Windows are one of the most vital elements of your home that bring light and air, and they make a premise more breathable. Besides utility, the windows add a special aesthetics in your home, and you must arrange some special treatments for these lively spots in your home to make them more beautiful. When you treat your home windows with best care and décor plan, it creates an ambience which enhances style statement. Window curtains and drapes are the most convenient ways to decorate these beautiful places.
Nothing makes your room space more beautiful than a curtain! A beautiful curtain adds a high-end smart look, and can work like well-planned window treatments. Like every aspect of a meticulous interior decoration plan, these window treatments can play an integral role in the overall aesthetics of your sweet home.
Window treatments add style and colour to any window while maintaining fantastic privacy and also prevent scorching sunlight from entering the room. As stated by ‘Jeff Day’ (Published in, The Home Depot, Decorating 1–2-3), if you want a room to look more formal and cozy, consider long window treatments that can sweep the floor or full treatments that use lots of fabric.
Different window options are now available at your ready access in terms of readymade Curtains & Drapes. Similarly, there are different types of window treatments to compliment the window designs. For example, Curtains, Blinds, Drapes, and Shades are some of the most popular options. So, choosing the right window treatment has become a bit tricky. However, curtain and drapes are popularly used as decorative window treatments, which are easy to install and simple to maintain altogether.
Let’s first understand some basic information about the window curtains and drapes.
Curtains and Drapes
Curtains and drapes are the most decorative style of window treatment, which provides a soothing effect and a cool look at the room ambiance. A well-planned curtain and drape fitting convert a space in your home vibrant and comfortable. In Asian Countries, people most commonly call them curtains whereas, in the Western Countries, curtains are popular as drapes. However, while most of us might use the terms interchangeably, there is slight difference between the drapes and curtains.
Let’s look at the difference between curtains and drapes.
Curtains are of floor-length or maybe slightly shorter than that to cover just the window. They are mostly made of light weight fabric like cotton, linen, etc. and these are made mostly unlined. They are also popular as curtain panels.
On the other hand, drapes are of the length of the top of the window to the floor. They are generally pleated and made from heavy or thick fabric like velvet, silk etc. Hence, they can almost block the sunlight from entering the room. Window drapes are also familiar as draperies and drapery panels.
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Different Styles of Curtains and Drapes
Varieties of curtains and drapes are available in the market, and most of the variants are classified by the style of heading, which is the top of the curtain panels where the hooks or rings are attached. So here we have mentioned the various styles of curtains and drapes. Take a look:
01. Grommet Curtains (Eyelet)
Grommet curtains are one of the most popular varieties of curtains for common homes. In terms of look, effect and styles of curtains, look and ambiance created are of a simple and casual type. Grommet curtains generally include silver rings at the header. They are ideal for light to medium weight fabrics like cotton, linen, etc. and hence easy to open and close. These types of window treatments are perfect for a patio window that needs to be accessible since it is easy to operate. Grommet curtains are usually made up of lightweight fabrics like cotton, linen, polyester, etc.
02. Rod Pocket Curtains
Rod Pocket Curtains are also familiar as a casement curtain. The pocket is sewn across the top of the curtain panel through which the curtain rod gets inserted. Rod pocket curtains are made of lightweight fabrics like cotton, linen, polyester, etc.
03. Tab Top Curtains
Curtains with loops at the top edge are called tab top curtains. They are normally stable, since drawing them across the rod can be a bit of a burden. Therefore, they are the best curtain variety used on windows that aren’t opened on a regular basis.
04. Pleated Drapes
Pleated drapes are the retro looking classic style of drapes. These drapes create a formal and pleated look altogether. The pleats are formed with the help of the header tape which is sewn from the panel’s back and forms pleats when pulled together. The hanging hooks are then inserted into the tape, and the panels hung on rings which use a cord-and-pulley system for opening and closing the drapes.Listed below are some of the popular styles of pleated drapes:
Styles of Pleated Drapes
(a) Pinch Pleated Drapes
Pinch Pleated Drapes are the most common type of draperies. This drape variety option is also popular as French Pleated Draperies. These drapes are series of equally spaced folds of fabric that are pinched at top and pin hooks or rings which are then attached to the tops of each pleat on the rod. There are five different types of pleat, including one-finger pleat, two-finger pleat, three-finger pleat, four-finger pleat, five-finger pleat. With more pleats, the size of the pleats increases and therefore the length of fabric needed to make the drapes increase and hence increase the cost.
(b) Goblet Pleated Drapes
Goblet pleated drapes resemble a triple pinch pleat. The pleat at the top look like glass. To keep the goblet pleat looking full and rounded, they should be shaped with interlining. These curtains are usually seen in traditional rooms built with high ceilings.
(c) Pencil Pleated Drapes
Pencil Pleated Drapes are successively small in size and thin pleats are found across the entire top of the panel. It is the most popular style of pleated drapes. They look best if the cords are pulled as tight as you can get them.
(d) Box Pleated Drapes
Box Pleated Drapes are quite popular that is known for rendering a very stylish look in the room where these are fixed. The fabric is deeply folded inward which look tailored at the first impression. As said by ‘Melanie Paine’ (Published in, Practical Home Decorating Curtains & Shades), instead of having a border and hooks at top, they are attached to the pole with clips that also keep the pleat in position.
(e) Cartridge Pleated Drapes
Cartridge Pleat Drapes have single pleat that are spaced more widely than regular pinch pleats. It is basically a goblet pleat that hasn’t been folded and stitched in at its base. They are rounded at the top.
(f) Tuxedo Pleated Drapes
Tuxedo Pleated Drapes are larger pleats and normally they are found hung on a decorative rod to create a contemporary look and formal flair. Pleats are sewn on the backside of the drapery.
05. Pelmets and Valances
Pelmets are the decorative framework used to hide curtain fixtures at the top of the window casing. They are usually made of wood or plywood. Mostly flat and designed with box like shape, they can be shaped to add decorative details.
Valances are softer in displayed appeal with a gathered or pleated heading.
Pelmets and valances add a total finishing touch to a window-dressing in order to create a high luxury look while cleverly hiding curtain rods or tracks. They are used in bedrooms, drawing room, restaurants, etc.
06. Window Scarf or Scarf Swag
Window scarf curtains are long, continuous piece of fabric that simply hangs in front or on the side of a window. This curtain style is also popular as scarf swag. It is not a very elaborate curtain. You can use a curtain rod and simply drape the scarf over the rod, or you could hang the scarf between two brackets and let it curve in the middle. It creates a soft framing around your entire window. However, it will not block much sunlight or free flow of air.
As per said by ‘Jeff Day’ (Published in, The Home Depot, Decorating 1 – 2- 3) if the graceful scarf combined roller shades, it will provide privacy to your home. If it is a window that needs more insulation, you may consider pairing with drapes.
07. Cafe Curtains
Cafe curtains can hung halfway up the window, nearly at the top, or closer to the bottom of the window. The height of the curtain is made to match a divider line already in the window.
The advantage of hanging a cafe curtain in your home is that it adds privacy and light control to a room without blocking out all the light at the upper part of the window. Cafe curtains work well in windows of kitchens, bathrooms, etc.
Put it all together, furnishing your windows with beautiful curtains and drapes with different fabric, colours, and patterns bring a unique elegance to your home. The two different types of window treatments may be used together or separately in a room to effectively cover windows as well as to improve the overall appearance of a home’s interior. However, it is important to check the existing furnishing and colour of the room before choosing the most suitable style of curtains and drapes to make your beautiful rooms more awesome.
Also Read:
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