Velvet Curtains on the Web

How To Select Curtain Styles

Mack — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 16:18:31 +0000

Curtains can transform any home into a beautiful abode while at the same time carry out their main function of protecting the inhabitants, the property and keeping the weather out. The overall home appearance can be enhanced by selecting a curtain style, such as velvet curtains, that will compliment it. The homeowner therefore needs to know how to select the best style as per their home and the desired outlook they want to create.

The type of room will influence the type of curtain styles the homeowner will select. Those living in apartments should select contemporary designs while those in traditional homes should select a bit of the traditional styles. It is good to be innovative but caution should be taken not to overwhelm the home with a lot of fabric.
The type of fabric the homeowner selects will also determine the style. The fabric should be strong and durable. The homeowner may select as many types of fabrics as they want as long as it reflects the mood of the room that it is meant for. The type of fabric can also refer to the color and design. Homeowners should select patterned fabrics cautiously as there are many reasons this type may not work in a given room.

Curtain accessories that a person selects come in variety of shapes, sizes and designs. The selection of these items depends on the personality of the homeowner as well whether velvet curtains were selected, or some other fabric. The curtain rods should be heavy enough as per the weight of the curtain to ensure that they are well supported. The homeowner should also ensure that the hardware is well installed to create a good and organized perspective.
It is important that the homeowner realizes that the curtain style they select will reflect their personality and therefore they should ensure they have taken into consideration all of the above mentioned ideas to choose the best style. For good results, they may want to consult a home decorator.

Practical Reasons for Velvet Curtains

Mack — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 12:12:48 +0000

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.

Velvet Curtains Construction and How to Clean Them

Mack — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 01:35:34 +0000

First of all, you need to make sure that the velvet curtains you buy are not too thick. This will make it so much easier to clean them. If your curtains are thin enough, you shouldn’t have difficulty getting them off the curtains or getting the detergent to reach deep stains in the weave. It will also be much easier to restore the body of the fabric if it is not too thick and you don’t have to deal with so many fibers in the tuft.
Additionally, thick curtains could end up collecting a lot of dust and spores that would make it necessary for you to send the curtain over to the dry cleaners. Sometimes the use of dry cleaning chemicals will damage the fabric depending on what the velvet curtain is made of.

The first type of cleaning you have to do with velvet curtains is maintenance cleaning. You should expect your velvet drapes to trap a lot of dust owing to the fact that it has so many fibers. And it is not just dust that you should watch out for. During certain seasons of the year, specifically autumn (which would be an ideal season to use warm velvet curtains), microscopic pollutants like spores can get trapped in your velvet curtains. These invisible particles can cause all kinds of allergic reactions in people.

Remove the curtains from their rods.
Setting the vacuum cleaner at the lowest intensity, make several passes in one area of the curtain along the grain of the nap or the direction in which the fibers of the cloth go.
Repeat the same for the other areas until you have processed the whole curtain.

The fact that you need to vacuum velvet cleaners is sufficient proof that it is doing a marvelous job in protecting your room against dust and pollutants. Regular curtains may allow more sunlight but that means they are also allowing nasty particles from outside to enter the room. And the fact that most of the dust will be clinging to your velvet curtains means that there will be less dust on your furniture. In fact those are two very good reasons for buying velvet curtains.

Velvet Curtains Provide Your Room a Distinctive Appeal

Mack — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 01:18:42 +0000

A fabric with a honorable history

Velvet has traditionally been associated with opulence. This has as much to do with the complicated process of manufacturing it as well as with the traditional use of silk in making velvet cloth. Royalty, as far back as the middle ages, used velvet curtains to adorn the walls of their palaces and to display their royal insignias.

Modern Velvet

Today, velvet curtains are not exclusively made out of silk. A number of different fibers can be used successfully to make velvet cloth. Silk is still the material of choice for the more expensive kinds of velvet but cotton is also used to make velvet. The resulting fabric is less plushy than traditional velvet but on account of the fiber density of cotton has certain advantages for use as curtains. Many synthetic materials are used to manufacture velvet curtains as well. Among these are nylon, polyester and acetate. Velvet cloth may also be made from a combination of organic and synthetic materials as well as from wool and mohair.

The best velvet curtains are just thick enough

In general, the materials which make finer velvet are the ones that curtains should be made of. In this group we should include silk and combinations of silk with other materials, cotton, nylon and polyacetate. Curtains should be just thick enough to furnish comfortable warmth to the room without stifling it. Cleaning velvet is also easier if it is not too thick. This is especially true for removing stains from it.

One setback of using velvet

For all the beauty and luxurious feeling that you get out of velvet, you should expect there to be at least one setback. And there is. The disadvantage of using velvet curtains is that using the ordinary methods for cleaning fabrics may damage the texture of the velvet curtain. As much as possible, the nap or the natural direction of the fibers should not be disturbed in the act of cleaning it. Neither is it advisable to soak the fabric in water to clean it.

For stain removal, it is recommended to use a spray bottle containing detergent solution. The nozzle should be adjusted to fine spray. After spraying the stained portion, a gentle motion is applied repeatedly in the direction of the nap to squeeze out the stains. After that, blot the fabric until it is dry enough always taking care to move your hand in the direction of the nap. When the velvet curtain is completely dry you can use a brush to lightly work the fibers against the nap to regain its body.

Options for Buying Velvet Curtains

Mack — Wed, 26 May 2010 22:50:03 +0000

There are a number of different kinds of velvet curtains and drapes on the market. While they are not as common as polyester and cotton curtains they can be just the thing for your bedroom or living room if you want the room to have a more elegant look to it. Also, these drapes are often quite effective as ‘block out’ curtains that will keep the sun out when you are trying to sleep in on a weekend or holiday.

There are different styles and colors to choose from, just be sure that the color and style you choose for your room matches well with the existing furniture. You can get ones that are pleated, or ones with tassels at the bottom, if you so desire. Velvet curtains are, generally speaking, a fair bit more expensive than regular curtains. If you buy them new, you should be prepared to spend a couple hundred dollars if you want to get something that is good quality. You can buy ones from the Glenna Jean Tanzania collection for a bit over $200, both with and without tassels; the tasseled ones cost slightly more. These are made to pool on the floor, which is very decorative. However, some other curtains in this particular collection, such as the Gracie Raspberry Pink ones, cost just $170.

One important thing to take note of when buying these kinds of curtains is that they require special care. You can not simply throw them in the washing machine; they will need to be taken to the dry cleaners. If you have small children at home, or a pet, then getting the kind that pools down to floor can be a bad ideas as small children can easily pull them down and hurt themselves and pets can ruin the curtains and drapes if these are in their reach.

How to Sew Velvet Curtains

Mack — Sun, 23 May 2010 00:33:13 +0000

Since you already know about velvet curtains, you know the touch of class they can add to any room. Sewing velvet can be a bit tricky and you have to realize that the fabric has a definable nap direction. You have to be aware of the nap direction when you sew up your curtains. Always be certain the nap is going in the same direction when you cut the panels.

Step Number 1. You have to measure the window and be sure to add about 3.5 inches to the total length for the rod casing and the hem. By measuring the window’s width, you can determine how many yards of velvet fabric you need. It is usually a good rule of thumb to calculate the width as 1.5 times what you measure, to allow for fullness.

Step Number 2. Run your hand over the fabric to find the nap direction. You should now mark the back of the velvet with a fabric pencil to indicate the nap direction. The nap will feel very smooth as you comb in the correct direction with your hand.

Step Number 3. You need a nice flat surface to lay your cloth on and then mark which will be the top and front of the part you are working with. You can use a removable tape to do this.

Step Number 4. Carefully cut the velvet into the correct lengths you measured and be sure to mark the top of each one. Again, remember to cut in the nap direction. Sew in the direction of the nap, no matter whether you start at the top or bottom, just be consistent.

Step Number 5. Once you are done sewing, you will need to press the velvet to make it wrinkle free. Pressing can be difficult so it is best to practice on an extra piece before you try this. It takes a certain touch with the iron.

This is just the beginning of sewing your curtains and more detailed articles can be found on this site.