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Unique Drapery Ideas

Are you looking for drapery ideas that are unique and lavish? Read on to find out why drapery is finest and richest way to decorate your windows and find ideas how to incorporate it in your home.

gold drapery During the Industrial Revolution there was an increased use of fabrics. This was due to the invention of the spinning wheel. Also silk and other fabrics from the Far East were more easily accessible due to the increased trade routes. This encouraged the use of fabric as luxurious decorations. The more fabric used; the more lavish and rich the room was. This was the time that drapery became popular.

Custom drapery is a even more luxurious way of decorating windows. It is one of the places were fabric is used very generously.

Here are some drapery ideas for your home:

Drapery Panels

Draperies usually consist of panels that are lined, pleated, and floor-length flanking the two sides of the window. These panels can serve as the window covering, however they are mostly used for decoration only, while the windows themselves are covered with either curtains or hard treatments.

Drapery panels can be either stationary or functional. Sometimes the two panels are attached across the top of the window frame and are held open with two holdbacks.

Drapery Rods

The panels can be affixed to rods through ties

many different ways. Rings are commonly used, but for a more casual touch is can be tied to the rod with its own or contrasting fabric in the form of tabs or ties.

A flip topper is a panel that is lined with a contrasting fabric and is then flipped over the rod. The flipped piece can then be decorated for emphasis. Due to the design of the flip topper these panels are usually stationary.

Drapery Pleats

Draperies are also characterized by its pleating.

The french pleat also known as pinch pleat , is a three fold pleat topping the panel at regular intervals.

The goblet pleat is very similar, just the pleats are situated a few inches below the heading and the fabric above the pleat is puffed out and forms the shape of a goblet (see photo above).Below the goblet a decoration like a button or a tie is often added.

Another popular pleat is the pencil pleat, it has evenly and closely spaced pleats resembling pencils, giving the upper part of the panel a smocked look.

As mentioned previously draperies are usually floor length. But to add to the elegance and richness, the panel sometimes has an additional length that sort of spills onto the floor. This feature, called a puddle, was used originally only by the rich, since who then has enough fabric to just lay on the floor?

Draperies are made from many different fabrics ranging from silk to taffeta, to Damask, to velvet, to moire. These fabrics come in a array of colors and textures to create the drapery of your dreams.

For a finishing touch draperies are embellished with unique trimmings and drapery hardware. And for the ultimate look top it with a lovely valance or adorn it with swags.

Look through our photo gallery for more drapery ideas.

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Brooklyn, NY 11204

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