Luxury Curtains for the Livingroom

Luxury curtains for the living room do more than cover a window. They shape the mood of the space, soften architecture and create the kind of layered finish people associate with high-end homes. 

In celebrity interiors, curtains are rarely an afterthought; they are chosen to support the scale of the room, control light and add texture in a way that feels intentional and expensive.

At Auburn & Ash, we take the same approach when creating custom window coverings, helping homeowners select drapery that feels tailored to the room rather than simply tacked on.

What Celebrity Living Rooms Teach Us About Luxury Curtains 

In a word: Velvet.

Elle Macpherson’s Orange Velvet 

Some of the strongest lessons in luxury drapery come straight from celebrity homes. In supermodel Elle Macpherson’s Florida residence, Architectural Digest describes the living room with white walls and unlined sheer white curtains, creating a light, airy backdrop for art and collected objects.

In the same home, marigold curtains bring warmth to the dining room and deep celadon velvet adds richness to the media room. What makes this approach so effective is the contrast: sheers keep shared spaces bright and breezy, while heavier curtains are used where depth and intimacy matter more. 

Jessica Hart’s Green Velvet 

Jessica Hart’s Gramercy Park apartment offers a different but equally luxurious lesson. The model’s green velvet curtains echo the colour of the park outside, effectively pulling the exterior landscape into the room. That works because luxury curtains do not need to overpower a space to feel dramatic. When the fabric tone connects to the surroundings, the entire living room feels more cohesive and custom. 

Hilary Swank’s Azure Velvet 

Hilary Swank’s Paris apartment leans into another hallmark of upscale drapery: niche neutral tones. Swank’s home features custom azure velvet curtains, showing how richly textured fabric in near-classic colours can add softness, privacy and visual presence without making a room feel dated or overdone. Velvet works especially well in a living room when the goal is to create elegance with a sense of warmth rather than stiffness. 

Why These Curtain Styles Work So Well 

These celebrity examples show that luxury comes from the right match between fabric and function. Sheer curtains work beautifully in bright living rooms because they filter daylight instead of blocking it, allowing the room to feel luminous and relaxed. Velvet curtains, on the other hand, absorb light and sound more effectively, making a large room feel grounded and intimate.

Colour is just as important as material. Macpherson’s airy neutrals, Hart’s nature-inspired green and Swank’s custom azure all demonstrate that luxury curtains succeed when they relate to the room’s palette and purpose. They are not isolated design choices. They support the furniture, the art and the atmosphere.

Length and fullness also matter. Curtains that extend close to the ceiling and fall generously to the floor create a more architectural look. This is one of the simplest ways to make a living room feel taller, more polished and more expensive.

Build Your Own Luxury Livingroom

You do not need a celebrity address to achieve this effect. The key is choosing curtains that suit your room’s scale, light and overall design story. If your space needs softness and brightness, sheers may be the right fit. If it needs drama, insulation or a more cocooned feel, velvet or lined drapery may be the better choice.

To build that layered, high-end look, we often pair custom window treatments with accessories from our home décor collection and ensure colour palettes that work together throughout the space.

Dying for your own statement luxury velvet curtains for the living room or bedroom? Visit Auburn & Ash in Red Deer and tell us what you’re looking for! We’re excited to work with you to complete the interior design of your dreams.