EASY TO MAKE DRAPERY – NO SEW

Deborah Nelson October 22, 2015

In my living room shown above I was in a pinch for drapery so I made the panels. A lot of people asked about the window treatments when it appeared in House & Home magazine. There were two large windows on either side of the sofa ...

ASK DEB NELSON: FULL LENGTH DRAPERY

Deborah Nelson September 19, 2015

In a few 'Ask Deb Nelson' articles, I have had questions about window treatments. Every window is very different and will likely need it's own assessment for the best type of covering to use. I always like roman shades, but in some traditional, classic homes a full length drapery panel is a better look. I always like a drapery with a pleat on a rod and ring, I think it adds more detail to the drapery but typically is custom made, so you need to invest a little more. In the window treatment above, I like that it shows the combination of a drapery and a blind. This is also something you can do if you want to add a more layered look and use the blinds for privacy rather than closing the drapery. You can also notice the rod is hung higher than the window and it's wider than the window frame. There are many things to consider in regards to the hardware; from exactly where and how it's hung, to how it functions with the drapery.

There are many places to buy pre-made, flat panel drapery, this means you don't have the pleats on the header of the drapery, but you can save money if you can get the correct length and width of panels. In terms of the fabric choice, you can add a lot of detail with a patterned fabric, but if you're not sure what to do, a solid linen or cotton fabric that coordinates with the wall colour (like the room below) is usually a safe bet.

Here is a look again at a custom drapery:

Image source: Lonny magazine

Style of Header

You can purchase pre-made, flat drapery panels:

Image source: Pottery Barn

Hardware

Hardware is also important to think about, this is an antique brass rod with the ball finial. There are many finishes available, so the colour choice depends on what you prefer and the other accents in the room.

Image source: Restoration Hardware

TOP 3 PICKS FOR LINEN FABRIC

Deborah Nelson October 24, 2014

I use a lot of natural linen with clients and in my own home, often it's Belgian linen. I like 100% linen for drapery, roman shades, slipcovers, bedding and pillows. In the picture above you can catch a bit of the detail in the roman shades on the windows on either side of the fireplace. These were custom made in a very light linen fabric and I had a slightly darker linen band added for contrast. People often ask where to get linen fabric. Here are a few sources for 3 nice looking linens you can order online, at a range of prices. I always suggest getting a sample before you order a large quantity.

Fabric 1: from fabric.com $14.58/yard European 100% linen oatmeal Item Number: UR-212