Top Dining Room Curtain Ideas to Elevate Your Room
The right drapery or curtains can transform your dining room, giving it the final touch to bring all the elements of your design together. Whether your dining room is opulent and formal or simple and casual, there are dining room curtain styles to suit your aesthetic — while also helping to control your light and privacy. To find the right look for your space, explore dining room curtain ideas for inspiration and a look at your product options. Plus, learn about the benefits of drapes in dining rooms and get tips for choosing the right drapery customizations to suit your needs and aesthetic preferences.
Cover Photo: Tailored Pleat Drapery, Matka Silk in Sky with C.O.T. Samuel & Sons Elementi Ombre Border in Carciofo, design by Elissa Grayer for the Cottages & Gardens Hamptons Designer Show House 2023, photography by Marco Ricca
Benefits of Drapery for Your Dining Room
Drapery in dining rooms is a popular choice, for good reason. Drapery offers several benefits, including:
- Enhanced privacy – Drapery panels increase the privacy in your dining room by blocking the view from the outside. The level of privacy varies depending on the fabric and lining you choose for your drapes, but all functional drapes, even sheers, offer some privacy.
- Improved light control – Whether you choose curtain sheers that beautifully filter and soften light, or thick fabric with blackout lining to block the light, dining room curtain styles give you improved light control.
- Elevated aesthetics – Drapery will add design dimension to your dining room window, giving your whole space a polished, finished look.
How to Choose Dining Room Curtains
Before diving into dining room curtain ideas, it’s important to take a step back and consider your needs and preferences. Dining room curtain styles are varied and there are a lot of choices for you to make when designing your drapes, so where do start? Review these tips for how to customize your drapery to look its best and meet your needs.
Tip 1: Ensure the Color & Style Match Your Existing Décor
When exploring dining room curtain ideas, consider your existing décor. The color, pattern and texture of your drapery should complement your existing space either by matching your color scheme or by bringing in a complementary color or pattern. The style of your drapes should also match the aesthetic of your space, so a coastal dining room should have coastal-inspired drapery, and modern space should have sleek, modern drapery, etc.
Which Color Curtain Is Best for A Dining Room?
The best color for dining room curtains will ultimately depend on your existing aesthetic and your preferences. However, a good rule of them for choosing a drapery color is to go for a color that’s a shade or two lighter or darker than your wall color. This will ensure you get a cohesive, unified aesthetic without it looking too plain or monotone.
Tip 2: Go for Floor-Length Drapes
Hanging curtains high and wide and extending the drape panels to the floor creates a luxurious look that accentuates the height of your windows and ceiling. For the best combination of aesthetic and functionality, your drapery should either kiss the floor or float just above it, so you can easily move the panels back and forth without dragging them.
Tip 3: Consider Functionality & Ease of Use
Dining room curtain ideas exploration should go beyond aesthetics: It’s also important to consider functionality. Think about whether you’ll be adjusting your drapery frequently or if they’ll serve as stationary decorative panels. This choice will influence your selection of hardware and compatible pleat styles, which feature options ideal for functional or decorative use. For the easiest use, choose a motorized track with a compatible pleat style. If you plan on designing stationary, decorative drapery, choose from one of the main rod and rings styles of hardware.
Tip 4: Think About Your Light Filtration & Privacy Needs
Be sure to consider light and privacy when exploring dining room curtain ideas. Does your dining room get lots of sunlight or does it face away from the sun? And do its windows look out into a remote area or a populated place? Certain dining room curtain styles can provide different levels of light and privacy control to suit your needs. Achieving the right level of privacy and light filtration will depend on the type of fabric you choose as well as lining options.
Tip 5: Consider Insulation Needs
If your dining room is drafty in cold weather and warm in hot weather, choose dining room curtain styles that help with insulation. Thermal curtains made with thick fabric and cotton interlining offer the best defense against both cold and hot weather, keeping your dining room pleasant and comfortable. If you live somewhere with year-long warmth, there are other types of curtains to keep the heat out beyond thick drapery, like sheers.
Now that you have an overview of dining room curtain styles as well as tips for how to customize your drapery, you’re ready to explore curated room for inspiration. Discover dining room curtain ideas from these examples and get product insight to recreate the look yourself.
Bring Color & Movement to Your Space with Drapery
For dining room curtain ideas that bright color and visual movement to your space, consider beautifully patterned drapery like Family of Cranes in Waverly Blue. The vibrant pattern can be a focal point of your desk, drawing the eye to your windows. Keep the rest of your dining room design toned down and muted to let the patterned drapery be the star of the show. Be sure to work in colors from the pattern into the rest of your décor, like in wall art or furniture, to create a cohesive, unified aesthetic.
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Tailored Pleat Drapery
With three-fingered pleats pinched at the very top of the panel, Tailored Pleat Drapery offers a contemporary, streamlined look.
Acero Hardware in Shiny White
A sleek, modern rods-and-rings system with an authentic cylinder leather finial design and modern colors ideal for contemporary homes.
Add Subtle Stripes to a Contemporary Dining Room
In a bright, airy contemporary dining room with lots of off-white, creamy tones, dark colors and linear designs can help ground the space. Consider dining room curtain ideas that incorporate subtle striped patterns into your design to create balance with all the bright off-white space. Lily in Silver by Victoria Hagan features a simple, light grey horizontal stripe for a touch of design dimension. Combine your striped drapery with other linear elements in your space like furniture with simple clean lines.
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Tailored Pleat Drapery
With three-fingered pleats pinched at the very top of the panel, Tailored Pleat Drapery offers a contemporary, streamlined look.
Saratoga Hardware in Bronze
Made of high-quality brass in several beautiful metallic finishes with two finial options to finish your design.
Create a Modern, Elegant Space with Silk
Elevate your dining experience with silk drapes in a rich color like Raw Silk in Graphite. Raw Silk features lots of natural texture along with silks natural sheen for a luxe, character-rich look. Layer your silk drapes with sheers, like Luxe Sheer Linen in Natural for a multi-dimensional look as well as beautifully softened light in your dining room. The sheers also help protect your delicate silk drapes from harsh sunlight for long-lasting beauty.
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Ripple Fold Drapery
With soft S-curves that create linear highlights and lowlights, Ripple Fold offers a modern look and is only compatible with track systems.
Lincoln Track Hardware
A sleek and stylish aluminum track system available in three metallic finishes and featuring a narrow silhouette for a discrete look.
Go Minimalist with Organic Tones
For dining room curtain ideas for a minimalist, organic space, choose simple, streamlined Ripple Fold Drapery in a nature-inspired color like Sunbrella’s Neblina in Parchment. Pair your drapery with a textured woven wood shade made of Grassweave in Oatmeal, another warm, natural color. A simple wood dining room table with clean lines and a sandy color to match your shade can round out your design and create a cohesive aesthetic.
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Ripple Fold Drapery
With soft S-curves that create linear highlights and lowlights, Ripple Fold offers a modern look and is only compatible with track systems.
Madison Track Hardware
Combining stylish looks and easy functionality, Madison is a track system available in several attractive finishes and modern final designs.
Woven Wood Shade
Made of natural fibers like bamboo, reeds and grasses. Woven Wood Shades add an organic, natural look to your dining room.
Embrace Casual Elegance in a Dining Room with a View
Dining room curtain ideas for a chalet-inspired home should be simple, functional and elegant to align with this inviting, comfort-focused design style. For your drapery, choose Tailored Pleat Drapery on a track system for a streamlined, sleek look as well as easy use to move the curtains out of the way to enjoy your view. A soft, inviting fabric like Wool Blend fabric in Snow creates an enchanting effect with its ivory coloring when the sunlight filters through it. To round out your design, choose a wood dining table with a mix of upholstered and wood chairs for the perfect combination of style and comfort.
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Tailored Pleat Drapery
With three-fingered pleats pinched at the very top of the panel, Tailored Pleat Drapery offers a contemporary, streamlined look.
Madison Track Hardware
Combining stylish looks and easy functionality, Madison is a track system available in several attractive finishes and modern final designs.
Capture a Sense of Warmth with Plaid Layers
Create a cozy aesthetic with dining room curtain ideas that feature warm, inviting fabrics like plaid and other thick wool blends. Plaid curtains, like those made with Holland & Sherry Emerson in Shea, add visual interest to your space and are typically made with fabrics like wool that look and feel soft and comforting. The overall effect is an irresistibly inviting, homey space where you can share family meals.
SHOP PRODUCTS
Tailored Pleat Drapery
With three-fingered pleats pinched at the very top of the panel, Tailored Pleat Drapery offers a contemporary, streamlined look.
Madison Track Hardware
Combining stylish looks and easy functionality, Madison is a track system available in several attractive finishes and modern final designs.
Woven Wood Shade
A simple, modern Roman Shade style with clean, crisp folds of fabric at the bottom and an unadorned, flat face for lots of design versatility.
Go Bold & Modern with Dark Grey Drapery
Drapery: Wool Blend, Charcoal >
Woven Wood Shade: Bayshore, Charcoal >
Solar Shade: Sunbrella 3% Sonoma,
Charcoal >
Capture a dark, bold modern aesthetic with layers of dark grey window treatments. Dining room curtain ideas for this kind of space include floor-to-ceiling Ripple Fold Drapery in a richly hued fabric like Wool Blend in Charcoal for an eye-catching look. For more dimension in your design as well as great light and privacy control, layer your drapes with Woven Wood Shades and Solar Shades. Keep the dark grey color scheme consistent across your window treatments—the different textures of the materials will still give your design lots of dimension. A deep, dark color like Bayshore in Charcoal for your woven shade and a grey material like 3% Sonoma, also in Charcoal, give you a monotone color scheme with lots of textural variety.
SHOP PRODUCTS
Ripple Fold Drapery
With soft S-curves that create linear highlights and lowlights, Ripple Fold offers a modern look and is only compatible with track systems.
Woven Wood Shade
Made of natural fibers like bamboo, reeds and grasses. Woven Wood Shades add an organic, natural look to your dining room.
Solar Shades
A type of Roller Shade that blocks UV rays while letting light through, Solar Shades reduce glare and prevent fading of your furnishings and flooring.
Embrace a Fun, Tropical Vibe with Leafy Drapery
Looking for playful, colorful dining room curtain ideas? Create a tropical look and feel for your dining room with a floral or leafy pattern for your drapery. Palmier in Tropical features leafy green ferns in a repeating pattern for a lush, organic look with an exotic charm. Build off the foliage in your leafy drapes with other floral elements, such as flowers in vases or even floral-inspired décor. For a luxe feel that still suits the theme, work gold elements, such as a gold curtain rod and gold dining table and chair, all of which are reminiscent of golden sand beaches or a golden sunset.
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Tailored Pleat Drapery
With three-fingered pleats pinched at the very top of the panel, Tailored Pleat Drapery offers a contemporary, streamlined look.
Bring Your Dining Room Curtain Ideas to Life
Now that you have inspiration for dining room curtain ideas as well as product information to create a look you love, you’re ready to start finalizing your choices. Order free swatches of all your favorite fabrics to compare in your own home. Be sure to look at the fabrics in different lighting throughout the day in your dining room to get a true sense of the color and texture. To see dining room curtain styles and explore swatches, visit a showroom where you’ll find interactive product displays and helpful design consultants ready to assist you.
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