains appear to flow directly from the ceiling, maximising the height-enhancing effect.
Wide Is Better
Extend your rod or track well beyond the window frame on each side (at least 15-25cm). This allows curtains to stack outside the window area when open, maximising light and making the window appear larger than it is.
Specific Solutions for Common Situations
Studio Apartments
In studios where the entire living space is one room, consistency is key. Use the same curtain style throughout to create visual continuity. Sheers work beautifully, allowing natural light to flow through the space while maintaining a cohesive, open feel.
Bedroom Corners
Small bedrooms with windows on corner walls can feel especially cramped. Consider treating both windows with continuous curtains that wrap around the corner, unifying the walls and making the corner feel like a cohesive feature rather than a confined space.
Galley Kitchens
In narrow kitchens, choose simple curtains that won't interfere with cooking or become grease-stained. Cafe-style curtains (covering just the bottom half) or roller blinds might be more practical than full curtains, but if you want sheers, choose polyester that can be easily machine-washed.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Short curtains: Sill-length or apron-length curtains visually shorten the room. Always go floor length.
- Rod mounted too low: Don't stop at the window frame. Mount as close to the ceiling as possible.
- Dark colours on light walls: High contrast emphasises the window as a defined feature, making walls feel closer.
- Skimpy width: Curtains without adequate fullness look cheap and emphasise the narrow window. Maintain proper fullness ratios.
- Heavy fabrics: Thick, heavy drapes visually weigh down small rooms. Lightweight, flowing fabrics feel airier.
- Blocking the window: If your rod is too short, closed curtains stack over the glass, blocking light even when partially open.
- Light-coloured, preferably sheer or semi-sheer
- Mounted close to the ceiling
- Floor-length (not sill-length)
- Rod extends beyond window frame
- Simple, minimal hardware
- Lightweight fabric with subtle or no pattern
Small spaces require thoughtful window treatment choices, but the effort pays off in rooms that feel brighter, more open, and more comfortable. Sheer curtains are particularly well-suited to compact living, offering light, privacy, and style without the visual weight that can make small rooms feel cramped. Apply these principles to your own space, and you'll be amazed at the difference the right curtains can make.