By Guest Author Mary James
Drapes are an important part of home furnishing. They add to the beauty of your home when suitably matched with the decor. They block the sunlight giving the room a softer touch. They also protect the expensive furniture, decorative items from the harsh effects of sunlight and prevent fading and retain their longevity. Besides, they keep the room warm by trapping heat and obstructing cold waves.
Another most important role of the drapes is creating privacy of your premises. They are available in a wide range of fabrics and types. The choice of pattern, colour and thickness depends on your personal requirement. There are various types of drapes available. One can easily change the look of their home by choosing the right type and suitable fabric of drapes.
Type of Fabric is Important in Choosing the Curtains
Based on Fabric
- Shear drapes are made of light fabric like linen, lace and sheer cotton. They allow natural light to come into the room. They can be sewn at home. They give casual and peaceful look to the room. However, they do not give adequate privacy; therefore for this purpose the width of the drapes should be large to get good number of folding.
- Unlined drapes allow some amount of sunlight while maintaining privacy of the home. There is no need of dry-cleaning as these are home washable.
- Lined drapes require additional lining to block light. They provide insulation by trapping warmth in the room. They protect furniture from harsh sunlight.
- Thermal or blackout drapes have multiple layers of compactly knitted fabric for insulation. They provide protection against heat and cold. They are also called black out drapes as they restrict sunlight to pass through them, owing to the extra lining. They give a sophisticated and formal look to the room.
Based on Types
- Ring top: Here, rings are attached to drapes top. These rings are inserted into curtain rods. The rods and the rings are visible in this type of drapes so they should be decorative, stylish and beautiful.
- Rod pocket: Here, rings are not required. A pocket is stitched on the top of the drapes where the rod is slipped. These are best for light weight fabric.
- Tab top: Here, loops are stitched at regular interval on the top edge of drapes. The rod goes through it. There is no need of rings.
- Grommets top: These are the latest one, metal holes are present at the top of curtain. These are large metal eyelets and are ideal for heavy fabric curtain. They give drapes a stylish pleated look.
Curtain Accessories
Rods are the most important accessory to hang drapes. Rod should be decorative and designed in ring top, grommet and tab top drapes as it is most visible in these cases. Finials are fitted at the ends of rods to give them a complete look. They come in beautiful designs with colour finish to match with the room colour and fixtures.
Rings are attached to the drapes for their easy movement. They are available in various types as per the requirement. Tiebacks are fabric loops to tie the drapes together. They required gather the curtains for better light and outside view.
Mary James is a renowned author who writes articles on various topics. She is a regular contributor to the website www.officesalesusa.com.
