How to Add Custom Style with Draperies / Curtains

12 Creative Ways to Use Draperies in your Home

Draperies remain a very popular option for window coverings thanks to the vast variety of styles, material types and their ability to bring character and flair to any room.

People are starting to discover that draperies can do more than frame a window though. Interior designers and clever homeowners are taking advantage of the versatility of drapery panels to discover completely new, creative, stylish, and practical solutions for their living spaces.

Read on to discover the creative ways you can use curtains around your home.

Are Draperies Still Trendy?

Draperies remain a timeless option that can reflect the most classic of styles or the latest of fashions. Draperies can be used to:

• Add colour
• Add style
• Create a focal point
• Control light
• Prevent UV damage
• Reduce glare
• Give privacy
• Prevent heat loss

The simplicity of a drapery panel, combined with the many options of material and ways to hang them mean curtains never go out of fashion.

How to Hang and Accessorize Draperies

Choosing the drapery fabric itself is just the start of your creative options. How you hang, finish and accessorize draperies can make all the difference in getting the right feel for your home.  Options include:

• Rods and finials –  can be decorative or simple depending on your style
• Top treatments – soft valances or hard cornice boards can cover hanging rails and add height and interest
• Hanging styles – try layering sheer and heavier fabrics, or overlapping drapes for more privacy
• Finishing touches – use swags and tie backs to create a more defined look

12 Creative Ways to Use Draperies in Your Home

A popular current trend is to use draperies in places other than around your windows. The list below shows that there are many ways curtains and drapes can be used for practical purposes, such as room division or to replace a door in smaller spaces.

They also offer the opportunity to be experimental with your room décor and create warm and cozy spaces that people will want to spend time in.

1. Divide a room – Draperies can be used to provide a visual separation or definition of spaces in an open plan layout while retaining the flexibility of a large space. In loft-style living, draperies suspended from the ceiling around the sleeping area can create privacy and block light.
2. Make a canopy bed – Canopy beds don’t have to be just for kids! Whether you prefer the romantic look of a light and breezy canopy with sheer fabric; or want to create a dark and cozy sleep capsule using blackout draperies; ready-made curtains offer an easy and quick way to achieve your look.
3. Use like wallpaper – Hang decorative drapery fabric across entire walls for a focal point which adds warmth and style.
4. Use in place of a door between rooms – Using draperies creates a softer flow between rooms and is a good option when complete privacy and soundproofing isn’t so important.
5. Create a bed or reading nook – Turn a walk-in closet, or awkward space, into an enclosed sleeping or reading area; by using full-length curtains to close it in. Get creative with lighting and accessories to create a really cozy place to relax.
6. Use to conceal storage areas – Use draperies instead of doors on closets or vanity units to hide what is stored inside without needing the space a door will take up. Draperies on closets can help with access to far corners that can get blocked with traditional sliding or louvre doors.
7. Create a shaded patio – Draperies don’t have to be kept inside. Define an outdoor living space with draperies that can also double as a shade provider. Add draperies to the sides of a gazebo, or hang around the edges of a deck for extra privacy from neighbours.
8. Create a designer headboard – A draperies hung behind a bed can create a soft, stylish alternative to a headboard. If your room layout restricts you to having your bed in front of your window – consider using strategic drapery and top treatments to create a canopy effect headboard.
9. Create a walk-in closet – Not enough closet space in your room? Use draperies hung from the ceiling to divide off a piece of the room and rolling clothes racks to create your own walk-in closet.
10. Frame an entryway – Hanging draperies across your front door can help provide privacy, dress up your entryway and keep the warmth inside during the winter.
11. Create an entryway – If your front door opens directly into your living area, hang a curtain at 90 degrees to create an entry nook. It will also help keep cool drafts out of your living area when the door is opened.
12. Laundry disguise – Are your washer and dryer tucked into a tight area? Concealing them with draperies is a great option where space is too tight for a door to open. Using a curtain to disguise laundry machines stacked in a bathroom can help soften the look of the room, especially if you have a glass shower door.

Where Can I Find Classic and Modern Draperies for My Home?

If you need some ideas or inspiration about how to use curtains in your home; talk to an expert in curtains and draperies such as Ruffell & Brown. Our Victoria, BC, showroom boasts an array of examples for you to browse and our knowledgeable staff are always on hand to help you with suitable and affordable options.

Our free in-home decorating service is a great option to enable you to see a selection of drapes within the setting you want to use them. Our team can provide complete measurement and installation services too.

Drop into our showroom on Bridge Street in Victoria, or contact us today to arrange an in-home consultation.