Window coverings are a key element to every home. They provide privacy from the outside and the opportunity to express yourself from the inside. While there are many different window coverings to choose from such as plantation shutters, roller shades, or woven woods today we are going to focus on drapery. Whether custom made or store bought, there are a few key guidelines you should follow.
First, choose your fabric. It is important to consider the mood of the room while selecting fabric. If your room is formal, you may want to go with a rich velvet or heavy silk. If the room has a casual feel to it, you cannot go wrong with linen or cotton. The most versatile fabrics are going to be silk/rayon and cotton blends. Most are even machine washable! Now... to print or not to print. The general rule of thumb is to avoid patterns if you have a large patterned area rug or piece of furniture like a sofa in the room. If so, go solid or choose a very subtle, minute two color print. if you find your room is awash of solids, here is a great opportunity to liven it up and express your personality. After you've chosen your fabric you will want to also choose drapery hardware. Go back to step one and consider the mood of the room again.
Now it's time to measure. When it comes to length, floor length is the way to go. Your drapery should skim the floor. For a more contemporary trend, it can also puddle slightly (see image below). But how high up is it going to hang? In order to make the window look taller, your drapery hardware should be mounted 4"-8" above the window opening. In order to determine width, you need to decide if your panels are going to be fixed or fully functional. Fixed panels do not move, they frame the window on either side and their combined width should be 1.5 times the width of the window opening. Fully functional drapery can open and close and the combined width of the fabric should be 2.5 times the width of the window opening. In addition, you will want your drapery hardware to hang wider than the window opening by 3"-6" on either side.
We hope the tips above have been insightful and helpful. We've included images of some of our more recent custom drapery projects located in Houston, Tomball, and Galveston Bay. For more interior design tips and trends keep up to date with us by subscribing to our blog and make sure to follow us on instagram. If you have specific questions or project needs, you can contact us below. We look forward to hearing from you!
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