Draperies: Not Just For Windows Any More

Home & Garden Blog

While you may have considered draperies as treatments for your windows, you may not have thought of them for many other uses in your living space. Read on to learn four ways you can utilize draperies to solve both functional and aesthetic problems in your home.

Hide an Undesirable Element

If you have an ugly wall or another undesirable view in your home, you may be searching for a way to disguise it, particularly if you live in a rental property where permanent changes aren't allowed or feasible. Hanging drapery material is an ideal solution.

In most cases, you want to hang the draperies close to the ceiling and have them extend to the floor, for a more seamless, less obvious look. Choose a color that matches your wall paint to blend them with the rest of the room.

On the other hand, you can use draperies as a focal point for the room too. Pick a vibrant print or mural fabric with a scene, and you not only cover up an unattractive feature but add instant artwork as well.

Create the Illusion of Space

If you live in a small home or have a tiny room you'd like to make look larger, try using draperies to frame a trompe l'oeuil painting or mirror. This can create the illusion of a window and therefore trick the eye into thinking you have more space or a more expansive vista than you actually do.

Delineate Separate Zones

Whether you live in a tiny studio apartment or an enormous loft, you may be searching for a way to separate zones within the space. Hanging draperies can be a perfect way to do this because

  • They are less expensive than building walls or other structural elements.
  • They offer more flexibility and can be moved to reorganize the space.
  • They aren't a permanent investment in a rental property and can move with you to another home.

When using draperies to screen off a sleeping area, be sure to use a liner for privacy. If you want acoustical privacy in a loft space, use a thicker fabric, and ask about noise baffling material to really block sound.

Replace Doors

Draperies can also be used to replace doors or to create them where you just have openings or arches. This is advantageous in that you don't have to worry about a swing space like you would for an actual door.

Known as a "portiere,"  this type of drapery was a very popular way of closing off rooms in historic homes, particularly during the Victorian era. It can offer energy efficiency if you live in an older home and lend Old World glamour to any space.

To get the look of a traditional portiere, try double hanging two layers of draperies in different colors for a rich, plush look. Rather than drawing the draperies symmetrically on either side of the opening like you might for a window, gather the fabric on just one side, and use an ornate sculptural drapery holder or satin drapery pull. Add a valance of beads or tassels across the top for even more elegance.

While draperies won't go out of fashion any time soon for windows, you can take advantage of them in so many more creative ways. Try one of the tricks above for a unique and more beautiful living space today. For more information, contact a company like Budget Blinds Of Coachella Valley.

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30 September 2015

Lawn Care Maintenance: A Year Round Effort

Most of us take great pride in our homes and do everything we can to ensure its beauty and comfort. While attending to our home's interior, we sometimes tend to neglect the lawn, especially during winter. Since moving into my "dream home" I feel compelled to maintain the lawn and garden as impeccably as I do the interior. That's why I've hired a lawn care team to see that my landscape is in tip-top shape all year round. I've learned the importance of fertilization during the late fall and early winter. Keeping the lawn trimmed during those cold winter months will help, too. The experts even help prepare my lawn for the upcoming spring. During this time, family celebrations and parties are plentiful, and I plan to have the best looking lawn on the block. I can't wait for spring to come!