We often pick drapes that are good insulators but not necessarily beautiful. After all, we want to relax in a home that stays cool in summer and warm in winter.
But you can have form and function. Custom draperies can help keep your home energy-efficient and attractive at the same time.
What to Keep in Mind When Ordering Custom Drapes
If you’ve never ordered custom draperies, it’s hard to understand how much of a difference they can make in your home. The right ones can make a room look bigger, softer, and more elegant; they’re also extremely functional.
Yes, they can be expensive, but once installed, you won’t be replacing them for a long time. The trick is to pick the right ones. Here’s how.
1. The Theory of Colour
Colour obviously plays a vital role in how your interiors are going to look. So be sure to match the colour of your custom drapes with your walls to create a more spacious look in a small room. However, if the room is big and it’s a cozier feeling you’re after, you can contrast the colours. This will also add character and interest to the room.
If you prefer not to match the drapes to the wall, do so with another element, like a rug or piece of furniture. Light shades of both warm and cool colours can make any room appear bigger and work well with natural light. However, warm colours can give a muddy feel once the natural light fades or when it’s cloudy.
Monochrome colours usually work best for drapes. Not a fan? Then mix the cool colours of custom draperies with off-white elements in the room, like a pale wood chair or light-hued lamp.
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2. Playing With Patterns
Heavy patterns and horizontally-oriented designs emphasize the splendour of a big room but can weigh down smaller ones by drawing attention to their sizes. Horizontal patterns likewise can make a room look wide. Without a vertical pattern, the room can look oppressive and short, since they make the walls appear higher without restricting the view on their width.
Hatched or plaid patterns look good with thick vertical lines or fine horizontal ones. Make sure your custom draperies contain a colour shade that is similar to that on the walls. If you think using the patterned drapes is too bold a move for your interiors, choose custom draperies with an open weave in a brightly coloured fabric. This will create the illusion of patterns when it comes in contact with light.
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3. The Texture Story
Frills add volume to your drapes and look great, especially when the air ruffles them. But in a small space, they will make them look bulky and crowded. Avoid embellished bottoms (or drapes with heavier fabrics on the bottom) if you have a low ceiling as this counteracts the height.
If you don’t want your drapes to be distracting but do want them to have enough of a pattern to maintain interest, choose silk curtains with finely trimmed edges. For something more dramatic, opt for drapes with pleats, minus too much volume or prints.
Upholstered or plush valances make a big room look cozier; for small rooms, sleek valances and unadorned curtain rods will be a better fit. Use the appropriate tie-backs as well for a more sophisticated look.
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4. The Perfect Place
Custom draperies can beautify many corners in your home, not just over windows and doors. You just have to know where to put them.
Make a style statement by hanging them behind your bed. This will also make the room look larger and moiré regal. For a softer and brighter look, make sure the drapes match the walls.
It is often difficult to hang custom drapes on corner windows. Try using ceiling-mounted ones where the track mount system allows you to pull them close and cover both sides of the windows. It is also difficult to put drapes on arched or Palladian windows. Pinch-pleated drapes work well with these, providing privacy and diffusing sunlight.
For a large bare wall, use pinch-pleated drapes with ruffles in the middle to add a little character. In the middle vacant space, you can put some frames. You can also use similar drapes for the bay windows.
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Tip: Use drapes wall to wall if there’s a window or glass door with just a metre of wall on either side. This will create the illusion of the entire wall being the window. To make the space look elongated, hang the drapes floor to ceiling and use light colours. This will make your room look timeless and classic.
5. Hanging the Drapes
Hanging drapes correctly is a vital factor to make your interior look good. First, decide where to put the curtain rods. This is one of the most difficult decisions because it depends on the style of the drape and window.
Then, before fixing the rods, measure the height and width of the drapes. You don’t want them too high, low, wide, or narrow. A few centimetres plus or minus could spoil the look of your custom draperies. With simple drapes, use decorative rods with brackets and finials. Creating stylishly draped windows and doors isn’t very expensive if you know the right accessories to use.
Tip: A modern binder along with a decorative rod will emphasize the looks of your drapes. Make sure your drapes don’t clump at the floor, but only graze slightly.
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If you’re spending considerably on custom drapes, consult window covering experts before purchasing. Also, look for providers of top brands like HunterDouglas, Kravet, Elite and Sun Glow.
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