Modern London Living – Contemporary Curtains for Large Windows

This is a beautifully simple window dressing solution for a contemporary apartment in London N1 with large floor to ceiling windows. Large windows are increasingly becoming an endemic part of the London skyline yet we find that not everybody realises just how elegant voile curtains can be in contemporary high-rise homes.

Not only do voile curtains look great in contemporary settings, they have several advantages from a practical point of view. They don’t interfere with easy opening of the windows; they will stack back neatly when not in use and they are easy to clean (many of our voiles are machine washable). These aspects can sometimes be rather tricky with for example roller blinds, particularly when looking to dress very large glazed areas.

This is an apartment block in London N1, right in the heart of Shoreditch. Take a look at the before shots of the family lounge to get an idea of what was required. As can be seen, the apartment has a strong retro 1960s feel and both the interior décor and the furnishing style reflect this. While the room is lovely and light, it could definitely benefit from some daytime privacy.

In the first instance, our client requested roller blinds, as many people tend to do, for the large, floor to ceiling windows in their lounge. But they already had expressed some concerns that roller blinds would not suit the window design. We tended to agree, given the large size of the windows. Eventually, they opted for lightweight voile curtains, to be fitted inside the recess and as close to the window as possible. The purpose of this is to achieve minimal interference with the overall interior atmosphere.

Our main challenge was finding the right fabric to fit the budget, specifically incorporating the client’s sense of 60’s-retro-style. The perfect choice proved to be our Plain Voile, a very sheer, extremely fine ultra-light-weight voile in the colour white. We added a twin pleat curtain heading in order to reduce projection and a neat finish with a covered curtain track.

The client was very pleased with the result, particularly the sophisticated finish. The voile curtains almost draw one in, their pure simplicity fitting in perfectly with the retro feel and the large windows of this modern London flat.

Are you wondering which type of contemporary curtains for large windows would work best in your home? Pop in for a chat at our Islington showrooms and we’ll run through the options that best suit your situation.
More Prêt à Vivre London showrooms….