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What do you conjure up when you think of pinch pleat drapery?  Oh yes, what my grandmother had on her windows forever.  Don’t dismiss this wonderful window treatment that can be a wow and offer great functionality.

On the practical side, drapery provide a good solution when a room requires privacy or sunlight protection.  If you require minimal privacy but want some light to come into the room, consider using a sheer fabric to diffuse the sunlight.  For complete sunlight protection, ask your workroom to use a blackout liner.  This liner prevents any sunlight from penetrating the face fabric.  When using light fabrics such as silks or faux silk (polyesters) for the face fabric consider interlining to add body and fullness.

Today, drapery is very effective in the design of a room’s decor.  Long beautiful drapes add drama and can be very glamorous as seen in this room design by Thibaut’s Residence Collection, Frotolla Silk (available through the trade.)

  

There are many style pleats.  Below is an example of a traditional pinch pleat drape.  The drama brought to the design is the fabric selected as well as the length of the drapery.  The drapery is hung on a decorative traversing rod.  Window fashions including the rods have come a long way over the years.  Note the beautiful wood rod and finials complete the finished look of the drape.  It’s not something my grandmother would have had in her home.

 

Above a minor variation of a traditional pinch pleat drape is a continental sometimes called a French or Parisian pleat where the pinch is at the very top of the pleat.  It is a subtle change but works very well when using rings on a rod.

Change the header and the design becomes more streamline.  For this look, consider a butterfly pleat or inverted pleat.

Want a more contemporary look then a grometted panel might be the answer.  Here a stunning gromett pleat drapery complete the decor.  Three solid silk fabrics were married together to complete the design.  The solids were sewn horizontally eliminating any vertical seams.

Another contemporary design is a ripple-fold drape.  Unique hardware creates a stylish contemporary pleat for the drape.  This design is available exclusively through the trade.  Call a local decorator or designer in your area to learn more.

If you would like an over the top look, a stunning finish would be a goblet pleated drape.  A button is added as a decorative detail to complete the look.  The goblet pleat is best used when you do not need a working drape but purely a stationery decorative drape. 

   “How to Make Goblet Pleat Curtains” By Genae-Valecia Hinesman  http://tinyurl.com/ybg58my  Below a Chigaco Townhouse design by Alessandra Branco (http://www.housebeautiful.com/decorating/chicago-townhouse-design-1009?src=rss) features a stunning use of the goblet pleat.

 

Decorative hardware continues to evolve to meet the needs of decorators and designer who create new and interesting window fashions.