Smooth fabrics gathered on the cornice are a classic of textile window decoration. They are time-tested and are the most effective solution for interior design.
Firstly, simple lines are a priori elegant, secondly, a large piece of processed fabric, which are straight curtains, can always be beautifully draped, and thirdly, the size allows you to use almost any pattern and texture.
Well, if once you get bored with straight curtains, you will have a decent-sized canvas on your hands from which you can sew something smaller, for example, Roman or roller blinds for the country house, and in addition to them, charming decorative pillows. Practical, isn’t it?
STRAIGHT LEAVES — THE BASIS OF BASICS
There is no such curtain, curtain or tulle that is not originally a rectangle. On the basis of straight canvases, you can create any other curtain or window decor.
Classic window decor — three finished pieces of fabric: two hang from the rod cornice to the floor, and the third is neatly draped at the top. But such “simplicity” requires hanging skills and is impractical in the modern way of life.
Therefore, to facilitate hanging, all kinds of options for attaching curtains to the eaves were invented. The simplest of them is a special curtain tape, which allows you to assemble the curtain into neat warehouses and attach it to the cornice in a matter of minutes.
Two or three layers of straight curtains can be hung on one window: the first from the window are shading curtains made of thick fabric (preferably blackout), they play the role of shutters and create the effect of shading during the rest.
The second layer we traditionally have is translucent curtains, and elegant curtains “look” into the interior.
This is not a rule at all, but a tradition that has its own interpretation in different countries.
So, for example, in England it is customary to curtain a window with only one row of curtains or curtains. Layering did not take root there, because cloudy weather forced the curtains to be opened as much as possible for the day, and at night the interior was covered with shutters from prying eyes.
In France, layering just fell into place, moreover, the huge French windows were devoid of shutters, which gave rise to the tradition of heavily draping thin fabrics. Thus, French curtains were born.
Sunny Italy also has its own traditions. Italians are very practical by nature, they love simplicity and comfort. It was this region that gave life to lifting systems for simple rectangular canvases. These are Roman and Italian curtains. By the way, this is not the same thing: the “rims” fold up and go up, and the Italian curtains are going diagonally from the middle of the window to its top. corner. Both models are driven by the tension of a special cord.
DECORATION OF STRAIGHT CURTAIN
Literally two paragraphs. You can enrich the texture of plain canvases with the help of finishing braid, stitched lace, fringe with tassels or glass beads. All this is selected according to the style of interior design.
Tiebacks, with which curtains are fixed, can become a beautiful decorative element. The method of attaching it to the cornice will help to radically change the design of straight canvases. Old, but very romantic fastening details — ribbons, ties, clothespins, more modern — loops, decorative magnets and eyelets.
WHY CURTAINS ARE LINING
The lining layer on the back of the curtain protects the main fabric from fading, the canvas becomes heavier, and therefore drapes beautifully.
The lining extends the life of the curtain, makes the curtain double-sided, which is very practical for curtains framing a doorway or a French window with sashes.
The coquettishly turned away corner of the lined curtain creates intrigue and makes the window elegant.
Practical Englishmen came up with lining textiles with a lining. There were times when beautiful textiles on the windows only wealthy people could afford, because the fabrics were transported by sea from distant India and China.
In addition, the inherent conservatism of the inhabitants of foggy Albion forced the owners of villas to furnish the interior for more than a dozen years.
So the lining layer was invented, which, as I already mentioned, significantly extended the service life of curtain fabrics.
Another practical purpose of the lining layer is double-sidedness. This allows you to create design variations and change the character of the interior.
This feature is also relevant for curtains covering doorways.
Agree, beauty should remain so from all angles.
SECRETS OF DRAPE STRAIGHT LEAF
With these simple tricks, you can change the look of your windows without changing the curtains.
Rule number 1. If the interior allows, be sure to add another 30-50 cm to the length of the curtains. This excess will allow the curtains to lie beautifully on the floor and they will not seem short when trying to drape beautifully (see photo below).
Rule number 2. If you have observed the first point, you will have a lot of opportunities to beautifully pick up curtains with the help of magnetic pickups.
Rule number 3. Where to attach the pickup to fix the curtains is of great importance.
Below the standard window sill height (about 80 cm), you will get the effect of a “heavy top”, this is acceptable for spacious interiors, because it hides space.
At the level of the window sill — emphasize what is on this window sill, which means that the window sill itself and its contents must be impeccable.
Closer to the eaves — you will get a “column effect”, acceptable for interiors where it is possible to visually raise the ceiling level, but it looks bad against the backdrop of a wide wall and a lonely window.
Rule number 4. Symmetry on the windows is good for interiors rich in details. For static interiors with few furnishings and plain walls, asymmetric window design is more suitable.
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