11 Curtain Patterns That Look Great In A Living Room

There are so many rooms in the house where you might hang curtains. The bedroom will be the most personal choice, with the curtains being among the first things you see each day when you awake and go to sleep. The kitchen will require strategy, deciding where curtains can be situated without too much mess. The bathroom will be a choice between form and function in that oftentimes cramped space. Then there's the living room, the most commonly shared area of a home and the one with the most real estate. This is the area where family members gather, entertain, and share traditions. Solid color panels are oftentimes the go-to. That is, until one explores patterns, from botanicals to patchworks to stripes, all of which can bring high impact to a living room's decor.

When it comes to choosing stylish window treatments for your space, consider some best design practices. To create drama, hang curtains close to the ceiling, about halfway or more up the wall from the top of the window frame. To maximize views, make sure the curtain rod juts out about 6 inches past the window on both sides. And, to make the room look larger, allow the curtains to graze the floor or, if they're long enough, fall into puddles. Now that you know how to hang your curtains, here are some patterns you could consider using in your living room.

If you'd rather spend April in Paris than any other place in the world, one of the best ways to incorporate French style into your home décor is by hanging toile curtains. Toile fabric features graphic repeated patterns typically showcasing grand pastoral scenes in two colors, usually black and white. Other colors might include blue, brown, magenta, green, or red against a white background, and could depict flowers or animals. Designers like to use toile window treatments to bring a shabby chic look to a room, but they can also create a country house feel.

This is a curtain trend that crafty homebodies are enjoying tackling themselves. Although patchwork curtains in a variety of pattern types and color schemes can be purchased online and in store at major retailers, makers like the unique look they can create by sewing together scraps of fabric from various sources — including denim jeans, bed sheets, quilts, and traditional swatches — often sourcing material at thrift shops. Patchwork curtains may contain wide pieces or small pieces, with or without backing. For a more demure look, use scraps only for pelmets and tiebacks.

To satisfy the maximalist in you, there's the pop trend in curtain patterns. These are spirited and colorful patterns that scream for attention. To ensure that pop patterns enhance rather than take over the decor of a room, consider utilizing these patterns in pleated curtains. The structure of the curtains will control the pattern in a sophisticated way while allowing the arresting design to bring an explosion of energy to the living room. There might be theme crossovers, with patterns that are abstract, geometric, or botanical, for instance. Consider adding tiebacks in the same fabric to bring more restraint.

You might think of stripes as staid and conservative. They can be, but they don't have to be, and either way striped curtains are making bold statements that are still trending in living rooms across the country. In neutral, gauzy fabrics, those bands of color can give curtains (and the whole living room) a dreamy look. They're one of the classy ways to decorate your home with stripes. Chunky stripes in loud colors can create arresting visuals in a room, while thinner ones will blend into the space. To make walls look taller, go for vertical stripes. Horizontal stripes will create the illusion of wider windows.

You might own a boat or love to go out on one, appreciate Yacht Rock and the breezy romance of that bygone music, or live by the ocean and enjoy surfing, fishing, or another watery pursuit. Curtains in nautical patterns, whether playful or ornamental, can add an exciting allure to a living room for people of like minds. Blue and white make the most traditional color combination, though reds and yellows can also be featured. These curtains have fetching designs of boats, anchors, seashells, compasses, and maps. For a more curated look, consider using nautical rope or jute balls for tiebacks.

For an eclectic curtain look that gives your home an instant boho feel, consider lace. While lace is a material, it's also considered a pattern that provides a dainty look. When paired with lace tablecloths, doilies, and other overtly romantic accents, lace curtains can make a home look old-fashioned and sentimental. Unless that's the look you're going for, use lace sparingly throughout the rest of the living room, if at all. Curtains in lace, especially if they are vintage, can bring texture, warmth, light, elegance, and a finished look to the space. Bring in color by layering lace with another fabric.

Curtains with patterns incorporating geometric shapes such as triangles, squares, zig-zags, and interlocking chains can give the living room a bold, modern look. This trendy pattern can cover the entire surface of the curtains or appear just along the edges. Many major retailers are selling curtains with geometric patterns. Oftentimes, the designs are in a neutral color such as gray or beige with white. But you can also find geometric curtains with multiple colors, some with highly-saturated hues and giant graphics where the patterns can look like oversized pieces of art.

There's been a resurgence in home décor of yesteryear (otherwise known as out-of-style trends from decades or even centuries past, cycling and recycling as fickle popular tastes evolve). Some homebodies have rediscovered those fads, making them cool again in living rooms and other interior spaces. Think damask, paisley, and fleur-de-lis in any color scheme. Curtains in these classic patterns are still readily available for purchase and could bring a traditional feel to your space. Purists will purchase them secondhand, looking for curtains from distinguished makers known for their fine fabrics.

Botanical print curtains run the gamut, from colorful and traditional patterns to more neutral and modern designs. Whatever the color palette, botanical print curtains just ought to contain flowers, graphic or subtle, perhaps with birds and other fauna or lots of green leaves and maybe some well-placed tree branches. All earthy and vibrant, this is a bold curtain trend that'll be taking over in 2025. As you search for designs, consider the scale of patterns. Big fabric prints will make bigger statements, while smaller ones will look more subtle.

The home of a crocheter will undoubtedly include homemade blankets. Now, yarn is also being hooked for curtains in the living room and elsewhere in the home. There are even patterns on the market to make them. Granny squares make for a colorful, beloved curtain pattern, and there are other imaginative designs, including crocheted valances with fringes and hanging amigurumi. You'll also see crocheted tiebacks crafted for fabric curtains in neutral or coordinating colors. In homage to the fiber arts craze, some retailers also carry blackout and sheer woven polyester curtains in two-dimensional crochet designs.

Put the plaid curtain into the same category as a well-tailored suit. It will never fully go out of style. In fact, plaid is an outdated interior design trend that's making a comeback with a modern upgrade through variations in layout and scale. It's plaid's classic style that enthusiasts like most, especially for the living room. The pattern is often described as warm and inviting, even with all its variations. There are retro check plaids, tartan plaids, and everything between. While this pattern used to only be used in cabincore and other cozy aesthetics, it's now featured in a variety of styles.