White curtains offer a dual advantage: privacy and natural light. They keep curious eyes at bay while allowing a steady stream of sunlight inside, enhancing the house's charm and brightness.

Since curtains take up so much visual space and become even more of a focal point when the sun spotlights them, they need to be the right color. Stark white curtains can be a little aggressive.

“We hung Ikea white curtains everywhere,” she says. “It was really good for acoustics, it was cheap, and it gave us a lot of hidden storage in an apartment that had no storage.” I hung the ...