Door Curtains – Functionality, Aesthetics and Spirituality

In the world of curtains, windows reign supreme, but many people may not know that there are quite a few options available in the way of curtains for your doors as well. There are a few common styles of doors that are found in your average home. There is, of course, the solid front door that is a standard panel of solid wood, but there are also French doors that have glass panels or slats in them, and big glass sliding doors that are commonly used as entrance ways to patios and the like. Each one of these doors have different needs as far as coverings are concerned, and there are likewise a few different styles of curtains that can be used.

For your solid doors, there is obviously no need to cover them. The door itself provides all the privacy and protection that is needed. There are, however, times when you like to have the door left open. For example, during those hot summer nights when the house gets stuffy, you want to be able to let as much breeze into your home as possible. One option is to have a screen door that will provide a barrier against insects and other intruders, but many people feel that this takes away from the look of your home. The alternative is to have a beaded door curtain installed on the outside of the door. We have discussed beaded curtains previously, and how they can be a tremendous addition to your door, giving a moderate barrier to pests while keeping the breeze flowing through the house. door curtainsThe most popular materials used for this style of curtain are wood and bamboo, and a popular style is curtains that create pictures or patterns, creating the illusion of a solid curtain. This style is great for kid’s rooms, as you can allow your children to pick a style that suits their individual personality. Beaded door curtains can easily be made as well, and make a great craft project for the kids to get involved in during school holidays.

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For doors with glass panels in them, such as French doors, a more solid curtain is usually used. One of the most popular styles of French door curtains is the sheer curtain. This style ties in well with the classic romantic style of the French door, and creates a soft cover to the hard lines of the wood underneath. In these cases, the curtain is attached to the actual door, usually by way of wire attached at the top and bottom of the frame. Quite often the curtains will be tied in the middle, creating an hourglass figure that allows a moderate amount of sunlight in.

And then there are the bigger, sliding glass doors. The most popular curtain to use on these doors is usually ones that work on the same principle as window curtains. They are usually a single panel of material, attached to a curtain rod, and opened by rings or eyelets running along the top of the material. Vertical blinds are the most popular style of covering for these types of doors, but some people do prefer the soft and classic look of a curtain.

People al over the world use door curtains, but they are most loved in Japan, where it not only functionality and aesthetics that come into play, but spirituality as well. The Japanese word for the door curtain is “Noren”, and many believe that a well placed door curtain can add prosperity and luck to your home. People that follow the ideas of feng shui will know that the doorway acts as an entrance way to both good and bad energies, and the right style of door curtain can help to funnel the good energy in, while keeping the bad at bay.

Beaded Curtains – A Spiritual Resurgence

It’s difficult to explain the atmosphere that beaded curtains add to a home, but if you’ve ever been in a house that has had these types of curtains hanging, you will know what I’m talking about. To walk into a room that has beaded curtains is like walking into a holiday. You get whisked away to another place, one of rolling waves and gentle breezes. There is no practical reason why this would be the case, but nevertheless it is true. These curtains were at the height of popularity in the 60′s during the hippy movement, at a time when people in western society were exploring their own spirituality more than ever before. Of course, it wasn’t western society in the 60′s that invented the beaded curtain, they were simply discovering something that asian countries had known for thousands fo years.

Unfortunately, the popularity of beaded door curtains was short lived. The 80′s rolled around and we became more interested in materiaslistic things. Our bank balance became more important than our spiritual wellbeing, and we lost a lot of the things we had learned in the process. During this time, the only place you would see a beaded door curtain would be in the entrance to your local fish and cheap shop, and these were only there to keep the flies out, and were usually made of plastic.

Things always go in cycles, and it seems that we are now entering a time of spiritual reawakening, and people are starting to go back to the things that gave them pleasure all those years ago. Yoga classes are booked out, buddhist monks are travelling around our cities and praying to huge crowds, incense is being burned again, and people are meditating on their lunch breaks. beaded curtainsAs these changes sweep through our community, we develop an increased awareness of how we can use certain items in our home to modify our outlook on a very basic level.

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This may sound silly, placing such an importance on something as materialistic as curtains, but as I said before, unless you have actually been in ahome that has one of these curtains hanging, you will have trouble understanding what I am talking about. In the ancient practise of feng shui, beaded curtains are considered an important part of home design, as they prevent the good fortune and energy from leaving the house, especially in cases where you have an inside door frame that faces your back door.

Beaded curtains come in many different designs, but one of the first choices you will have to make is whether you want one with a pattern or motif or a plain curtain.There are a heap of patterns you can get for your door curtains, and they can create a stunning effect in any room. They are not just for looks and good feng shuii, however. bamboo beaded curtains can do a wonderful job of blocking out harsh summer rays while still allowing cool breezes to blow through. And when the wind does travel trhough, you get a soft wind chime effect which adds to the ambiance.

Although it’s fairly easy to find cheap beaded curtains, there is nothing more satisfying or relaxing than making your own. They’re really easy to make, all you will need is some beads, lengths of thread, some eye hooks and a curtain rod. As far as the beads are concerned, you can chose glass beads, bamboo, or even wood, depending on the type of atmosphere you are trying to create. You can even mix and match these materials. This is the perfect opportunity to let your creativity flow and create something unique that matches your home.