Window Treatments

If you have been following the previous 2 weeks articles your walls should now look crisp and fresh and your flooring is exactly as you hoped it would be.  The next element to consider in our room make-over is the window treatment.   Few things affect a room’s appearance more than curtains and their style and colour are of utmost importance.  Numerous design effects can be created by drapes.  As well as creating that “soecial look” curtains can also create optical illusions so that the dimensions of the windows, even the room, can seem to be altered. For example:

·        To make a window look wider extend the track beyond the window frame.

·        To make a window look taller position the track some distance above the frame and cover the space with a pelmet.

·        To reduce the width of a window use tie-backs and join the curtains at the top.

·        To enhance a beautiful window ensure that the drapes do not obscure it.  If you have a window that is architecturally pleasing emphasise its unusual shape.

Wherever possible keep the window space open and avoid heavy drapes that block out natural light.  If the room is small, decide on a simple fabric arrangement – frills and tassels are for large, ornate rooms where grandeur and opulence are the order of the day.

·         Unless curtains are sheer, they will hang better when lined.

·       Match the weight of the fabric to the weight of the curtain tape and remember to allow for gathering when buying the tape.

·   It is a good idea to make separate linings as these can then be easily removed for cleaning.

For all the tailored sophistication you can achieve with ready-made tapes the old fashioned methods of drapes without headings still have a simplicity which makes them worth considering., for example:

·                    Sewn-on or clipped-on rings.

·                    Cased headings, ideal for drapes which do not need to be drawn.

·                    Tab headings, which are ideal for café style curtains.

Remember that, as a general rule, full-length curtains look elegant whereas sill-length drapes look less formal.

Happy sewing.

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