Curtains Dominated Design in 2025 — Here Are 11 Surprisingly Clever Ways People Used Them

It’s wild to think that we’re nearing the end of 2025. (Is it just me, or has this year absolutely flown by?) As I reflect on the past year and look ahead to next year’s trends, I like to take stock of patterns I noticed during the previous months that seem to have staying power. One of those patterns is the use of curtains as more than just window coverings.

Don’t believe me? Eleven House Tour participants (there could be more!) in 2025 alone used curtains to create dramatic spaces in their rooms — replacing walls, standing in for headboards, and even dramatizing furniture. Curtains proved to be a great solution for renters because you don’t have to worry about getting your security deposit back, and also for those who live in small spaces, as you’ll have one fewer furniture item to add to your layout.

If you’re intrigued or looking for some inspiration, continue reading to see how real homeowners used curtains in their homes to create jaw-dropping atmospheres.

In the primary bedroom of actor, writer, and artist Rosaline Elbay’s color-drenched Brooklyn apartment, the deep-blue curtain matches the Farrow & Ball-painted walls. It’s striking because of its placement (behind the bed in lieu of a headboard) and its velvet texture, which makes it pop. Another bonus? It’s hiding an easel that’s hanging on the wall. 

To see more of this colorful home, visit the full House Tour. 

Although Lakesha Charles’ 101-year-old NYC apartment is 1,000 square feet, the primary bedroom isn’t the largest. Luckily, she cleverly used Half Priced Grapes curtains to double as window coverings and a headboard. The result is so dramatic. 

Visit the full House Tour to see the rest of this wonderful apartment. 

Ashley Huston also used curtains as a headboard behind her bed in her bohemian Philadelphia home. However, what makes Ashley’s drapes stand out isn’t the color or the texture (both gorgeous) — it’s the way she tied each of the four curtains into knots. It adds visual interest without weighing down the bed area.

Check out the full House Tour to see more of this apartment. 

Savanna Fernandez lives in what she once described as a “cookie-cutter” rental apartment. But after all of her removable changes, it looks anything but standard. It’s no surprise she used a curtain to create a DIY canopy in the primary bedroom. Two rods extend above the headboard, and a white, flowy curtain frames the bed. 

Explore more of this DIYed rental apartment in the full House Tour. 

It’s not uncommon for people — especially in small homes — to use paint to separate one space into two. But Jennelle Mendes utilized a curtain to break up the rooms and areas in her 450-square-foot Brooklyn apartment. “I’ve always wanted to use curtains as room dividers, so I finally went for it,” Jennelle said at the time of the House Tour. “I used a sheer curtain on a wire to carve out that office area without blocking the light. It gives just enough separation from the living area while still keeping things airy.” And curtains create a very cozy cocoon of a bed area. 

See more of this apartment’s clever layout in the full House Tour. 

Most of Miguel and Gabriel’s contemporary Barcelona apartment is drenched in sunlight — except for the primary bedroom. A glass partition separates the light-filled living room and small closet from the couple’s bedroom. While light can stream into the room through the glass, it doesn’t offer much privacy. That’s where a curtain comes in. “The glass can be covered with a blue curtain, matching the blues used in the carpentry,” Miguel explained at the time of the House Tour. 

Visit the full House Tour to see more of this colorful apartment. 

Lawrence Leung and Mei Bruns had one goal when decorating the primary bedroom in their modern Brooklyn apartment: functionality. The couple lucked out with 12-foot ceilings and a storage spot above their closet — thanks to the tall walls. While the extra space is great, it can be an eyesore, especially in their cream-colored, soothing palette. So they installed an IKEA curtain track and some Amazon drapes to cover up the area. The room holds ample storage but doesn’t feel cluttered in the slightest.

To see more of this calming apartment, visit the full House Tour. 

In the primary bedroom of Jackie Cantwell’s Scandinavian-inspired Brooklyn apartment, a “big ugly pipe” was once on full display. Not for long, thanks to Jackie’s cleverness and some curtains. “To serve my brooding-emo-daughter-grieving-dad vibe, I installed curtain tracks around the pipe and above the entire back wall, where I hung velvet-striped curtains,” Jackie shared at the time of the House Tour. “I then installed Elfa shelving behind the jetted-out part of the curtains, and made a hell of a lot more storage for myself.”

Explore more of this cozy apartment in the full House Tour. 

Curtains weren’t just used in Jackie Cantwell’s primary bedroom; she also used them as door replacements in her Brooklyn apartment. Because her bedroom, which is next to the living room, has a semi-railroad layout, she likely made a somewhat controversial decision to make the space flow better. “First thing I did was remove all the doors (even the closet) to open it up and hung curtains instead,” she said at the time of the House Tour. 

See more of Jackie’s wonderful apartment in the full House Tour. 

One of the coolest parts about Maite Córcoles Castell’s 538-square-foot minimal Barcelona apartment is all of the space-dividing solutions. It’s technically a studio, but a clever renovation that included installing iron columns between the living room and bedroom helps to separate those areas. And huge red velvet curtains divide the bedroom area even more, as well as add softness and color to the otherwise contemporary space. 

Visit the full House Tour to see how Maite created her airy home. 

If someone’s asleep upstairs and you’re still hosting downstairs, curtains could come in handy. I’ve simply never seen this cozy curtain trick in Marja and Harry’s 678-square-foot cottage in The Netherlands anywhere else. At the bottom of the stairwell, they hung a curtain track that allows mustard-colored curtains to further separate the two stories. 

To see more of this cozy home, visit the full House Tour.