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Dressing Up Your Draperies
Designing window treatments is a lot like putting together an outfit for a special occasion. You start off by deciding what is the most appropriate to wear, a pretty dress or perhaps a conservative suit. Then you set about choosing just the right accessories - high heels or flats, the perfect purse, coordinated jewelry. It’s those last minute additions and attention to detail that really make you happy with the way you look.
The process of designing your draperies works in much the same way. First you must decide on the basic look that is right for your room and then carefully choose the details and accessories that will make it complete. In window covering design this means hardware, trimmings, embellishments, and enhancements. When the whole package comes together the results should be a beautiful design that enhances the look of your room and successfully addresses the functional requirements of each window.
Drapery Trim can be put into two basic categories:
Passamenterie or Decorative Trimmings: This category includes traditional manufactured elements such as tassel fringe, bullion fringe, brush fringe, tassels, gimp, cording, etc.
Decorative Embellishments: This category is broader but includes hand made custom elements such as ruffles, banding, borders, welting, bows, ties, rosettes, etc.
Decorative trim has a million and one uses. It can be used to create harmony, balance, emphasis or contrast in your design. It can be the unifying element to tie multiple treatments together or can be used to set a particular design apart from others. Trim can add
a sense of formality or add a touch of whimsy to a room.
The absence of trim can be just as effective, creating a
feeling of casual comfort or stark contemporary design.
Knowing exactly what type of trim or embellishment will add the perfect touch to your window treatments is critical. It is also very important to be able to tell when the addition of trim will put your treatments over the top. Just as with other areas of design add trim to your work in moderation. It is easier to add elements if you believe they are needed then to subtract them if they are too much for the room.
As a general rule, traditional designs call out for more trim than contemporary styles. Although many trim companies have introduced beautiful ranges of contemporary and transitional
trimmings in the past few years. Ask your Exciting Windows designer to show you the fabulous selection they have available for use on
your treatments.
Here are a few important tips of the trade you should know when using trimmings
- Trim can be applied with adhesives, heat bonding tapes, by machine or by hand.
- Be aware that most trim can be very delicate and is susceptible to fading and sun rot.
- Most trim is not washable and many trims cannot be dry-cleaned. If using such trim on a treatment that must be washed or cleaned, apply the trim in a manner that makes it easily removed for cleaning such as hand tacking.
- Trim will create additional stiffness to the areas of fabric to which it is applied. Take the size, weight and body of the trim you select into consideration and try to determine what effect it will have on your treatment.
- Trim can often shrink when taken off the bolt. Always order extra to avoid running short.
Above all remember that decorative trims are the icing on the cake. Have fun and use them to create unique and personal design that will enhance your home for years to come.
Get Excited about your home!
Jackie Von Tobel
author of The Design Directory of Window Treatments
click here to learn more about this subject on Jackie’s Blog
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