Doorway curtains (Cortina de tiras)

 

A variety of curtains

In addition to the unique persianas, another ubiquitous and unique household furnishing are doorway curtains (Cortina de tiras). I had never seen these before coming to Spain and initially thought they were cumbersome and uncomfortable but I now enjoy their utility, especially for keeping flies out of houses. 

Whether it is the door to the outside or interior partitioning, the doorway curtains hang from the top of the doorway and cover the entire doorway. They are typically made up of strands of metal or plastic and come in all sorts of colors and designs. 

When passing through the doorway you can kind of brush them aside like a normal curtain but when passing with items in your hands they can be a little unruly but after some practice you get used to it. As mentioned I initially thought they were unnecessary if not a little strange but in the end I am a huge fan.