Dress, Fashion & Lifestyle

One of my friend Aisha moved into a corner flat in Dubai Hills where the living room had twin windows sitting shoulder to shoulder, like two frames waiting for a story. Morning sun was perfect, by noon the TV turned reflective, and after dusk the towers across the boulevard felt a little too close. She wanted a plan that made the room glow by day, calm down at night, and still let the balcony door breathe. She wrote one line at the top of her notebook, curtain ideas for windows, then listed how the family actually lived. Coffee at 7, school run by 8, laptop open near the left window by 10, film night on Fridays. By sunset she had a simple map of fabrics, headings, and hardware that respected UAE light and daily routines. This guide gives you that same map, with side by side curtains layouts, curtain styles for living room comfort, DIY window curtain ideas you can finish in a weekend, and modern curtain design tips that keep costs sane in AED.

Jump to the step-by-step DIY plan

Read the window before you choose anything

Stand at the glass at three moments, 10 am, late afternoon, and after dark with the room lights on. Note where glare hits the screen, where neighbors can see in, and how air moves when the AC starts. Decide how often you open the door or the window. Daily use likes a glide that parks off the handle. Measure in centimeters, mount height, span, and the threshold by the door so hems do not scuff.

The three decisions that make every later choice easy

1. Height, hang high. Ceiling tracks or a rod 15 to 25 cm above the frame make walls feel taller and block top leaks.
2. Width, run wider than the glass. Leave stack space so daylight stays when panels are open.
3. Layers, front sheer for the day, rear dim out or blackout for night. Two thoughtful layers beat one heavy one.

Side by side curtains, six layouts that always work

Two windows next to each other can read as one long elevation or as a pair with a quiet gap. Pick the rhythm that matches your furniture and habits.

Layout 1, continuous wave shear across both windows

A single ceiling track runs end to end with wave gliders, the sheer reads like a calm veil. Behind it, a second track carries dim out or blackout panels that open either one way or as a split.

Why it works: the eye stops seeing two windows and starts seeing one soft plane. In UAE light, warm white or barley sheers keep glare steady at noon without turning milky.

Numbers: sheer fullness 2.2, dim out 2.0, hem to a 1 cm skim, lift 1.5 to 2 cm at balcony thresholds.

AED sketch: two tracks at AED 150 to AED 200 per meter, mid range sheer AED 60 to AED 90 per meter, dim out AED 95 to AED 140 per meter, sewing and install AED 1,100 to AED 1,600 for a typical 3.2 to 4.0 m span.

Layout 2, twin panels for each window, shared stack in the middle

Each window gets its own pair of panels, but the stacks meet at the center post. You can open both toward the jambs, or both toward the center.

Why it works: you keep the frame rhythm while getting full coverage. It feels neat in apartments with visible mullions.

Tip: add a 2 to 3 cm overlap where the middle stacks meet to kill the bright sliver at night.

Layout 3, one way draw over both windows, park away from the door

If the balcony door sits on the right, let all fabric slide left, or the other way round. This is the everyday champion when you pass through the door a lot.

Why it works: no one fights fabric at the handle, and stacks sit clear.

Numbers: add 40 to 60 cm of wall beyond the glass on the stack side so the view remains when panels are open.

Layout 4, rod for the sheer, hidden track for the night layer

A slim rod carries grommet or ring-hung sheers as a visible metal line. A ceiling track behind holds the dim out or blackout. The room looks designed without becoming fussy.

Why it works: metal echoes door handles and lamps, while the hidden track glides quietly.

Tip: choose wraparound or returns on the rod so the sheer curves to the wall and hides side light.

Layout 5, café height sheers with full-length blackout behind

Short sheers stop at the sill or a built in bench, keeping privacy while the lower wall stays clear for furniture. A full drop blackout draws over everything at night.

Why it works: day looks bright and casual, evening gets real darkness without busy layers in your face.

Layout 6, panel track screens plus a soft front sheer

For a modern line, use wide fabric panels on a track that slide side to side, then soften the look with a sheer on a separate rail. Great for studies where glare control matters.

Why it works: clean geometry during work hours, hospitality in the evening.

Curtain styles for living room comfort

The living room wants glow by day, control by afternoon, and privacy by night. It is also where fabrics get tested by feet, hands, and snacks. Pick structures that behave.

Wave or S-fold

Even curves, compact stacks, and effortless movement make wave a star for side by side curtains across long walls. Follow the brand pitch so curves stay in rhythm.

Pinch pleat

Structured folds read composed. If you want a formal note, pinch pleat with a dim out behind a wave sheer gives quiet order without stiffness.

Grommet or eyelet

Graphic and fast to hang on rods, perfect for light sheers. For heavy fabrics across wide spans, tracks glide better.

Back tab and rod pocket

Back tab is a clean face with decent glide on a smooth rod, rod pocket is pretty but higher friction. Use these for small windows or places you rarely draw.

Modern curtain design tips that keep the room calm

Small moves create a collected look without heavy cost. Check modern curtain design tips guide below.

• Add a 6 to 10 cm leading edge band on the night layer that echoes a metal or wood in the room.
  • Keep finishes matte near screens so reflections do not multiply.
  • Hem on site for a perfect skim, floors are rarely perfect out of the box.
  • Use weighted hems so sheers hang straight in AC, folds read as soft fields of color.
  • Match hardware finishes to door frames or lamp metals so the line feels intentional.

Fabric picks that suit UAE light and dust

Think of fabric as performance first, mood second.

• Sheers, polyester or poly linen in warm white, barley, or silver grey. Washable, steady at noon.
  • Dim outs, smooth coated weaves glide quietly on tracks and clean easily. Taupe, stone, and charcoal look calm at night.
  • Blackouts, true coated or lined constructions. Use returns to the wall and a small center overlap.
  • Velvet, beautiful for hush and cinema. Use where you want sound softness.
  • Faux silk, gives glow without worry. Interline for body if you want a formal drop.

Measuring once, living easy for years

Write in centimeters, then tape a temporary horizon so your eye can check the line from across the room.

1. Mount line, ceiling track front edge 3 to 5 cm off the wall if no blinds, 10 to 12 cm if clearing chains or handles. Rods sit 15 to 25 cm above the frame.
2. Drop, measure from underside of track or top of rings to the finished floor. Subtract 1 cm for a skim, subtract 1.5 to 2 cm at thresholds.
3. Width, run 20 to 30 cm beyond the frame on each side for split draws, or 40 to 60 cm total to the chosen one way stack side.
4. Fullness, sheers 2.0 to 2.2, dim outs and blackouts 1.8 to 2.0. Rod pockets 2.2 to 2.5.
5. Returns and overlaps, wrap 8 to 12 cm to the wall, overlap 2 to 3 cm at center for split draws.

Budget frames in AED that keep choices honest

Prices vary by fabric and brand, these sketches help you compare.

Case A, two side-by-side windows, total span 3.6 m, 2.7 m ceiling

Tracks, AED 150 per meter × 3.6 m × 2 ≈ AED 1,080
Sheer, 2.2 fullness, 7.92 m × AED 60 to 90 ≈ AED 475 to 713
Dim out, 2.0 fullness, 7.2 m × AED 95 to 140 ≈ AED 684 to 1,008
Sewing and install, AED 1,100 to 1,600
Total, roughly AED 3,339 to 4,761

Case B, one way draw across 4.2 m wall with balcony door

Track, AED 160 per meter × 4.2 m ≈ AED 672
Sheer, 2.2 fullness, 9.24 m × AED 60 ≈ AED 554
Blackout, 2.0 fullness, 8.4 m × AED 110 ≈ AED 924
Sewing and install, AED 1,200 to 1,800
Total, roughly AED 3,350 to 3,950

Case C, panel track screens plus front sheer, 3.2 m span

Panel track, AED 180 per meter × 3.2 m ≈ AED 576
Screen panels, 6.4 m equivalent × AED 90 ≈ AED 576
Front sheer, 2.0 fullness, 6.4 m × AED 65 ≈ AED 416
Sewing and install, AED 1,000 to 1,400
Total, roughly AED 2,568 to 2,968

DIY window curtain ideas for a clean weekend win

You can finish a side by side installation in a single weekend if you prep calmly.

Tools and supplies

Laser or long level, tape measure, pencil, painter’s tape, drill with masonry bits for concrete, stainless screws and wall plugs, tracks or rods, rings or gliders, stepladder with non marking feet, fabric panels, iron or steamer, pins, and hem tape if you want a no-sew finish.

Step-by-step plan, from blank wall to calm glide

1. Mark the line, use painter’s tape to draw a straight horizon across both windows. Step back and check against door heads and cornices.
2. Fix the hardware, ceiling tracks are quiet and forgiving, rods add a visible line. In concrete, vacuum dust from drilled holes and seat the plugs fully.
3. Dry hang long, hang panels slightly long, then pin to a 1 cm skim while they are up.
4. Steam gently, start from the header and move down, then steam the hem.
5. Add returns, set small L-brackets or return pieces so the fabric wraps to the wall at both ends.
6. Test the daily move, slide panels ten times, listen for catches, file burrs, or swap a sticky carrier early.
7. Lift at thresholds, if a balcony door sits under the span, raise hems 1.5 to 2 cm over the door zone only.

Small DIY upgrades that look custom

• Leading edge band, stitch a 6 to 10 cm band in charcoal or brass tone to the night layer’s leading edges.
  • Weighted tape, add it in the hem of sheers so the line stays straight in AC.
  • Split draw overlap, hand stitch a discreet magnetic tab at the meeting rail for a perfect night seal.

When side by side curtains meet furniture

Look at what sits below the glass. Sofas, radiators, or low consoles change the sensible length and stack.

• Sofa under both windows, still run floor to ceiling, a skim reads taller and hides the clutter line.
  • Console between windows, consider a shared central stack if daily traffic flows left to right or the other way round.
  • Dining table nearby, keep hems at a skim so chair legs do not catch, wave headings glide around evening gatherings without a fight.

Curtain ideas for windows that double as work zones

Many living rooms act as home offices at noon. Here are quiet tweaks that keep screens readable.

• Sheer in warm white or gentle silver grey to soften glare while keeping space bright.
  • Dim out behind for calls, stop at 50 percent for soft background tone.
  • Matte textures for the night layer so lamps do not bounce visible hotspots into the camera.

Care and cleaning that matches Gulf conditions

AC carries fine dust, sea air adds salt near the coast, and sun is bold.

• Shake sheers weekly, vacuum edges monthly with a soft brush.
  • Polyester sheers wash on gentle, hang damp to drop creases.
  • Coated dim outs often prefer dry cleaning, follow labels.
  • Wipe rods and track fascias with a dry cloth every month so gliders slide quietly.

Troubleshooting, fast fixes

• Bright sliver at the middle, add 2 to 3 cm more overlap or a discreet magnetic meet.
  • Panels rubbing a blind chain, move the track line to 10 to 12 cm off the wall or add deeper rod brackets.
  • Sag in the middle of a rod, add a center support or split into two rods with a discreet join.
  • Uneven hem after a month, rehang and steam, then re-pin to a true skim, floors sometimes settle and reveal small level changes.

Quick chooser if you want an answer today

• I open the balcony door daily, choose a one way draw that parks away from the handle, wave sheer plus dim out.
  • I want symmetry, choose twin pairs with a shared center stack, pinch pleat for the night layer.
  • I like a visible line, choose a slim rod for the sheer, hidden track behind for blackout.
  • I work here at noon, choose panel track screens with a soft front sheer.
  • I want a casual day look, café sheers with a full length blackout behind.

FAQs

What fullness should I use for twin windows on one wall?
Sheers look generous at 2.0 to 2.2 times the full span. Dim outs and blackouts behave at 1.8 to 2.0. Keep the same fullness across both windows so the rhythm stays even.

How high should I mount for side by side curtains?
As high as you can. Ceiling tracks feel quiet and modern. If you use rods, sit 15 to 25 cm above the frame. High lines stop top leaks and lift the whole wall.

Can I mix headings, like wave in front and pinch pleat behind?
Yes. Keep both mounted at the same height so the room reads as one decision. Wave in front for calm curves, pinch pleat behind for a structured night drop.

Do ready made sizes work in UAE apartments?
Often, if the drop is long enough. Many rooms need 260 to 300 cm. Buy extra width for proper fullness and hem on site to a clean skim.

How do I keep two windows from looking busy?
Use one continuous track, a single color story, and a leading edge band to unify the night layer. Keep hardware finishes consistent across the span.

Rooms behave when light behaves, and light behaves when fabric moves easily. The best curtain ideas for windows are not tricks, they are small choices repeated with care, a high mount that blocks top leaks, a generous width that lets folds bloom, a front sheer for mornings, and a calm night layer for evenings. When two windows stand side by side, you can treat them as one quiet elevation or as twins that share the same rhythm. Either way, you get a wall that glides instead of a wall that argues. If you want steady company from the first tape mark to the last neat hem, Instylea is a helpful partner. Their team visits across the UAE, measures spans in centimeters, balances sheers and night layers, and sets wave tracks or rods so stacks park cleanly. You can also follow real installs and finished makeovers on Instylea projects. With simple decisions and careful fitting, your side by side curtains will glow by day, your living room will rest by night, and your windows will finally feel like part of the room rather than a problem to solve.

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• #Dubai curtain ideas
• #twin windows design
• #living room curtains UAE
• #modern curtain layouts
• #DIY wind