How to make the switch from winter to summer curtains: Top cotton and linen picks
Swap heavy winter curtains for lighter fabrics, softer colours, and layered panels to keep rooms airy, bright, and comfortable during warmer months.
Our Picks
FAQs
Our Picks
| Product | Rating | Price |
|---|---|---|
Tranquebar Curtain Co. Window Curtains 5 Feet, 60-65% Room Darkening, Blue Butterfly & Floral Print, Cotton Curtains for Window, Cotton Curtains 5 Feet Long Set of 2, BackTabs, Titli (152 cm)View Details ![]() | ₹1,294 | |
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Tranquebar Curtain Co. Window Curtains 5 Feet, Cotton Curtains, 60-65% Room Darkening, Blue Botanical Print, Blue Curtains, BackTabs, Design Cairo (152 cm) - 1 PieceView Details ![]() | ₹700 | |
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Unlock Personalized ₹216x 6 months₹1,294 | ||
HUESLAND Cotton Curtains 5 feet Long for Windows, 1 Bohemian Eyelet Curtain (Window 5 x 4 ft, Green Leaf Floral)View Details ![]() | ₹748 | |
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HUESLAND Cotton Window Curtains 5 feet Long, 1 Bohemian Eyelet Curtain (Window 5 x 4 ft, Blue Vertical Stripes)View Details ![]() | ₹747 | |
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Urban Space 100% Cotton Curtains for Door, 60-65% Light-Filtering Cotton Decorative Curtains 7 feet, Set of 2 Curtains with Eyelets and TieBack(Liberty Blue, Door 7 Feet X 4 Feet)View Details ![]() | ₹1,614 | |
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Research-Backed Choices
Every product we recommend is chosen through a combination of Primary Research and Secondary Research.

Neha Khandelwal
Content Lead, HT Travel | Travel & Lifestyle Journalist
With over 10 years of content writing experience, Neha Khandelwal is a lifestyle journalist and the Content Lead at HT Travel. She specialises in destinations, hotels, aviation, luggage, travel gear, and practical guides that help readers plan smarter and travel better. Her work combines first-hand experience, expert insights, and extensive research to create stories that are informative, useful, and easy to follow.
Career Journey & Experience
Neha began her writing career as a freelance journalist in 2010 before entering mainstream media with The Times of India in 2022. She later joined Hindustan Times, where she has written extensively across travel, lifestyle, home, and consumer trends. Her professional background extends beyond journalism. Before moving into digital media full-time, she spent nearly a decade in interior design, managing residential projects from concept to execution. She also trained in visual merchandising with Shoppers Stop and Pantaloons and worked with women-led startups across design and operations. These experiences continue to shape her storytelling, especially in how she evaluates hotels, design-led stays, hospitality spaces, and travel experiences.
A naturally curious learner, Neha has completed beginner certifications in pottery, scuba diving, baking, creative writing, and other creative pursuits. She has read more than 2,000 books, trained in Bharatanatyam for 8 years, and ghostwritten a book on Ladakh tourism.
Subject Expertise
Travel is at the heart of Neha's work. She covers destinations, hotels, airlines, luggage, packing strategies, travel accessories, and emerging travel trends through a mix of reporting, product testing, and conversations with industry experts. A frequent traveller herself, she approaches every trip with a journalist's curiosity and a planner's mindset, focusing on experiences that readers can realistically recreate. From choosing the right cabin bag to decoding hotel openings and destination trends, her writing prioritises practical advice over promotional claims.
Her background in interior design also gives her a distinct perspective on architecture, hospitality design, boutique hotels, luxury stays, and thoughtfully designed spaces.
Education & Professional Background
Neha holds a Master's degree in Interior Design. Her early experience in interior design, visual merchandising, and design operations gives her a unique understanding of aesthetics, functionality, and user experience, adding depth to her coverage of hotels, resorts, and travel spaces.
Editorial Philosophy
"As an avid, research-driven traveller, my goal is simple. To answer the questions you actually have before booking a trip. I cut through the promotional noise with honest reporting and expert insights. Making travel planning seamless, smart, and reliable so you always know where to go next."
Read moreRead less
Content Lead, HT Travel | Travel & Lifestyle Journalist
With over 10 years of content writing experience, Neha Khandelwal is a lifestyle journalist and the Content Lead at HT Travel. She specialises in destinations, hotels, aviation, luggage, travel gear, and practical guides that help readers plan smarter and travel better. Her work combines first-hand experience, expert insights, and extensive research to create stories that are informative, useful, and easy to follow.
Career Journey & Experience
Neha began her writing career as a freelance journalist in 2010 before entering mainstream media with The Times of India in 2022. She later joined Hindustan Times, where she has written extensively across travel, lifestyle, home, and consumer trends. Her professional background extends beyond journalism. Before moving into digital media full-time, she spent nearly a decade in interior design, managing residential projects from concept to execution. She also trained in visual merchandising with Shoppers Stop and Pantaloons and worked with women-led startups across design and operations. These experiences continue to shape her storytelling, especially in how she evaluates hotels, design-led stays, hospitality spaces, and travel experiences.
A naturally curious learner, Neha has completed beginner certifications in pottery, scuba diving, baking, creative writing, and other creative pursuits. She has read more than 2,000 books, trained in Bharatanatyam for 8 years, and ghostwritten a book on Ladakh tourism.
Subject Expertise
Travel is at the heart of Neha's work. She covers destinations, hotels, airlines, luggage, packing strategies, travel accessories, and emerging travel trends through a mix of reporting, product testing, and conversations with industry experts. A frequent traveller herself, she approaches every trip with a journalist's curiosity and a planner's mindset, focusing on experiences that readers can realistically recreate. From choosing the right cabin bag to decoding hotel openings and destination trends, her writing prioritises practical advice over promotional claims. Her background in interior design also gives her a distinct perspective on architecture, hospitality design, boutique hotels, luxury stays, and thoughtfully designed spaces.
Education & Professional Background
Neha holds a Master's degree in Interior Design. Her early experience in interior design, visual merchandising, and design operations gives her a unique understanding of aesthetics, functionality, and user experience, adding depth to her coverage of hotels, resorts, and travel spaces.
Editorial Philosophy
"As an avid, research-driven traveller, my goal is simple. To answer the questions you actually have before booking a trip. I cut through the promotional noise with honest reporting and expert insights. Making travel planning seamless, smart, and reliable so you always know where to go next."
The change from winter to summer at home rarely happens immediately and usually is a transition as the summer heat kicks in. The sun lingers longer, the afternoon light grows brighter, and suddenly those heavy winter curtains begin to feel like a wool coat in May.
Curtains can easily shape the mood of a room. In winter, they hold warmth and soften cold drafts. In summer, the role shifts. The need of the hour becomes simple. Let the light in, keep the room cooler, and give the room an easy, airy feel that mirrors the season outside.
If your windows still carry thick winter drapes, a seasonal swap can refresh the entire space. Small changes in fabric, colour, and layering can instantly make a room feel lighter and more relaxed.
Quick guide to switching your curtains for summer
| Step | What to Do | Why It Helps |
| Choose lighter fabrics | Replace thick velvet or dense curtain blends with breathable cotton, linen, or voile. | These fabrics allow air to pass through the room and soften the sunlight instead of blocking it. |
| Pick lighter colours | Move toward creams, pale greys, soft beiges, and gentle pastels. | Lighter shades reflect sunlight and make the room feel cooler and brighter. |
| Layer smartly | Use sheer curtains closest to the window and add a light-filtering panel in front. | Layering gives you better control of brightness throughout the day. |
| Measure the sunlight | Notice which windows receive strong afternoon sun. Use slightly thicker light-filtering curtains there. | This prevents rooms from heating up while still allowing natural light inside. |
| Wash and store winter curtains properly. | Clean winter curtains before packing them away and store them in a dry space. | Clean storage keeps the fabric fresh and ready for the colder months. |
What actually changes in the room
Once the lighter curtains go up, the atmosphere of the room shifts almost instantly. Cotton and linen panels allow sunlight to filter through gently, creating a softer glow across the room. Voile curtains add an airy quality that works beautifully in living rooms and bedrooms that already receive plenty of daylight.
Colour also plays an important role. Pale neutrals and soft shades spread light across the space rather than forming harsh, bright spots. The room appears more open and calm.
Layering adds practicality. Morning light can stay bright and cheerful through the sheer curtain. When the afternoon sun grows stronger, pulling the light filtering panel across the window softens the glare without making the room feel closed.
A small seasonal ritual that works
Switching curtains twice a year might seem like a minor household task, yet it can completely change how a room feels. Thick winter fabrics serve their purpose during colder months, yet summer calls for something lighter and more relaxed.
Clean the winter curtains before storing them. Follow the fabric care label, let them dry fully, and fold them neatly into breathable storage bags. This simple step ensures they stay fresh until the temperature drops again.
The new summer curtains then take their place. Sunlight flows in gently, the room feels cooler, and suddenly the entire space feels ready for long, bright afternoons and slow evenings by the window.
To summarise, a simple curtain swap can change the feel of a room in minutes. Light fabrics, soft colours, and thoughtful layering keep spaces bright and comfortable. Store winter curtains well, hang the breezier ones, and let the summer light take over the room.
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The author of this article holds a Master's Degree in Interior Design and has spent over a decade in research, teaching, and designing homes from scratch.
Disclaimer: At Hindustan Times, we help you stay up-to-date with the latest trends and products. Hindustan Times has an affiliate partnership, so we may get a part of the revenue when you make a purchase. We shall not be liable for any claim under applicable laws, including but not limited to the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, concerning the products. The products listed in this article are in no particular order of priority.
ABOUT THE AUTHORNeha KhandelwalNeha Khandelwal Content Lead, HT Travel | Travel & Lifestyle Journalist With over 10 years of content writing experience, Neha Khandelwal is a lifestyle journalist and the Content Lead at HT Travel. She specialises in destinations, hotels, aviation, luggage, travel gear, and practical guides that help readers plan smarter and travel better. Her work combines first-hand experience, expert insights, and extensive research to create stories that are informative, useful, and easy to follow. Career Journey & Experience Neha began her writing career as a freelance journalist in 2010 before entering mainstream media with The Times of India in 2022. She later joined Hindustan Times, where she has written extensively across travel, lifestyle, home, and consumer trends. Her professional background extends beyond journalism. Before moving into digital media full-time, she spent nearly a decade in interior design, managing residential projects from concept to execution. She also trained in visual merchandising with Shoppers Stop and Pantaloons and worked with women-led startups across design and operations. These experiences continue to shape her storytelling, especially in how she evaluates hotels, design-led stays, hospitality spaces, and travel experiences. A naturally curious learner, Neha has completed beginner certifications in pottery, scuba diving, baking, creative writing, and other creative pursuits. She has read more than 2,000 books, trained in Bharatanatyam for 8 years, and ghostwritten a book on Ladakh tourism. Subject Expertise Travel is at the heart of Neha's work. She covers destinations, hotels, airlines, luggage, packing strategies, travel accessories, and emerging travel trends through a mix of reporting, product testing, and conversations with industry experts. A frequent traveller herself, she approaches every trip with a journalist's curiosity and a planner's mindset, focusing on experiences that readers can realistically recreate. From choosing the right cabin bag to decoding hotel openings and destination trends, her writing prioritises practical advice over promotional claims. Her background in interior design also gives her a distinct perspective on architecture, hospitality design, boutique hotels, luxury stays, and thoughtfully designed spaces. Education & Professional Background Neha holds a Master's degree in Interior Design. Her early experience in interior design, visual merchandising, and design operations gives her a unique understanding of aesthetics, functionality, and user experience, adding depth to her coverage of hotels, resorts, and travel spaces. Editorial Philosophy "As an avid, research-driven traveller, my goal is simple. To answer the questions you actually have before booking a trip. I cut through the promotional noise with honest reporting and expert insights. Making travel planning seamless, smart, and reliable so you always know where to go next."Read More

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