A window is a natural focal point and so the treatment
you give it can set the whole style of a room. The range of effects you can create are literally endless.
You can go from the delicacy of lace panels to a crisp, contemporary look of Venetian blinds or verticals.
You can go tailored, pleated and formal, with full-length curtains to soft, billowing festoons. You can
go from grand, traditional swags and tails to the natural charm of split-cane blinds.
CURTAIN FABRICS - Curtain fabrics come in a variety of fibres and in different weights, finishes,
textures, colors and patterns. In general, the shorter the curtain, the lighter the fabric can be. Curtains
which hang full-length in straight folds need heavier fabric. Simple cased headings and loose gathers and
ties work best if the material is lightweight. Tailored, pleated headings are more successful in a stiffer,
thicker fabric.
Cotton is still the principal fibre used in furnishing fabrics. Today it is often blended with artificial
fibres such as polyester. Cotton, however, prints well, wears well and comes in a wide range of
weights, weaves and finishes. In addition to plain weave cotton, you can obtain cotton brocades, lawns,
damasks, chintzes, ginghams, sateens, satins and velvets.
Linen is sturdier than cotton and more loosely woven. A blend of linen and cotton, known as "linen union",
is the most common linen furnishing fabric.
For furnishing use, wool is usually blended with other fibres. Both light wools and tweeds can be used to
make curtains, especially if extra warmth is desired. However, whenever choosing a product with wool, make
sure no one in your family has alergies to wool.
Other fabrics involved in curtain-making include linings, interlinings and buckram. Cotton sateen, in
colors as well as neutral shades, is the most common type of lining material. Thermal lining comes either
in a cotton and acrylic blend or in an aluminum-coated form. Black-out lining, which excludes all light,
comes in neutral shades. Interlining consists of a layer of padding stitched between the lining and curtain.
Sheers and Unlined Curtains - The typical sheer curtain is the net curtain, long used in conjunction with
outer curtains to provide daytime privacy and to filter strong sunlight. Almost any kind of light,
semi-transparent fabric can serve the purpose - muslin, lac, voile and lawn are all attractive options.
Sheer curtains are often sustended from a rod or wire by means of a cased heading, but they can also be
hung from a special track or they can be fixed top and bottom as panels - on French doors, for example.
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A window is a natural focal point and so the treatment
you give it can set the whole style of a room. The range of effects you can create are literally endless.
You can go from the delicacy of lace panels to a crisp, contemporary look of Venetian blinds or verticals.
You can go tailored, pleated and formal, with full-length curtains to soft, billowing festoons. You can
go from grand, traditional swags and tails to the natural charm of split-cane blinds.