Animal curtains cover two quite different ideas, and this collection holds both. There are the creatures themselves, hares, cranes, foxes, elephants, birds mid flight, drawn with the care of a natural history plate. And there are the markings, leopard, zebra, tortoiseshell, snake, used as pure pattern. The first tells a story and suits nurseries, hallways and rooms that want warmth and character. The second is a texture that has been in interiors for a century and behaves like a neutral once you stop reading it as an animal. Both are printed to your window size, unlined or with blackout or thermal blackout lining.
Creature Prints and Skin Prints Do Different Jobs
It is worth deciding which of the two you actually want before you start browsing, because they suit different rooms. Creature prints reward close attention: they work where people pause, such as a hallway, a child's room or a downstairs cloakroom. Skin prints work at distance and function as texture, which is why they hold up in a living room where the eye passes over them a hundred times a day without tiring.
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Creature prints add narrative. A hare in long grass or a flock of cranes gives a room a subject to talk about, which is why they work so well in spaces guests move through.
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Skin prints behave like neutrals. Leopard in particular sits alongside almost any colour, because the print itself is built from browns, blacks and warm golds that already exist in most rooms.
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Both suit children's rooms. A friendly illustrated animal grows with a child far longer than a licensed character, and there is nothing to outgrow when tastes change.
Placing Animal Prints Without Overdoing Them
Animal print rewards commitment in one place and restraint everywhere else. One strong window will carry a whole room. Repeating the same print on cushions, blinds and upholstery is where schemes tip from confident into costume, so pick the window and let the rest of the room stay quiet.
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Living rooms. A leopard or tortoiseshell repeat reads as texture from a distance and pairs naturally with wood, leather and warm neutrals.
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Children's rooms and nurseries. Illustrated animals on a pale ground keep the room gentle. Blackout lining is worth choosing here, since darkness matters more in this room than in any other.
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Hallways and stairs. These are the spaces people walk slowly through. A detailed creature print gives them something to look at and makes a corridor feel considered rather than left over.
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Studies and snugs. Darker grounds with birds or game illustrations suit a room meant to feel enclosed and a little traditional, especially alongside bookshelves.
Choosing the Right Lining
Every design in this collection is available with three lining options, so you can match the look to how the room is actually used.
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Standard (Unlined): A single layer that lets daylight filter softly through the print. The colours stay luminous and the fabric hangs lightly, which makes it the natural choice for kitchens, dining rooms, hallways and any room where you want brightness rather than darkness.
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Blackout Lining: An opaque backing layer bonded behind the printed face. It blocks external light almost entirely, so it is the option for bedrooms, nurseries, shift workers and home cinemas. It also adds body, giving the curtain a fuller, heavier fall.
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Thermal Blackout Lining: Everything the blackout lining does, plus an insulating layer that slows heat loss through the glass in winter and reduces solar gain in summer. If you are trying to bring heating bills down or you have a draughty bay window, this is the one to choose.
Each design is also available as a single panel or a pair, in ten standard drops, so you can dress a narrow landing window and a wide living room bay from the same collection.
Made to Measure, Made to Order
Nothing in this collection sits in a warehouse waiting to be picked. Your fabric is printed and your curtains are sewn after you order, which is why the size and lining you choose are made exactly as specified rather than approximated from stock. Production takes 8-10 days, and delivery is free worldwide.
If you are torn between two designs, order fabric samples first. Screens shift colour, and a print that reads as soft sage on a phone can look considerably deeper against your own wall in your own light. A sample costs a fraction of a full order and removes the guesswork entirely.
Frequently Asked Questions About Animal Print Curtains
1. Is animal print still fashionable, or will it date?
Leopard and tortoiseshell have been in continuous use in interiors since the 1920s, which is a longer run than most so called classics. They date only when used in volume, meaning print on the walls, the sofa, the curtains and the cushions at once. Used on one surface, they behave like a warm neutral and stay right for years.
2. Are illustrated animal curtains suitable for a nursery?
They are among the best choices for one, because a well drawn animal has a much longer life than a character licence. A child who loves elephants at two often still likes them at eight, and the print continues to work as the furniture changes. Choose blackout or thermal blackout lining so daytime naps are genuinely possible.
3. What colours go with a leopard or tortoiseshell print?
Look at what the print is actually made of, which is usually black, chocolate, caramel and warm gold. Those tones tell you the palette: cream, camel, chestnut and deep green all sit comfortably alongside. Cool greys and stark blue whites tend to fight it, because they pull against the warmth already in the print.
4. Can animal prints work in a minimalist room?
Yes, and the effect can be excellent. A minimal room relies on a small number of decisions, so one patterned surface carries real weight. A single leopard repeat at the window against plain white walls and pale wood is a considered choice rather than a busy one, precisely because nothing else in the room competes.
5. Will a large animal illustration be cut off by my window size?
It depends on the drop you choose, and this is worth checking before ordering. Designs built from a repeating motif spread evenly regardless of size. Designs built around one large central illustration are more sensitive to the panel dimensions. If you are ordering an unusually short drop, a sample lets you see how the artwork sits at that height.
6. How do I measure my windows for made-to-measure curtains?
Use a metal tape measure, not fabric. Width: measure your pole or track, not the window, and let the pole extend 15cm to 30cm beyond the glass on each side so the curtains can stack back without blocking light. Drop: measure from the pole or track down to where you want the curtains to finish: 1cm above the sill, 15cm below the sill, or 1cm to 2cm off the floor for full length.
7. What is the difference between blackout and thermal blackout lining?
A blackout lining is about light: an opaque layer that stops daylight and streetlight coming through. A thermal blackout lining does the same job and adds an insulating layer that slows heat moving through the window, keeping rooms warmer in winter and cooler in summer. If your priority is sleep, blackout is enough. If it is comfort and energy bills, choose thermal blackout.
8. How should I clean my printed curtains?
Professional dry cleaning only. The printed face and the bonded blackout and thermal linings do not respond well to machine washing, which can shrink the fabric and separate the lining. Between cleans, a vacuum with the soft brush attachment on a low setting keeps dust from settling into the weave.
9. How long will my order take, and what does delivery cost?
Every order is printed and sewn from scratch, so allow 8-10 days for production. Delivery on curtains is free worldwide. Orders to the United States are sent DDP, meaning import taxes and duties are already covered and there is nothing to pay when the parcel arrives.
Explore more: Tropical Curtains, Nautical Curtains, Kids and Nursery Curtains, Green Curtains and Blue Curtains. Or narrow the choice by lining with Blackout Curtains and Thermal Curtains, or browse every design in Curtains.
