Velvet Curtains on the Web

There are three ways to assemble your window decor with velvet curtains or drapes. First you could simply install two curtain panels of velvet cloth as blackout drapes. These drapes will keep the sunlight out when drawn and allow it in when opened. Second, you could add a touch of sophistication to the window by hanging a sheer curtains canopy over the window and third, you could add a sheer curtain between the velvet drapes and the window.

The use of velvet curtains as blackout drapes is historical. People have been doing that for a long time. We also know that thick velvet drapes prevent the cold drafts from coming in through cracks in the wall. What most people may not be aware of is that the cracks in the wall are not usually cracks. These are portions of the wall where the windows are not perfectly fitted into the wall so that gaps are created through which the wind may come through.

Because such gaps often exist, velvet curtains, especially when tied up along the sides of the window, have an important role to perform. Therefore, even if you never use velvet drapes for blacking out the room, you may want to have them to frame your window. Remember, it is not just drafts you want to keep out. Such things as dust and harmful pollen and spores are generally not healthy to have in the room.

The shirred canopy over the window serves the same purpose for the upper margin of the window. That is why it is advisable to install the canopy as close to the wall as possible.

The sheer curtains that are next to the window itself are placed there to protect persons in the room from  harsh sunlight as well as to protect the velvet curtains themselves from over-exposure to the rays of the sun. The sun will tend to bleach the colors of the curtain. The sheer curtain is also the first layer of protection against undesirable contaminants that are brought in by the air. That is why is it important that the rods of these sheer curtains should be somewhat longer than the window’s width. This positions the edge of the sheer curtain precisely over the points in the wall where the window meets it. This is where most of the gaps exist which allow air from the outside in.