Laundry Room Curtains: Top Tips & Ideas to Blend Function & Flair

Washing socks and folding tees may not top anyone’s list of weekend joys. But until mankind finds a solution to the ‘great laundry problem’, here’s a simple idea to lift the mood: make the laundry room a place that you’re delighted to be in—so the chore feels more like a break, and less like a mundane task. One of the ways to inject color and charm into this space is with beautiful laundry room curtains. 

Curtains cut the afternoon glare, soften the hard surfaces with their pleats, and bring personality to what would otherwise be just a boxed room of tiles and machines. If that sounds like your idea of a design update, stay here with us as we share all our tried-and-true tips for dressing laundry rooms with custom curtains:

Choose a Breezy Fabric

Air circulation is key in laundry rooms because stinking hampers aren’t exactly inviting, and machines last longer when placed in a well-ventilated space. So, it’s imperative that your curtains don’t hinder the prospects of aeration, no matter what the laundry room layout. Also, the curtains must be able to hold their own in this atmosphere of heat, humidity and potential splashes from the sink.

So, choose fabrics that are loose-woven and quick to dry, such as light-bodied cottons, linens, and their blends. Prefer sheer and semi-sheer fabrics for maximum airiness, as privacy is not a pressing concern here. This will also aid the curtains in warding off mildew, as moisture will not be able to linger. 

And, some fabrics are unquestionably disqualified: Pure silk, as it retains water stains; cheap polyesters, because they trap odors; and thick fabrics like velvet and blackout, that are meant for high insulation, not for breezy, lightweight curtains.

HAUL 'EM HOME: Cotton Curtains | Linen Curtains | Sheer Curtains

Add a Dash of Charm

Curtains are chameleons in fabric form. They can don any color, pattern, or texture. Use this to your advantage and pick a fabric that breaks the all-too-familiar script of white tiles and steel hardware. 

Bring a touch of sea blue or nautical stripes if you’d like to give your laundry room a coastal-style facelift. Introduce dainty florals with pops of bright hues for an outdoorsy feel, or a bold abstract print for a playful accent and modern edge. Whatever the aesthetic you’re rooting for, curtains are your opportunity to showcase it and to add some life to this space so often starved for personality.

HAUL 'EM HOME: Striped Curtains | Floral Curtains | Geometric Patterned Curtains

Opt for Low Fullness

As we’ve said earlier, airflow is key in a laundry room, and the curtains should be mindful of that. So, aim for fewer, shallower pleats to keep the curtains as airy as possible. Confine the fullness level to a maximum of 1.5x to 1.75x, that is, the curtain width not exceeding 1.75 times the width of the window. This, combined with the fact that the fabric is lightweight, will allow light to come in and for air to be vented out even when your curtains are drawn. Thus, even a small laundry room stays naturally lit and smelling fresh, plus, the curtains look proportionate for the small counter-height windows. 

Fix the Drop for Practical Ease

Length matters just as much as width. Whether it’s the little window or the entrance door, make sure that the laundry room curtain’s drop is tailored to meet the challenges of this splash-prone zone. So, let the curtains hover about an inch above the countertop/floor. This prevents the curtain edge from soaking up the surface wetness and lets it dry out quickly, cutting down on molding risks.

HOMESEWN HANDBOOK: How Long Should My Curtains Be?

Tailor the Gather with the Right Header

Within Sewn’s Drapery Headings Style Guide, you’ll see over a dozen types of curtain heading/ pleat styles - each offering a unique configuration of appeal and functionality. When choosing the header for your laundry room curtains, consider how often you’ll operate the curtains and the aesthetic you’re aiming for. 

OPERATIONAL EASE: Heading styles that employ rings or grommets glide easily on the pole, whereas those with fabric tabs or pockets tend to stay firm in their position. So, for a sheer curtain that you might leave drawn permanently on the window, consider styles like hidden back tab tops or rod pockets. Whereas, for a curtain that you anticipate operating often, consider styles like flat panel tops, pinch pleats or grommet tops.

AESTHETIC: Besides the functional aspects, keep your decor goals in mind, too. While flat panel tops offer crisp, straight pleats ideal for modern spaces, pencil pleat tops offer soft, shallow folds that carry a cottagey vibe. And, while the Euro pinch pleat curtains offer an architectural appeal with their pre-sewn pleats, the tab tops offer a casual charm with their slightly undone gather. So, choose the heading style based on whether you’re going for a rustic, urbane or classic tailored appeal.

Consider Low Profile Alternatives

Sometimes, less is more. Especially in a small space like a laundry room, low-profile window treatments can offer just the right touch without crowding the window. And, in all likelihood, full coverage curtains aren’t strictly needed here because light is always welcome, and privacy is not a concern either. So, consider installing cafe curtains and valances instead. You can also pair them together in true vintage style charm, if you’re aiming for a rustic feel.

Cafe curtains, leave the top portion of the window undressed, still providing some coverage to soften the light. While custom valances dress the top of the window, and can even be placed above the window, leaving the entire window free for use. Both these dressings add a ton of homely charm despite their petite frame, perfectly meeting the laundry room’s mandate.

Shop Laundry Room Curtains at Sewn

Laundry may never be glamorous, but the space where it happens can be. And a pair of well-considered laundry room curtains could well be that little personal touch that makes all the difference to this utility space. Without overwhelming a little pane or shutting off precious daylight and air, curtains can bring a whole lot of charm to this forgotten corner, and make it tick with life, not just with the beeps of the machines. So, if you’re excited to start transforming your laundry space, head now to Sewn's fabric collection where gauzy sheers, breezy cottons, and slubbed linens await—each one ready to style this workstation your way.