
Window dressing
Curtains are architecture: using fabric to shape mood and proportion
August 4, 2026 · By Numbi Gichuki
The right window treatment changes more than privacy. It controls light, softens acoustics and gives a room its finished scale.
Fabric is one of the quickest ways to make a room feel complete. Full-height curtains draw the eye upward and can make a modest ceiling feel more generous, while a sheer layer keeps a room bright without making it exposed.
The details matter: the stack-back, the fullness of the pleat, the relationship to the skirting and the way the fabric meets the floor. Together they determine whether a window feels dressed or simply covered.
In Nairobi, we often design in layers so the room can adapt from bright mornings to quieter evenings. Light becomes something you can compose, not merely manage.