Curtains and drapes are soft window treatments that perform the same duties as the cousins they’re often paired with — shades, blinds and shutters — by providing privacy and light control and being a crucial part of a room’s design. But the wide variety of fabrics, patterns, colors and decorative hardware available for curtains and drapes means they can make an even bolder design statement — while adding an element of softness to a space.

“Drapes give more dimension and texture to the space,” says Sheri Stouffer, owner of Finishing Touches, a window treatment studio in Colorado. Read on for a guide to curtain and drapery options and what design professionals have to say about them.