The Window Treatment Trend That's Set To Dethrone Neutral Curtains

Take a look at the majority of interior design-related social media posts (and even photos in magazines) over the past few years, and you'll notice there has been a major trend toward soft, neutral draperies. Creating a casual, calming, and refined sensibility similar to a Restoration Hardware catalog, these crowd-pleasing drapes have been a long-time staple in the design industry. But the days of safe, uneventful drapery are making way for a new design trend in 2025 — one that's all about personality, warmth, and pushing the envelope past the neutral, minimalist interiors that dominated the past decade.

As an interior designer, I have been seeing people collectively moving past the Millennial-era "sad beige" aesthetic and embracing more color, texture, pattern, and visual interest in their homes. Hopping on this beautifully bold train are draperies, which have previously been predominantly relegated to a background layer of neutral softness. Now, instead of just functioning as a neutral backdrop, more designers and homeowners are now emphasizing wonderfully impactful drapery fabrics, meant to be a design feature that stands out on its own accord and complements the room. So, let's lean into this, and see how you can use bold, exciting curtains to easily elevate the look of your space beyond safe neutrals.

Any large design element in a space — such as a rug, wall paint, or the main upholstery piece — can instantly make a big impact on the room's aesthetic. Drapery is no exception. Changing the drapes is one way to instantly transform the look of the entire room in one simple swap, no renovation or major overhauls required. If you have safe, neutral drapery, the only thing it's adding to the room is a layer of softness and texture, which I will admit is very valuable in creating a finished, refined space. However, by incorporating color, pattern, and/or texture to the mix, you can achieve that and more. 

In the same way you would choose a rug for a room, I would emphasize the importance of considering other elements in the space to ensure the drapery complements rather than fights with the rest of the design. I always order drapery fabric samples before committing, to get a better and more realistic idea of how they will coordinate with the room's other colors and patterns. If you are still having trouble picturing it, use a program like Canva or Photoshop to do a quick, rough mock-up with the new drapery layered on top of a photo of the existing space, so you can better visualize the impact and aesthetic. When in doubt, your friendly neighborhood designer would also be happy to help give you a visual representation!

If you have a lot of pattern in the space, such as wallpaper or other textiles, and are wary of adding more, consider a rich solid color drape with a lush or interesting texture. Solid yet colorful drapes are a great way to ease your way into exciting, impactful drapery without feeling too maximalist. Look for rich velvets, opulent silks, casual wovens, or even options with a decorative trim for extra textural interest.

For those who love pattern mixing, drapery is a great place to introduce another print to create an eclectic and sophisticated interior palette. Match the drapery fabric to the wallpaper print to create a fabulous wash of a singular pattern. Alternatively, choose a complimentary pattern to the other elements in the room, taking special care to vary the scale and type of print (i.e. floral, stripe, linear, etc.) from the other elements in the room to play nicely instead of competing.

By taking a step beyond safe, predictable neutral options, choosing drapery that boasts an exciting pattern, color, or texture can elevate and transform your space into the impactful, design-forward space of your dreams.