- Blackout liners behind cotton twill actually work better than most folks expect—agreed there.
- Only thing, if you’re in a spot with high humidity, sometimes that heavy combo can get musty unless you open the windows now and then.
- I’ve seen rods bow under the weight... always recommend going up a size or adding wall anchors if you’re layering like that.
- Personally, I’d still take the weight over that “hotel plastic” look any day.
If you’re set on using one fabric everywhere, cotton twill with a blackout liner does make sense—solid balance of privacy and light control. Just a heads up: in my old place (super humid basement apartment), those got musty fast unless I cracked a window or ran a dehumidifier. If you’re layering heavy curtains, definitely upgrade the rods or go for extra brackets—learned that the hard way when the cheap ones sagged after a few months. Not the prettiest fix, but it works. I’ll take a bit of weight and texture over those plasticky hotel panels any day, though.
I hear you on the mustiness—my last place had zero airflow in the living room and the curtains definitely picked up a weird smell after a rainy week. I do like cotton twill, but I wonder if linen would hold up better in damp spots. The rod sag is real, too... thought I could get away with the basic ones from the hardware store, but nope. Ended up swapping them out mid-year after noticing a slow bend. Still, way better than those shiny hotel curtains that seem to attract dust and static.
- Had the same issue with musty curtains—
—especially in the basement den. Switched to linen and it’s been way better for airflow and drying out after humidity, but it does wrinkle if you care about that.“picked up a weird smell after a rainy week”
- Cotton twill is easier to keep looking crisp, but the smell thing is real if your place stays damp.
- Rod sag: learned the hard way that cheap rods are a false economy... had to replace mine after six months when they bowed in the middle. Ended up going with thicker metal rods—worth it for peace of mind.
- If I had to pick one fabric, I’d go linen for every room, even with the wrinkles. It just breathes better and dries faster.
- Those shiny hotel curtains are a dust magnet, totally agree. Never again.
- Linen is hands down my favorite too, but yeah, the wrinkles can drive me nuts if I’m being picky. Still, way easier to air out after a humid week than cotton or those heavy blackout types.
- I’ve tried polyester blends before and honestly, they just felt stuffy... plus, static cling is no joke.
- Swapped cheap rods for solid wood ones—haven’t had any sag since, and they actually look pretty nice.
- Anyone ever try linen in a kitchen? Curious if the grease or smells stick around more than with cotton.
Anyone ever try linen in a kitchen? Curious if the grease or smells stick around more than with cotton.
I’ve put up linen in a kitchen before, and honestly, it handled the humidity better than I expected, but yeah, it did pick up some cooking smells. Nothing a good wash didn’t fix, though. Has anyone tried those washable “performance” linens? Wondering if they’re actually any less absorbent or just marketing fluff...
Linen in the kitchen’s actually not bad, especially if you like that relaxed look, but I’ll admit, it does pick up a bit of the bacon smell after a big breakfast. I’ve tried those so-called “performance” linens, and honestly, they’re a little less absorbent but nothing magical. Still feels like regular linen, just washes up easier and doesn’t wrinkle quite as much. If I had to pick one fabric for every room, I’d probably still lean linen, but maybe not in the kitchen unless you don’t mind tossing them in the wash often.
I get what you mean about linen in the kitchen. I tried it for a while, but the grease smell just wouldn’t come out unless I washed them constantly. Ended up swapping to cotton in there—less hassle, honestly. Linen’s still my pick for everywhere else though.
Ended up swapping to cotton in there—less hassle, honestly. Linen’s still my pick for everywhere else though.
Totally get the struggle with keeping linen fresh in the kitchen. Grease just clings to it, no matter how careful you are. I’ve had the same issue—tried linen at first because I loved the look, but after a few weeks of cooking, it smelled like last night’s stir fry. Cotton’s so much easier to toss in the wash, and it dries faster too.
But honestly, I still lean toward linen for most other rooms. It just drapes better and gives that kind of relaxed vibe I like. Bedrooms especially, it feels a little fancier without being stuffy. Only spot where I’d maybe think twice is the bathroom—humidity does weird things to linen sometimes.
Funny thing is, my neighbor swears by polyester blends because they’re “bulletproof,” but they always look kinda shiny to me. Maybe I’m too picky? Anyway, if I HAD to pick just one fabric for every room, cotton would probably win out just for practicality... even if it’s not as pretty everywhere.
Yeah, I totally get where you’re coming from. Cotton’s just so much easier to deal with—especially in spots that get messy or damp. I tried linen in my kitchen once too and it was a disaster… looked amazing for about a week, then it started picking up every smell and stain. No thanks.
I do love how linen looks in bedrooms though. There’s something about that texture that feels calming, almost like you’re on vacation. But for energy efficiency, cotton’s actually not a bad pick either. It’s thick enough to help keep drafts out if you go for the right weave, and it’s way less of a pain to wash regularly. Polyester blends are tough, but I’m with you—the shine just feels off in a homey space.
Honestly, I think you’ve got the right balance. Sometimes you just need to go with what works and not stress if it’s not magazine-perfect everywhere. At the end of the day, if it keeps your space comfy and doesn’t drive you nuts with upkeep, that’s a win in my book.