Many years ago, when I was getting my degree in Interior
Design, there was a rule of thumb when it came to the cost of draperies. The
drapes in your room were suppose to cost 3 times as much as the carpet in
the room! How ridiculous that seems today!
Those were the days of elaborate drapes, with sheers,
cornices, valances, and very formal pinch pleated draperies which sat
stiffly in front of your window, always an exact 1/2 inch from the floor or
below the window sill. Nowadays, when people do hang draperies, often they
just let them fall on the floor in a “decorative” heap!
This is something frugal people can be glad about! Today
simple window treatments are in style. Lots of people just use blinds for their windows. If you can
find a pair of ready made to fit your window, it is very inexpensive. To
soften the window, you can drape some fabric across the top, or use a small
valance. Decorators and creative people often use twigs, branches, silk
greenery, stenciling, etc. as their valances, and everything from fishing
poles to old iron posts as rods.
If no one can see in your house, often you don’t even bother
with curtains. The view outside frames your window.
One tip- if you are going to drape fabric over a pole, make
sure that the fabric is fluid and will drape nicely. It’s like when you make
a dress. Certain fabrics go with certain patterns. You don’t want fabric
that is too stiff. Also, if the fabric is very light, you may have to sew
weights into the ends to get it to sit on the rod properly.
So- rejoice! This is a way to save money in a very consumer
oriented society. In addition to not having to spend money on our windows,
we can now display pieces of furniture in our homes that in prior years we
might have been ashamed to have in our garage.