Top 20 Best Modern Curtain Ideas (2024 Update)

Doesn’t it feel like the trends are always changing? You watch one episode of your favourite interior design program, make a note of the part where they discuss what colours are ‘in’ , and by the time you go to look for some curtains of your own, you find out the show was filmed last year and those fabrics are already so last season!

Top 20 Best Modern Curtain Ideas

We’ve written this guide of 20 modern curtain ideas: listing the fabrics, colours and prints that are current and upcoming trends right now, so you can get ahead of the game and continue your interior design project in the knowledge that you’re officially up to date.

So without further ado, here’s our list of the 20 best modern curtain ideas to help inspire you on your next decoration or reno project.

1. Circular Cutout
2. Bamboo Curtains
3. Mix Between Rooms
4. Asymmetrical Shape
5. Match The Walls
6. Inverted Pleats
7. Geometric Patterns
8. Colour Pop
9. Metallic Accent
10. Dual Purpose Curtains
11. Custom Graphic Print
12. Subtle Texture
13. New Velvet
14. Tech Smart Curtains
15. Sliding Panel Curtains
16. Layered Neutrals
17. Made To Measure
18. Room Divider
19. Keep It Green
20. Integrated LED lights

1. Circular Cutout

If you’re looking for the catwalk of curtains, you’ll struggle to find a more avant-garde design than the emerging circular cutout style. Picture regular curtains with circular ‘spots’ on the fabric, either in a uniform print or scattered irregularly. Some fabrics will swap colour, texture or pattern in these cutouts, others will simply have a sheer fabric to stand in place. A mix of art, light filtering and print-mixing, these curtains certainly push the boundaries of what curtains are - perhaps making them perfect for the adventurous home renovator.

2. Bamboo Curtains

Combine two modern curtain ideas of sourcing sustainable fabrics and opting for light filtering curtains with bamboo - the perfect mix of both. Bamboo curtains, whether solid or fringed, offer a more unique look than sheer white fabrics, and still give you the option to control your light without cooling down a room too much, thanks to its warmer tone. You could pick plain bamboo, or look for styles with art painted over, for a more bohemian aesthetic. They even work as an alternative to interior doors in your living space - making them a versatile choice all round.

3. Mix Between Rooms

Standard practice dictates that curtains are generally the same in each room, with variation happening between the segmented sections of the house. Challenge the norm by mixing your colours, prints and fabrics within your living room, and better yet - reincorporate these curtain styles elsewhere in the house for a unique look with a cohesive feel. This will involve some serious interior design knowledge to avoid clashes for the sake of making a statement, but if you can style entire rooms to compliment each other, the result will be a fantastic home in which the curtains only serve to further emphasise the aesthetic.

4. Asymmetrical Shapes

Asymmetrical curtains are simply a smart choice for arched windows, or uneven shapes where a bog-standard curtain cut would flatten an otherwise interesting design. But you can create an asymmetrical effect even when the windows seem to fall a little flat. We’re not talking about cutting off your fabric half way down just to make a point, but consider pulling your curtains to a single side rather than the traditional symmetrical pull and draw from the centre. This will anchor your fabric to one side of the room, and create an interesting dynamic in a potentially otherwise standard room.

5. Match The Walls

Normally we pick curtains to compliment or contrast our walls, but either way they’re often chosen with the general colour scheme in mind. A bold, modern statement would be to copy the walls completely, provided your wallpaper or paint job is a relatively plain, block colour. Bring in some serious cohesion by finding an exact match for your curtain fabric, for a unique look you don’t see very often.

6. Inverted Pleats

Inverted pleat curtains are a relatively new style that are quickly taking hold in bedrooms and living rooms across the country. They’re defined by their striking pleats that originate from the very top of the curtain fabric near the railing or hook. Whilst they’re normally not as prominent, as the fabric is traditionally threaded from behind, inverted pleat curtains offer a much more structured fabric that is as dramatic as it is crisp, with eye-catching lines that fall right down the material to create the perfect crease.

7.Geometric Patterns

We’ve already talked about geometric prints in our article on hot new curtain trends for your living room, but there’s a good reason they’re on that list. Geometric patterns are the essence of modern print, so long as you stick to angular designs with sharp lines and large prints. Smaller, overlapping circular styles have already had their hey-day, so look for bold and abstract geometry to reinvent this timeless style. Weave in neutral fabrics or trending colours for an even more on-the-money design.

8. Colour Pop

Whilst neutral tones seem to be sticking around, as an homage to a greater focus on sustainability in interior design (which we support whole-heartedly), there are other ways to showcase your eco-friendly principles that don’t require them to be reflected in your curtain material colour. An alternative modern style favours bright pops of colour for your curtains, keeping the print simple but making the hue the main event, whether in your living room, bathroom or bedroom. Cobalt blue, hot pink, sunshine yellow - anything you won’t get tired of looking at.

9. Metallic Accent

Bring an element of the futuristic aesthetic into your curtain design with a nod to metallic colours, in small and simple ways to keep your curtains from looking like a tin-foil home spaceship design gone wrong. Fabrics with metallic threads woven through, or fringes at the bottom will bring a touch of modern luxury to your curtain design. Golden and bronze tones will invite a more palatial, sophisticated feeling, whilst silver metallic accents will keep the space edgy and upmarket.

10. Dual Purpose

Part of the modern movement is a turn away from single use objects, minimising our output and returning to old attitudes of doing the most with what you’ve got. Curtains don’t just have to be the things that block out the light. You can choose thermal curtains that help control the temperatures in the room by absorbing heat or keeping it trapped inside, or a dazzling design that doubles up as statement artwork. If you’re going for a thick, dark material, turn them into a canvas for films to be projected at home.

11. Custom Graphic Print

You can put almost anything on a t-shirt these days, and the same goes for curtains. Whilst most prefer to leave it up to the experts, if there’s a pattern, print or photo you really can’t get out of your head for your dream curtains, you’ll probably be able to find a way to stick it on your curtain fabric with the help of a graphic designer or 3D printer. Potentially a fun idea when decorating kids bedrooms if you want to turn your curtains into a family photo album, or a canvas filled with numbers, words and pictures.

12. Subtle Texture

Your curtains don’t have to lay flat against your windows like a drab fabric. Give them some charisma with small textured details that don’t define the entire material. Look for unique embroidery, or even tiny raised patterns along the design that make them more dynamic and unique. Texture can also be achieved in fringes, statement curtain rods to lift the eye, and unique tiebacks.

13. New Velvet

That said, modern texture can still be achieved, if you choose your fabrics wisely. You’ll want to stay away from jacquard and crushed velvet for example, as these will immediately age the room you’re decorating. We’ve also seen the likes of deep red and purple velvet curtains many times before. Whilst classic for a reason, if it’s a modern style you’re after, pick a block colour in a lighter shade such as pastel pink or blue velvet curtains, for designs that bring something different.

14. Tech Smart Curtains

For the gadget lovers, curtains are just one more product to have been tech-ified, waiting for any modern homeowner who wants their house to be as up to date in the digital world as it can be. Remote controlled or voice-activated curtains will save you the hassle of reaching to awkward places to draw them closed, and apart from being pretty cool, they’re also a great, modern solution for those with access needs, who are unable to reach up or manually pull and draw curtains.

15. Sliding Panel Curtains

Is it a door? Is it a blind? No, it’s sliding panel curtains! This amalgamation of clever engineering, ingenious design and sleek detailing has resulted in an all new kind of curtain that has nothing to do with windows. Fabric panels are attached to gliders that run parallel along a track, similar to those you’d find above traditional curtains. They can be used for glass walls such as in conservatories, or to separate smaller bedrooms or home offices, for a more compact alternative to swinging doors.

16. Layered Neutrals

The boho trend for earthy tones and natural fabrics such as wooden shutters and linen curtains is still going strong, but you can double up with the trend to layer your fabrics for a modern look that plays off what’s already a popular statement in many current homes. Whether you choose to achieve this by mixing sheer curtains with a thicker fabric, or blending colours that fall into this neutral scheme, you’ll create a textured look that adds depth whilst ultimately remaining minimalist.

17. Made To Measure

Whatever style, print, fabric, or colour you’re going for, your curtains should fit your window or wall space like a glove. Think of them like clothes - we all appreciate a well tailored suit or dress, so why wouldn’t we want the same for our windows? Custom-made curtains are often not as expensive as you’d think, but what is guaranteed is they’ll make all the difference. Having your fabric an inch longer or shorter according to the window size you’re fitting them to are the sorts of finishing touches that turn your curtains from good to great.

18. Room Divider

Curtains don’t have to be glued to windows, and they’re actually a great way of sectioning off smaller areas such as studios or apartments, for situations where you want to feel as though you’re able to access multiple spaces, whether for work, sleep or cooking, without making it feel confined and blocked off by lots of doors. A rail curtain in the middle of your room may seem odd to picture, but a simple draw of fabric will partition your home and instantly make it feel larger.

19. Keep It Green

As we’ve been mentioning throughout this article, weaving sustainability into curtain fabrics and designs is a popular modern style that we anticipate will be sticking around for a while. With that in mind, it’s no wonder that not one but two shades of green have been labelled as top colours of 2024. It can be difficult to make what feels like a bold leap in your curtain colour choices, especially if you traditionally stick to neutrals, but rest assured that the green aesthetic is here to stay. Whether it’s emerald green for a hint of golden luxury, or forest green for bold, tranquil spaces, the result will be a serene place to relax.

20. Integrated LED Lights

Sticking to the theme of merging your curtain functions to do more than simply keep out the light, LED integrated light fixtures are a modern new feature of curtains in 2024. You can find curtains that are more or less just that - a string of lights in a shape that resembles the design of a curtain designed to add light rather than cut it out, or venture into completely new territory with low-watt bulbs integrated into the fabric.

The Final Word

As we’ve seen, curtains are emerging into a new space in interior design, where we’re seeing them hailed for their multiple properties, be they for artistic purposes, the addition of intelligent features that serve important functions, or simply a way to tie an aesthetic or wider social movement together. Draw inspiration from these modern curtain ideas, and see how far you can push the boundaries when looking for curtain styles we haven’t seen a thousand times before.

Interior decorating and home renovation is always an exciting project. Make your curtains the star of the show with these 20 modern ideas to kickstart your plans, or head to our Quickfit site if you’re already set on exactly what you want to order. We’re on hand to help answer your questions, with a friendly, experienced team ready to take your call or receive your inquiry today.