Benefits of Custom Drapery

September 12, 2023

Drapery sometimes gets a bad rap as being old-fashioned. However, when done well it adds a lot of warmth (literally and figuratively) and sound absorption to a room. Light filtering drapery also preserves the life of the soft furnishings and rugs in the room by preventing fading.

A beautiful set of lined drapery panels can make all the difference between a utilitarian space, and a cozy, luxurious space. The trick is not to skimp on fabric fullness or length. Depending on the feeling you’d like to evoke in the space, this is an opportunity to inject some colour, pattern or interesting detail through the fabric choice.

In a bedroom, room darkening window coverings are key to a good night’s sleep. Consider using your heavier drapery panels as the top layer of window covering. You can use a roman blind, roller blind, shutter or even another set of sheer drapes as your under-layer. This adds some additional light filtering and privacy. Using both a blackout blind together with blackout lined drapery is our sort of ‘belt and suspenders’ method for maximum coverage in a bedroom.

Custom drapery is a significant investment so make sure it’s done well and it will last a long time. It’s best to do it as part of a larger room design to ensure it will work with other things in the room and the house.

As a design professional and lover of fabric, selecting the right drapery fabric and lining is key. You want it to hang beautifully, stack beautifully and provide the necessary privacy or light blocking. You will never get the same finished elevated look with pre-made drapes.

As with many other elements in a room, choosing a style of drapery that complements your aesthetic is important. For example, in a modern space, a wave or ripple fold is a good choice. For something more transitional, an inverted pleat or European pleat could work well. As in the living room pictured below, the style of window covering can mask existing architectural limitations. In this case, the original window appeared too small for the room. The drapery gives the illusion of extended height and width while highlighting the home’s original stained glass. The style, fabric choice and hardware are key contributors to a layered and thoughtful room design.

Generally people are surprised by the cost of custom drapery. When you think about all of the components that go into making them, you realize why they are costly. Some of these variables include the amount of yardage, type of fabric, design, hardware, labour to sew and install. You can expect to spend as much as 30% of your budget on drapery.

If you’ve been reading my other blog posts, I think by now you understand that there are so many things that go into creating a cohesive and comfortable room, that it’s difficult to document all of the guidelines! Every element connects to the next. This is why it is so important to begin with a design plan! If you’re struggling with this or don’t know where to begin, we’d love to help. Reach out to set up a virtual discovery call at https://www.yassein.com/contact.html .