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S at u r day, D ec e m b er 14, 2013
Multi-purpose draperies Add privacy, coziness and style to room Samantha Pynn Postmedia News Q: When we first moved into our Victorian-style home, I left the windows bare in our family room. Now I feel like our house looks unfinished. I’m sure the neighbours are talking, and my friends and in-laws are continually at me over the lack of privacy. Our style is relaxed, though I’d like something that looks more dressed up. I’ve been shopping, but all the choices make me dizzy. One salesperson told me that luxury curtains always have a large puddle, which looks off to me. A: I hear your frustration and confusion. Don’t worry about your neighbours, inlaws or friends, and try to understand that they mean well. This goes for the salesperson too, because curtains
that puddle, meaning the fabric spills onto the floor, are not for everyone. Design and decor is personal. People get defensive and critical. I’ve seen people turn red with rage over what they think is right. Fortunately, the world doesn’t move to the beat of just one drum. You tried living without window treatments, but you changed your mind. That’s A-OK.
“In Canada, it’s nice to have the coziness of dr aperies,” Cobi Ladner Pull together some inspirational pictures and figure out what you like. I have a hunch that this drapery panel from Cobistyle for Q. Design (qdesigncentre.com) in the inspiration photo will work well in your home. I have a particular affinity for these drapes because they’re reversible. The drapes are an aubergine velvet on one side, and on the other, a
violet sateen. Plus, I like seeing a hint of the violet fabric on the inside of the velvet. “In Canada, it’s nice to have the coziness of draperies,” says Cobi Ladner of Cobistyle (cobistyle.com). In the winter, you can bring warmth to your living room with the velvet side, and in the summer, you can switch to the sateen. The panels come in several colours and are available from 96 to 108 inches (2.4 to 2.7 metres) long, but if your ceilings are higher than nine feet, you can also order a custom size. Because your home has classic style, rod-and-ring or rod-and-pocket drapes will work best. In the photo, the header (top of the drapery panel) is a simple rodand-pocket style. Hospital tracks work best in condos or modern-styled homes. If you have a bay window and wish to hang four panels, you can connect the drapery rods with elbow joints for a seamless look. The drapery tie-back in the photo looks like a small doorknob and is a much cleaner way to hold back the panel
than with fabric ties. When it comes to length, you definitely want your curtains to touch the floor. For a clean look, install your drapery so that it is just grazing or kissing the floor. I like when curtains “break” at least one to two inches (2.5 to 5 centimetres) on the floor. As far as puddles go, anywhere between three and eight inches (7.6 and 20 cm) works well in casual rooms. I used to be a fan of a giant puddle, but these days I find that 14- to 20-inch (35.6- to 51-cm) puddles look fussy unless the room is stately or formal. And if you have pets, beware of ball-gown-esque puddles. In my old house, my cat Chocolate would curl up and make a nest in the puddle of my off-white silk drapery. Any time I tried to vacuum her brown fur from the silk, I ended up with half the panel stuck down the vacuum hose. In other words, three inches (7.6 cm, as in the photo) may just do the trick. Happy decorating. Michelle Peek
Send your small-space question to asksampynn@gmail.com.
These drapes are versatile, in that they are neither formal nor casual, and are reversible for winter and summer.
TOP PRODUCERS NOVEMBER 2013
Cindy Dreger 306-535-8488 Stacy Dreger 306-535-0005
Joel Trapp 306-596-4327
Patrick Allingham 306-596-1562 Brett Ackerman 306-537-1221
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Tim Chicilo 306-539-0085
Kristen Reed 306-501-5419 Kashlee Parmiter 306-502-2886
Joan Johnston 306-536-3636
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