Linen curtains are the epitome of ‘quiet luxury’, the interior design mood shaping the way we approach home decor projects right now. Followers of the ‘quiet luxury’ lexicon yearn for effortless and elegant living – shying away from showy and shiny in favour of timelessness and quality. ‘Nothing shouts but everything speaks to you; welcomes you in,’ explains Cathy Dean, Founder & CEO of Studio Dean.
Linen curtains embody this relaxed ‘home’ rather than ‘show home’ aesthetic thanks to their hang ability, durability and versatility of design. ‘There's nothing that says quiet luxury quite like a linen curtain,’ says Cathy Dean. ‘How they drape and flow is restful and calm.’
What’s more, hanging a 100% linen curtain is one of the most sustainable choices you can make. Derived from the flax plant, it's a renewable, biodegradable and natural resource that’s fast growing and fertiliser free.
Read on for why the distinctive qualities of linen fabrics and the myriad of styles and options you can choose from could be the answer for your window treatments.
The beauty of linen
Of course, linen has been around for millennia. The oldest of textiles, it is widely believed to have originated in ancient Egypt more than 10,000 years ago and its intriguing history can be traced via Plutarch, the Bible and the Bayeux tapestry to today where it is the global go-to fabric for all manner of home furnishing.
The lived-in softness, the sheen, the beautiful, natural variations and the ability to keep you cool or cosy that those ancient Egyptians valued many moons ago still ring true. And with the ‘buy once and buy well’ mantra alive on everyone’s lips, the natural purity of linen textiles perfectly sums up the environmental messaging of the moment.
How to style linen curtains
When we shop for linen curtains, we often think about choosing them in their undyed neutral colourways, but thanks to modern day colouring and printing techniques we get to enjoy an array of elegant hues. From forest green to rouge red and in sophisticated patterns from herringbone to checks, the variety complements both contemporary and classic schemes.
Here’s our pick of ten elegant styles. Take a look and add them to your window treatment wishlist…
Naturally polished
For a cool and considered vibe, choose white and neutral colourways for linen curtains. These refined and sophisticated hues put the pure and simple beauty of the textile up front and central, emphasising its nubbly and tumbled texture. Choose a pinch pleat heading (shown here on Elba in Dove) or a more minimalist wave heading and, for extra luxury, go long and puddle the length onto the floor. For a relaxed yet blissfully elegant hang, interline and then line for a doubly deep and weighty look that will also help with acoustics.
Coastal blues
What could be more blissful than beach-inspired blues? Wake up to linen curtains that speak of the wide skies and undulating seas of Devon and Cornwall. Small prints work particularly well for bedroom curtains where window sizes are smaller, and you can afford to be playful but also tick the ‘good sleep’ box with a calm and relaxing atmosphere. Choose Maypole in Pansy, a painterly lattice design of gentle waves filled with soft neutral motifs, that hangs from pole to floor in length. Consider layering up with a Roman or roller blind in a white or complementary neutral for added privacy and light level control.
Rustic warmth
Choose slubby linen curtains in a rusty and earthy colour for town and country-style period properties. This rustic palette marries happily with heritage design elements, such as stone floors, original beams and architraves, and contrasts well with modern heritage paints in the inky blue spectrum. Head for a block print style floral motif, in colours such as Rubia in Ochre from the Bibi collection, and interline for a textured, heavier weight curtain treatment. These hang particularly well in hallways or on external doors to reduce pesky drafts and add decorative character (choose a door curtain rail known as a Portiere Rod for each opening and closing). Add extra decorative details with bobble trims.
Modern simplicity
The casual striped linen curtain is one of interior design’s style classics – it will never go out of fashion. The key to today’s sleek and modern iteration is opting for Ralph Lauren’s timeless colour combination of camel, white and navy. Choose Danube Stripe in Indigo for an airy, contemporary feel at sitting room or kitchen windows. Stripes are good for creating illusions, elevating low ceiling heights, or magically giving a tiny window a larger aspect. If you keep the linen curtain unlined, you’ll achieve that lovely breezy feel where light dapples through and the fabric moves romantically when windows are open on warm days.
Chic
Seek out Albertine in Classic Rose for a bohemian tumble of floral bouquets that speak of the romantic English rose garden. In pinks, reds and greens redolent of summer, this printed linen curtain is perfectly placed in country houses and cottages that embrace the feeling for nostalgia. Add a modern kick to this style of linen curtain with a plain border trim on the inner edge and keep in place with details, such as wooden holdbacks or classic tassels. Accessorise with matching cushions but keep things simple with plain backs.
Earthy tones
Check out ochre – the natural pigment that interior designers are loving for its canny knack of feeling at home in both minimal luxe and modern rustic schemes. If your brief is to add richness to neutrality or to make a cold space feel cosy, Mother Nature’s earthy yellow is a wise choice.
Linwood’s Ruched in Haze (shown) epitomises this colour thinking. It’s an organic serrated stripe, with a textural finish, that feels wholesome, grounding and soothing.
Consider it your go-to for living room or bedroom linen curtains where light levels are poor or period windows aren’t as effective as they once were. This heartwarming design is further enhanced when the drape length puddles onto the floor – comfort sorted!
Relaxed living
Dressing the bed with pattern-friendly linen drapes is the in-vogue way to add zzz to a sleeping space. This year sees a laid-back aesthetic taking the lead over the maximal glamour of yesteryear. Seek out friendly and playful small prints, such as corals, checks, ripples and dots, that are refreshing and restful at the same time.
Linwood's Big Top in two colourways – Snakes and Ladders and Dominoes (shown) – feels right for a relaxed curtain combination on a four poster. For extra style points, create a double-sided contrast in two colours of the same fabric.
Other sleep zone styling ideas to inspire you include: hanging pleated curtains across the entire wall as an cossetting covering; layering fabric-covered pelmets above the headboard with matching or contrasting drapes; and pull-over privacy panels for dorm-style bunks.
Taste of the tropics
Fancy a little tropicana in your life? If sultry colours, verdant foliage and vibrant birds make your heart sing, then large-scale and exotic designs are where it's at for your next decoration project. Statement linen curtains buzzing with far-flung flora and fauna will reimagine your windows with verve, flair and flamboyance.
Choose Linwood’s Rainforest Rabble in Sherbet (shown) with its depictions of palm trees, luscious blooms and bird motifs for introducing all-out escapism into settings. Eclectic and energising, this design celebrates the bold and the botanical and works perfectly in principal rooms both upstairs and downstairs, as well as in sun-filled conservatories and garden rooms where hot house plants and citrus trees are on display. Hang as floor-length lined drapes or twin with a plain for a layered Roman blind and curtain combination.
Minimalist prints
Quiet designs that speak of simplicity make for serene window treatments. Seek out barely-there stripes and small-scale geometrics in muted colourways, such as natural greens, taupes and yellows. Calm and ambient, these modern and easy-to-live-with linen looks won’t distract you from the purpose of the day, rather complement it.
Ashfield in Dewdrop (shown), for example, is the perfect balance of subtlety and detail, thanks to its considered hand blocked character. Contemplate it for casual-feel curtains and blinds in rooms where concentration is key, such as a home working office, or for mindful areas like above a window seat or a favourite library chair. Complementary plain border trims, scallop and ruffled edges and cord piping in the same colour group is the way to inject a spot of spirit.
Bold and vibrant
Power player drapes in daring darks are the anchor for rooms that are crying out to be elevated to the next level. Step forward sophisticated inky blues, charcoal blacks, forest greens and redcurrant reds in confident patterned linens that, first and foremost, assert themselves as the focal point.
Take your inspiration from Linwood’s Helter Skelter in eye-popping colour combinations (shown is Slate with its hit of orange). Use this flowing stylised fern design to influence the rest of the scheme: turn up the dial with other energetic small prints on soft furnishing and scatter cushions; or tone it down with balanced and textured plains. These vibrant styles are the conversation starters in living rooms and dining spaces where entertaining your guests is the name of the game.
A pair of linen curtains is the most versatile of window treatments, moving from season to season with style and functionality. Linen’s magic is its adaptability to different interior aesthetics – from contemporary apartments to classic townhouses settings and everything in between. Linen’s intrinsic and high-quality character means that it looks perfect, hangs gracefully and is spot on in our search for a sustainable and environmentally friendly fabric. Before you purchase, take advantage of Linwood’s free sample service (you can order up to six at no cost) so that you can find the colour, pattern or plain that’s right for your linen curtain project.