Curtains Not Only A Piece Of Decoration:
At Hand are so many singular casement treatments on the soak that it can get perplexing. You could even be tempted to just go with boring shutters, or cheap blinders. Basic functionality aside, these options leave a lot to be desired. Curtains or drapes aren't just for decorating windows. There are three important functions they should provide in addition to the basic functionality of blinds or shutters. Which of the three is most important depends on your needs and preferences for the room. Curtains are materials that are hung over a window for decoration and other purposes. The main purposes are to provide privacy, block sunlight and decoration.
People can find in sequence and tips on factors to take into account when buying curtains for your home. Observably overcrowding out the sun during the day and other light in the nighttime is a priority, so taking into financial credit the position of your home and how the sun affects it is imperative to getting it right the first time. A good tip when choosing curtains is to enhance the window and room effect with curtains rather than taking on something excessive that may result in a whole makeover.
To enhance your room's technique and feel, admiring comment the room with curtains that have a similar look and feel or bring life to an area with your chosen curtains. This means that if your room is a dark space due to lack of sunlight, it is advisable to use bright color curtain fabric to add life to the room. If you have a room with plenty of sunlight, choose a curtain fabric that can offer strong resistance to fading over time. For rooms with plenty of light, blocking out the light and protecting your indoor furniture and carpets from the long idiom damage sunlight can do.
Although the words are often used interchangeably, there is a distinct difference between curtains and drapes. Drapes tend to be more formal, floor length affairs, with a heavy lining, that can be opened and closed with a pull cord. Curtains are their less formal relatives, often made from a lighter fabric, with or without lining. They are generally suspended by hooks, rings or even tab tops from a pole, and are opened and closed by hand. While drapes are usually stand alone, curtains can be used with blinds or shades, and in this case are sometimes tied back permanently to the window edge and never closed at all.
If you are choosing curtains as ingredient of your home intend assignment, you should mull over three basic types. Panels are the simplest and most often used, being basic panels of material, hemmed top and bottom, gathered at the top to bring into being soft folds, and hung by hooks or rings from a pole. The leading edges of your curtains can have bullion edging friendly. This is usually custom dyed to obtain an exact match to the curtains that you are applying it to. Make sure that you do not employ fringing that is too heavy for the curtain it is being applied to or you will end up with a very shocking effect where the periphery of the curtain is dragged down away from the shaft or handrail.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Curtains Over Blinds
When considering the interior design of your home, how you cover your windows is a very important decision, and one that shouldn't be taken lightly. Let's take a look at the top 10 advantages of curtains over blinds.
Curtains add visual elegance to a room
Where both vertical and horizontal blinds just cover the window and add very little to the look and feel of the room, curtains and their fittings add a certain style. Curtain poles come in a wide variety of styles, from simple metal curtain poles to wood effect ones. Finials (the decorative ends of the curtain poles) also come in all shapes and sizes, so you are sure to find a style that suits your room.
When open, curtains frame a window beautifully, creating a border which is lacking with blinds. Whether pulled up or to the side, blinds cover only the window, whereas curtains can hang below and to the side of the window. Tying curtains back adds a certain elegance which blinds cannot offer.
Curtains and curtain tracks or poles can be bent to fit a bay window
Although some vertical blinds can be bent to the shape of a bay window, a vertical blind will take away the lovely effect and leave the room looking more like an office. A curtain track or curtain pole can be made to measure and bent to suit a bay window and the curtains will once again add elegance and style. Curtain tracks are also more flexible and can be made to fit a wider range of bay windows.
Increased fitting flexibility
Some of today's more modern windows and patio doors open inwards leaving little space to fix. With curtain tracks that can be as small as 5mm and some that can even be recess fixed into a ceiling, this will leave plenty of room for a window or door to open inwards.
Curtains provide insulation
Typically blinds are thin and offer minimal heat insulation to a room. Compare this with a lovely warm set of curtains which not only keep the heat inside but also cut draughts as they can hang below the window ledge, unlike blinds which stop just above the ledge. Curtains can also be interlined with a thick material to add extra heat insulation.
Hand, cord or electric operation
Curtain tracks and curtain poles can be hand operated so that many different curtains can operate on one window. This allows curtains of different widths and drops to stack at different locations on the window. In addition they can also be operated as a blind with a cord to avoid handling the curtains or electrically for the extra security and a touch of luxury.
Easy to keep clean
Blinds can be dust traps, especially horizontal ones. As more people are suffering from asthma and dust allergies, curtains are a healthy choice, requiring little care to keep them clean and presentable. The tracks and poles need little servicing and the curtains need only be vacuumed or dry cleaned on the odd occasion.
Want a new look and feel?
Although white or cream blinds will fit in with most room styles and colours, they do nothing to enhance it. Curtains can blend in with your room, or can be chosen to enhance or contrast with it. Redecorating? No problem, just choose new curtains to match. Curtains can also have trimmings and contrast edges to pick out other colours within the room. Buttons can be added to pleats, cord can be added to edges or pleats as can a contrast trimming. Curtains offer a much wider scope for design.
Curtains can be controlled remotely
As mentioned above, electric curtain tracks can be fitted which allow you to control your curtains from the comfort of your armchair. Although it may seem like the height of laziness, there is a practical aspect to electric curtain tracks. When on holiday, people typically use automated light-switching devices but have to leave curtains or blinds half open. Electric curtains can be set to open and close at set times each day, giving the impression that someone is home. Alternatively a light sensor can be added to open and close the curtains in conjunction with the daylight hours.
Curtains are easy to hang
Want to change your curtains? Simply unhook them from your curtain pole, attach the hooks to your new curtains and away you go. Replacing vertical blinds can involve unhooking each blind from the next, unclipping each one carefully (the plastic is easy to snap), and then going through the whole rigmarole in reverse to put them back up. Other blinds must be removed all in one, making it easy to damage them as they are taken down or put back up.
Reliable and cost effective
With so many working parts or fiddly clips, blinds tend to be less reliable than curtains on a track or a pole. Combining curtains with a good, reliable curtain track or pole can be a more cost effective option; especially as curtain prices have been greatly reduced since the introduction of ready-made and express curtain making services. And if your requirements change, you can simply hang new curtains on your existing track or pole.
We hope you have found our information about the advantages of curtains over blinds useful.
Curtains add visual elegance to a room
Where both vertical and horizontal blinds just cover the window and add very little to the look and feel of the room, curtains and their fittings add a certain style. Curtain poles come in a wide variety of styles, from simple metal curtain poles to wood effect ones. Finials (the decorative ends of the curtain poles) also come in all shapes and sizes, so you are sure to find a style that suits your room.
When open, curtains frame a window beautifully, creating a border which is lacking with blinds. Whether pulled up or to the side, blinds cover only the window, whereas curtains can hang below and to the side of the window. Tying curtains back adds a certain elegance which blinds cannot offer.
Curtains and curtain tracks or poles can be bent to fit a bay window
Although some vertical blinds can be bent to the shape of a bay window, a vertical blind will take away the lovely effect and leave the room looking more like an office. A curtain track or curtain pole can be made to measure and bent to suit a bay window and the curtains will once again add elegance and style. Curtain tracks are also more flexible and can be made to fit a wider range of bay windows.
Increased fitting flexibility
Some of today's more modern windows and patio doors open inwards leaving little space to fix. With curtain tracks that can be as small as 5mm and some that can even be recess fixed into a ceiling, this will leave plenty of room for a window or door to open inwards.
Curtains provide insulation
Typically blinds are thin and offer minimal heat insulation to a room. Compare this with a lovely warm set of curtains which not only keep the heat inside but also cut draughts as they can hang below the window ledge, unlike blinds which stop just above the ledge. Curtains can also be interlined with a thick material to add extra heat insulation.
Hand, cord or electric operation
Curtain tracks and curtain poles can be hand operated so that many different curtains can operate on one window. This allows curtains of different widths and drops to stack at different locations on the window. In addition they can also be operated as a blind with a cord to avoid handling the curtains or electrically for the extra security and a touch of luxury.
Easy to keep clean
Blinds can be dust traps, especially horizontal ones. As more people are suffering from asthma and dust allergies, curtains are a healthy choice, requiring little care to keep them clean and presentable. The tracks and poles need little servicing and the curtains need only be vacuumed or dry cleaned on the odd occasion.
Want a new look and feel?
Although white or cream blinds will fit in with most room styles and colours, they do nothing to enhance it. Curtains can blend in with your room, or can be chosen to enhance or contrast with it. Redecorating? No problem, just choose new curtains to match. Curtains can also have trimmings and contrast edges to pick out other colours within the room. Buttons can be added to pleats, cord can be added to edges or pleats as can a contrast trimming. Curtains offer a much wider scope for design.
Curtains can be controlled remotely
As mentioned above, electric curtain tracks can be fitted which allow you to control your curtains from the comfort of your armchair. Although it may seem like the height of laziness, there is a practical aspect to electric curtain tracks. When on holiday, people typically use automated light-switching devices but have to leave curtains or blinds half open. Electric curtains can be set to open and close at set times each day, giving the impression that someone is home. Alternatively a light sensor can be added to open and close the curtains in conjunction with the daylight hours.
Curtains are easy to hang
Want to change your curtains? Simply unhook them from your curtain pole, attach the hooks to your new curtains and away you go. Replacing vertical blinds can involve unhooking each blind from the next, unclipping each one carefully (the plastic is easy to snap), and then going through the whole rigmarole in reverse to put them back up. Other blinds must be removed all in one, making it easy to damage them as they are taken down or put back up.
Reliable and cost effective
With so many working parts or fiddly clips, blinds tend to be less reliable than curtains on a track or a pole. Combining curtains with a good, reliable curtain track or pole can be a more cost effective option; especially as curtain prices have been greatly reduced since the introduction of ready-made and express curtain making services. And if your requirements change, you can simply hang new curtains on your existing track or pole.
We hope you have found our information about the advantages of curtains over blinds useful.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Decorating Ideas For The Room With Bamboo Curtains
If you're thinking of giving a room a new look, here's an idea that requires only one change that “makes over” an entire room's look, regardless of style of existing decor. What is this silver bullet of decorating? Bamboo curtains. With their warm tones and sleek lines, this window treatment creates a natural sophisticated feel that fits right in with a variety of furnishings and brings unity in a very special way.
Bamboo has been used as a decorative accent for centuries, as window coverings and as living plants in the garden. Bamboo has special and positive symbolism in different cultures. In China, bamboo connotes longevity, while in Japan, it's used at shrines to warn off evil spirits. In India, bamboo signifies friendship. With such pleasant associations, these curtains can add an exotic spicing to your decorating with the additional benefit of being very durable, good-looking and easy to maintain.
As a window treatment, bamboo curtains, shades and blinds are very popular today in both home and office environments, due in large part to the natural beauty in combination with their sturdy characteristics.
Bamboo curtains are still made in the traditional manner, with a little help from new technologies. Bamboo curtains are made by cutting thin strips of the cane, followed by boiling and then drying of the strips. The prepared bamboo is then woven together with thin wire and fitted to a top piece of wood to form the finished bamboo curtains. Simple screw hooks secure the curtains in place at the top of the window. You'll find various mechanisms used to raise and lower the curtains, from a simple roll up to the more sophisticated Roman fold.
Ease of maintenance cinches the case for bamboo curtains. Unlike conventional drapes, these curtains don't require periodic visits to the cleaners. Using your vacuum's brush attachment or a feather duster sprayed with a dust-attracting spray, a quick going over once a week will keep your curtains clean and attractive. You may also use regular furniture polish on a damp cloth to impart a sheen to the surface.
Some styles of bamboo curtains are made with exotic grasses and reeds interwoven with the bamboo, producing striking combinations of colors and textures, lending a natural yet sophisticated look to their surroundings. Currently a favorite of the interior designer, with good reason, bamboo curtains are in demand with their clients. As a home decorator, you should take the hint!
Although comparatively inexpensive when matched against conventional drapes, prices of these curtains vary with complexity of design and the rolling mechanism the curtain employs.
Bamboo curtains are sometimes decorated with murals which can make a stunning display in a room with modern furnishings. Other, plainer styles can be perfect for a lanai or enclosed porch.
With all of these aesthetic and functional qualities, the popularity of bamboo curtains is no wonder. If you want to make over a room, look into the possibilities of these curtains for your home or office.
Bamboo has been used as a decorative accent for centuries, as window coverings and as living plants in the garden. Bamboo has special and positive symbolism in different cultures. In China, bamboo connotes longevity, while in Japan, it's used at shrines to warn off evil spirits. In India, bamboo signifies friendship. With such pleasant associations, these curtains can add an exotic spicing to your decorating with the additional benefit of being very durable, good-looking and easy to maintain.
As a window treatment, bamboo curtains, shades and blinds are very popular today in both home and office environments, due in large part to the natural beauty in combination with their sturdy characteristics.
Bamboo curtains are still made in the traditional manner, with a little help from new technologies. Bamboo curtains are made by cutting thin strips of the cane, followed by boiling and then drying of the strips. The prepared bamboo is then woven together with thin wire and fitted to a top piece of wood to form the finished bamboo curtains. Simple screw hooks secure the curtains in place at the top of the window. You'll find various mechanisms used to raise and lower the curtains, from a simple roll up to the more sophisticated Roman fold.
Ease of maintenance cinches the case for bamboo curtains. Unlike conventional drapes, these curtains don't require periodic visits to the cleaners. Using your vacuum's brush attachment or a feather duster sprayed with a dust-attracting spray, a quick going over once a week will keep your curtains clean and attractive. You may also use regular furniture polish on a damp cloth to impart a sheen to the surface.
Some styles of bamboo curtains are made with exotic grasses and reeds interwoven with the bamboo, producing striking combinations of colors and textures, lending a natural yet sophisticated look to their surroundings. Currently a favorite of the interior designer, with good reason, bamboo curtains are in demand with their clients. As a home decorator, you should take the hint!
Although comparatively inexpensive when matched against conventional drapes, prices of these curtains vary with complexity of design and the rolling mechanism the curtain employs.
Bamboo curtains are sometimes decorated with murals which can make a stunning display in a room with modern furnishings. Other, plainer styles can be perfect for a lanai or enclosed porch.
With all of these aesthetic and functional qualities, the popularity of bamboo curtains is no wonder. If you want to make over a room, look into the possibilities of these curtains for your home or office.
Country Style Curtains And Furnishing
A quaint home in a country setting is the American dream of millions of people. While the country home image is dreamed of, not all of us have the opportunity of owning a country home. However, you can create a country style decor in a condo in the city, with comfortable country style furnishings reminiscent of the look you love.
When you imagine that charming country home, with pies cooling on the windowsill, what does your mind's eye see on the windows? Country style curtains are certainly the window treatment of choice! Cheerfully checkered or plaid curtains are the epitome of country style curtains. Lace and patterned fabrics also convey a genteel country warmth. Fruits, flowers, and fishing motifs are closely associated with the country lifestyle, making good choices for patterned country style curtains.
For the warmer months of spring and summer, choose a fabric thin enough to flutter in the breeze, but not so transparent as to compromise your privacy. Muslin, all cotton and lace fabrics have a quality of down-home goodness. Fabrics in checkered or plaid patterns are the quintessential country style curtains, with their bright squares of color and cheerful, comfortable look in keeping with a country look. If choosing plain muslin, try trimming the hems with tassels or pompoms of a bright color.
During the cooler weather of fall and winter, you may want a change, using a heavier fabric, both for added insulation and colors more suited to the season. Having two sets of country style curtains also helps avoid becoming tired of the scheme, giving your rooms a fresh look.
Fruit motifs are popular, with apples and pears suited to most seasons. Darker floral patterns can give a cozy feeling to your cool season country style curtains. The farmhouse and barnyard motifs may lend just the look you want. Do you have a fisherman in the house? There are fabrics emblazoned with jumping fish and rod and reel designs.
Still other possibilities include fabrics printed in large panels of one complete scene per panel,much like a mural. These fabrics come in window-sized panels, creating the look of a wall hanging.
When choosing your fabrics for country style curtains, consider your furnishings. If your sofa and chairs have an elaborate pattern, go for a smaller pattern with a unifying background color that complements your furniture. For example, with sofa and chairs in a blue background with an ornate floral pattern, a simple, small pattern with a large background area of a coordinating color will produce a unified and uncluttered look.
In this scenario, plaid country style curtains are a good bet. Simply choose a plaid which picks up the colors in your furnishings with the dominating color which best coordinates to create a balanced mix of light and dark shades.
So if your dream is a country look, but your home is in the city, you can still have the country look, with just a trained eye for the mood.
When you imagine that charming country home, with pies cooling on the windowsill, what does your mind's eye see on the windows? Country style curtains are certainly the window treatment of choice! Cheerfully checkered or plaid curtains are the epitome of country style curtains. Lace and patterned fabrics also convey a genteel country warmth. Fruits, flowers, and fishing motifs are closely associated with the country lifestyle, making good choices for patterned country style curtains.
For the warmer months of spring and summer, choose a fabric thin enough to flutter in the breeze, but not so transparent as to compromise your privacy. Muslin, all cotton and lace fabrics have a quality of down-home goodness. Fabrics in checkered or plaid patterns are the quintessential country style curtains, with their bright squares of color and cheerful, comfortable look in keeping with a country look. If choosing plain muslin, try trimming the hems with tassels or pompoms of a bright color.
During the cooler weather of fall and winter, you may want a change, using a heavier fabric, both for added insulation and colors more suited to the season. Having two sets of country style curtains also helps avoid becoming tired of the scheme, giving your rooms a fresh look.
Fruit motifs are popular, with apples and pears suited to most seasons. Darker floral patterns can give a cozy feeling to your cool season country style curtains. The farmhouse and barnyard motifs may lend just the look you want. Do you have a fisherman in the house? There are fabrics emblazoned with jumping fish and rod and reel designs.
Still other possibilities include fabrics printed in large panels of one complete scene per panel,much like a mural. These fabrics come in window-sized panels, creating the look of a wall hanging.
When choosing your fabrics for country style curtains, consider your furnishings. If your sofa and chairs have an elaborate pattern, go for a smaller pattern with a unifying background color that complements your furniture. For example, with sofa and chairs in a blue background with an ornate floral pattern, a simple, small pattern with a large background area of a coordinating color will produce a unified and uncluttered look.
In this scenario, plaid country style curtains are a good bet. Simply choose a plaid which picks up the colors in your furnishings with the dominating color which best coordinates to create a balanced mix of light and dark shades.
So if your dream is a country look, but your home is in the city, you can still have the country look, with just a trained eye for the mood.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Decorating The Personal Space With Designer room Curatins
In decorating your personal space, the major consideration in choosing your living room curtain is taste. This encompasses keen eye to design, ability to distinguish what choice of fabric works well with the furniture and even the nitty-gritty of the living room and perhaps the capacity to see things in a rather unusual sense like sensing what type or size or design of curtain would complement the room.
How to choose the right fabric? What's so tricky with choosing what fabric to use as curtain is the array of choices presented to you while shopping.
a. Choosing the pattern for the fabric - The usual choices are the floral, checkered and plain design patterns. Some who are more open to seemingly awkward choices go for unusual designs like psychedelic and abstract patterns. The choice actually lies on the general theme of the living room and the atmosphere you want to create.
b. Choosing the material - Not all fabrics can be made into curtains or drapes so be sure to pick those that are actually recommended for drapery. There are fabrics that could camouflage the architectural defects of the room and there are those that are intended to help maintain your privacy and block/control the entrance natural light from outside. So be sure to pinpoint your priorities when shopping for the right fabric.
How does your living room look like? The selection of your curtains lies primarily on the design or theme of your living room, its furniture and decors. Does it have the family heirloom, luxurious sofas and couches that spell the history of your family antiques, most prized collections, or mementos? If this is the case, your living room must have a formal arrangement that is unorthodox and very traditional. The curtain that works best with this type of living room is the one made with expensive fabrics, with lavish trimmings and a little dressy. On the other hand, a modern-looking living room which is typically two-toned requires a plainer choice of fabric that is somewhere in between the primary choice of colors. A darker hue of fabric would create a sense of depth while lighter hues help set off the darker tone of the room.
How do you want to present your living room curtain? Victorian-style homes with formal living rooms have curtains that are tied back which gives them flows and folds, while minimalist living rooms let the curtains flow on almost straight, natural lines to go with the rectangular design of the house.
Designer Room Curtains In Many Styles
Many of us enjoy entertaining others by hosting a home cooked or catered dinner in our dining rooms. An area set aside for the exclusive purpose of enjoying food should be warm, cozy, and attractive. One of the most important features of your dining area is likely to be the windows. Even at night, guests will probably notice the number and shape of your dining room windows, and the way they are decorated as part of your home’s overall theme.
That is why it is a good idea to give some thought to the way that your windows are dressed. With many options to choose from, you will want to choose a design you can live with for years to come, as some dressings are expensive, and fittings can be time-intensive.
Venetian blinds offer a simple method of covering windows so that others cannot peer inside. They come in a variety of sizes, styles, and colors, so even this simple technique provides many opportunities for creativity and individualism. If you don’t care for vinyl blinds, there are other styles to consider, as well. Some homeowners prefer the simplicity of hanging blinds that can be readily opened and closed rather than dealing with fabric drapes or curtain rods.
Another easy accent for your dining room windows is to hang a valance. This piece of fabric or other substance can be tailored to blend with the rest of the room’s décor in a color that coordinates systematically throughout your home. Valances come in an array of lengths and styles, so even this simple drapery can provide you with choices that allow for custom design and decorating.
The next level of drapery sophistication might be sheers that come in a range of patterns, thickness, and designs. These add a gauzy look to the windows and work well with summer or light décor. In the winter, heavier draperies can be added for a layered look, with the heavier fabric tied back by day and loosened to hang down at night as a window covering. Keep in mind that sheers and draperies will need to be cleaned periodically. Sometimes you can use a hand vacuum to remove dust occasionally, and send them out for heavy-duty cleaning every six months or so.
Frilly curtains or tiebacks are available in many styles, including café-style, to give the room a casual, fun appearance. These curtains can match those in the kitchen, or coordinate with other window coverings throughout that level of your home.
When choosing window coverings, don’t forget to factor in price, installation, cleaning, and replacement issues. Then shop with an open mind to get the best look for your dining room.
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