Choosing curtains for a Central West winter

Anyone who's spent a winter in the Central West knows windows are where the warmth goes. A frosty morning in Bathurst. A cold tableland night in Oberon or Blayney. Heat slips out through the glass while the heater works harder to keep up. The right curtain is one of the simplest, most effective things you can do about it. Here's how to choose one that earns its keep through a cold winter.

Why a curtain keeps a room warm

Glass is a poor insulator. On a cold night, warm air in the room touches the cold glass, cools, and the heat is lost. Draughty older windows make it worse. A properly lined curtain traps a layer of still air between the fabric and the glass, which slows that heat loss. The heavier and better-lined the curtain, the more it holds.

It works in summer too. The same curtain keeps the western afternoon sun off the glass, so the room stays cooler.

Linings do most of the work

The fabric you see matters for the look. The lining does most of the insulating. Your options, warmest first:

• Thermal lining. Designed specifically to reduce heat transfer. The best choice for a genuinely cold room.
• Blockout lining. Blocks light and adds a solid insulating layer. Ideal for bedrooms that also want darkness.
• Standard lining. Protects the face fabric and adds some insulation, for rooms where warmth isn't the main concern.
• Unlined. Softest light, least insulation. Fine for a sheer layer, not for holding warmth.

In a cold Central West home, a lined or thermal-lined curtain is where the real difference is made.

Don't forget the top and sides

A curtain only insulates as well as it's fitted. Two details matter.

• A pelmet closes the gap above the curtain, where warm air otherwise escapes over the top. In a cold-climate home it's a small addition that makes a real difference.
• Generous width and a proper drop. A curtain that's full enough to fall in proper folds and long enough to reach the sill (or the floor) seals the window far better than a skimpy one. Floor-length drapes seal best of all.

Layering: sheers by day, blockout by night

A popular Central West setup is to layer sheers with lined curtains. Soft sheers filter the bright winter daylight and give privacy during the day. Heavier lined or blockout curtains draw across in the evening to hold the warmth in and the cold out. You get a soft, light room by day and a snug one at night.

A warm alternative: honeycomb blinds

If curtains aren't right for a particular window, honeycomb (cellular) blinds are the most insulating blind you can fit. Their hollow cells trap air against the glass. They're a strong choice for cold rooms in Oberon, Orange or Lithgow, and they pair happily with curtains where you want both.

Made in Bathurst, for Bathurst weather

We've been making curtains for Central West homes since 1977, so we know what a frosty Kelso or Oberon winter asks of a window, and which fabrics and linings actually hold up to it. Every curtain is made to measure in our Bathurst workroom and fitted by our own team, so it falls right and seals properly.

Book a free measure and quote and we'll bring the fabrics to you, talk through linings room by room, and help you choose curtains built for the cold. Call (02) 6332 2144 or book online.