Curtain styles

Curtains for Studio and Small Condo Units: Make the Space Look Bigger and Work Harder

Curtains for studios and small condos: making rooms look bigger, dividing sleep and living areas, light colours, ceiling tracks, sliding doors and storage.

By the JOTEX Fabrics product teamUpdated 2 min read

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Short answer

In a studio or small condo, hang curtains from ceiling to floor and past the window, in a light colour close to the walls, so the room looks taller and wider. Use a ceiling-track curtain to screen the bed from the living area, and a sheer with a dimout at the window for privacy without losing light. S-fold headings and lighter fabrics keep the open stack narrow.

How can curtains make a small room look bigger?

  • Ceiling to floor: a ceiling track makes the room look taller.
  • Wall to wall, or well past the window, so the window looks wider and open curtains do not cover the glass.
  • Light colours close to the wall colour blur the edges of the room. See How to Choose Curtain Colours.
  • Plain or subtle texture; large patterns crowd a small room.
  • Vertical stripes can make a low ceiling look higher. See Check, Stripe and Plaid Curtains.

How do you divide a studio with curtains?

A curtain on a ceiling track can screen the bed from the living area, hide a wardrobe or close off a work corner, and disappears when open.

  • Dimout for a real visual screen; a sheer for a soft divide that keeps light flowing.
  • Straight or curved ceiling track, with the stack-back planned against a wall.
  • S-fold heading for a tidy, narrow stack.

See Room Divider Curtains.

At the window

  • Sheer and dimout on a double track: privacy from neighbours with light in the day. See Layered Curtains.
  • Blackout lining if the bed is near the window. See Curtain Lining.
  • Balcony sliding doors: wide fabric for a seamless curtain, extended past the door. See Curtains for Sliding Doors.
  • Keep curtains off cold glass in air-conditioned units to avoid mould. See Mouldy Curtains.

Fabric and stack-back

In a small room, the bunched-up curtain when open takes noticeable space. Lighter fabrics and S-fold headings stack tighter than heavy velvets or pinch pleats; about 2 times fullness is usually plenty. See Curtain Fullness Explained and Fabric Weight (GSM) Explained.

Tip

If you rent, ask the landlord before drilling a ceiling track, or choose a tension or wall-fixed track. See Curtains for Rental Homes and Airbnb.

Sheers for small spaces

Sheers in the JOTEX range, updated from the catalogue. See the sheer fabric page.

Browse sheer fabric →

Frequently asked questions

What curtains make a small room look bigger?

Ceiling-to-floor curtains that extend past the window, in a light colour close to the walls, with a plain or subtle fabric.

How do I separate the bed in a studio?

Hang a dimout or sheer curtain from a ceiling track around the sleeping area, with an S-fold heading so it stacks neatly against a wall.

Should curtains in a small room be light or dark?

Usually light and close to the wall colour, so the window and walls blend and the room feels larger.

How do I stop open curtains taking up space?

Use an S-fold heading, a lighter fabric and about 2 times fullness, and extend the track so the curtains stack beside the window.

Curtain maker, upholsterer or designer?

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