Painting Vertical Curtains

Vertical Design

• Paint the curtains in a vertically oriented design to emphasize the length and slender quality of the curtains. Search for stencils at your local crafts or fabric to make this project easier. This method is especially effective if the curtains are longer than the window; long curtains that frame the window can make the window itself seem bigger than it really is. If your windows are small, painting a vertical design on the curtains can also help hide that.

Colors

• Choose a color to paint on the curtain that will match the color of the curtains themselves. Look to the color wheel for ideas. For example, colors found side by side on the color wheel are called analogous colors. Colors found opposite one another on the color wheel are called complementary colors. These colors can be paired together to create a color scheme. Be sure to choose a color that will also match the room where the curtains are hanging, and when in doubt, a neutral pattern like white, gray or beige will usually work.

Tools

• To paint your curtains, you will need acrylic paint, fabric medium, a large board or cardboard, stencils, a stencil paintbrush, a paint tray and painter's tape. Painter's medium is a substance that you can mix with your acrylic paint to make the paint adhere to cloth better and to make it softer when it dries. When you use it, follow the directions on the bottle to find out how much will need to be used.

Process

• Tape down the curtains onto the board or cardboard using painter's tape. Tape down the stencils onto the curtain using painter's tape. Mix the medium and the paint together, then apply the paint to the curtains using the stencil brush. Wait for the paint to dry, then remove the stencils.