Be bold - or blend in

You need to decide whether you want your curtains to stand out from the rest of the interior or blend in. Curtains that match the wall colours won't jump out when you enter a room. But you can make a statement with curtains by using a bold abstract fabric. In a small room it is better to blend the curtain in with other wall colours to create a fourth wall - strong patterns can close a room in.

Colour blocks

Simple fabrics with blocks of colour or abstract designs are in at the moment. The latest colours are stone, charcoal and mocha.

Barely touch the window sill

Sill-length curtains work well with horizontal windows in modern homes or cottagey rooms. They should barely touch the sill because if they hang below it they'll look untidy when they're drawn back; if you have a radiator just below the sill, finish the curtain slightly above that.

Don't leave a gap

Floor-length curtains work well in bays and with sash windows which are long and thin by nature and don't tend to have a large sill. Short curtains don't set off sashes properly and look unbalanced. The curtains should almost touch the floor with no visible gap. If you want an opulent look, you can have the curtains around three inches longer than floor level to create soft folds. Be bold here though, because if you only make them slightly longer than floor level you'll look as if you just got it wrong.

Come the heavy

Heavy fabrics work better as floor-length curtains and can look stiff and bulky as sill-length ones.

Interconnecting curtains

In an interconnecting room with a bay window at one end and patio doors at the other, use the same style of curtain on each - a fabric with a horizontal pattern will counteract a long narrow look.

Resisting the sun

Sunlight will rot and fade some fabrics so ask whether your chosen material has resistance to this. You can buy linings with sun-resistant properties which are good for fabrics like velvet which fade easily.

Bring home a sample

When you have chosen a fabric, buy a metre of it or bring home the fabric book so that you can check the colour against the existing decor and see how the material reacts to the artificial and natural light in the room.

Lining out

Lined curtains usually look and hang better. They protect the curtain fabric from fading and add insulation to the room. Interlinings add weight and help insulate against cold and draughts and will make weighty fabrics look more luxurious. They particularly suit taller windows. Lightweight fabrics, laces and sheers look better unlined and can be used to filter light. Team them with blinds for more privacy at night.

Fitting the arch

Hanging a conventional track on an arched window looks odd. Fit curtains which clear the side of the window and top of the arch when they are open. It is also possible to fit a track, pelmet and curtains that follow the shape of the arch, by bending the track and cutting the fabric on a curve. For a classic look, fit shutters to the shape of the window, and if you have a three-windowed bay, make sure the curtains clear the bay when they are drawn back.

Interior designer Yvonne Cooper runs Abode Designs in Stillorgan with her father Sydney Cooper. Tel: 01-278 8321.