Transform Your Space: What really transforms a space

Beautiful window treatments can completely change the character of a room. Drapes in particular offer privacy, light control, and add a refined finish to any interior. The good news? You don’t need an expensive designer to achieve that high-end look. With smart fabric selection, proper measurements, and attention to detail, you can create stunning window treatments that totally change how your room looks and feels.

Select Premium Fabrics

The foundation of impressive drapes is quality material. The fabric you choose affects not only appearance but also how your drapes hang and perform over time. Look for fabrics that feel substantial and drape beautifully:

Linen or Linen Blends: Create a casual yet sophisticated appearance with their natural texture. These fabrics work beautifully in bedrooms, living areas, and kitchens where you want a relaxed but polished feel. Linen naturally softens with washing and develops character over time.
Velvet: Brings warmth and richness through its deep texture and color depth. Cotton velvet offers durability for high-traffic areas, while silk velvet provides the most refined appearance for formal dining rooms or master bedrooms.
Silk or Alternatives: Offer gentle light reflection and smooth flow, perfect for formal rooms. Dupioni silk adds subtle texture with its irregular weave, while faux silk alternatives provide similar beauty with easier care requirements.
Cotton Twill or Sateen: Provide durability with a soft finish, suitable for various design styles. These fabrics resist wrinkles well and work in children’s rooms, family areas, or anywhere you need washable window treatments.

Consider the room’s function when selecting fabric weight. Heavier fabrics like velvet and thick cotton provide better light blocking and insulation, while lighter linens filter light beautifully for a bright, airy feeling.

Perfect Your Measurements

Professional-looking drapes require precise measurements, and small errors can make expensive fabric look cheap. Start by deciding on your desired length and fullness before purchasing any materials.

For length, professional-looking drapes should either barely touch the floor or extend slightly onto it for a more dramatic statement. Measure from your rod to approximately 1/4 inch above the floor—and remember to account for potential fabric shrinkage. If you want the “pooling” effect where fabric gathers slightly on the floor, add 2-4 inches to your measurement.

Width calculations matter just as much as length. Drapes should measure 1.5 to 2.5 times your window width when laid flat. Rooms with high ceilings or formal settings benefit from fuller drapes (closer to 2.5 times), while more casual spaces can use less fullness.

Pro Tip: Mount curtain rods 4-6 inches above window frames or near the ceiling to create visual height and make your room appear larger. This technique works especially well in rooms with standard 8-foot ceilings.

Add Refined Headers

The top treatment of your drapes significantly impacts their overall appearance and determines how they hang. Each style creates a different visual effect:

Pinch pleats create traditional elegance with evenly spaced, structured folds. These work beautifully in formal living rooms, dining areas, and master bedrooms where you want a tailored appearance.
Goblet pleats offer more volume and drama, perfect for formal spaces with high ceilings. The rounded pleats catch light beautifully and create impressive visual impact.
Euro pleats provide clean, contemporary lines with consistent fold spacing. These suit modern interiors and rooms with sleek, minimal design elements.
Tab tops or ties create a relaxed, cottage-style appearance that works in casual settings like breakfast nooks or children’s rooms
Grommet tops deliver a crisp, modern vibe, with metal rings allowing fabric to glide smoothly along the rod. Their uniform waves create an architectural look that balances casual and contemporary rooms—think family rooms, loft apartments, or media spaces. Because grommets expose the rod, choose decorative hardware that complements your fixtures
Rod-pocket headings, by contrast, conceal the rod entirely, producing a soft, gathered line that feels traditional and cozy. They’re budget-friendly and ideal for lightweight fabrics in guest bedrooms or cottage retreats, but keep in mind the panels don’t draw as easily, so reserve them for windows that stay mostly stationary.

Even simple presentations like clip rings can look more refined with subtle trim along the edges or by adding a coordinating fabric band near the top, creating the impression of custom craftsmanship without the expense.

Don’t Skip the Lining

Lining isn’t just functional—it’s what separates amateur from professional-quality drapes. Many people view lining as an unnecessary expense, but it’s actually one of the most cost-effective ways to improve your drapes’ appearance and performance.

A proper lining:

Adds appropriate weight for better draping and eliminates the flimsy appearance of unlined panels
Protects your fabric investment from sun damage, extending the life of expensive materials
Improves insulation qualities, helping regulate room temperature and reducing energy costs
Creates a more finished appearance from both inside and outside your home, giving a cohesive look to your home’s exterior
Provides light control options – choose standard lining for gentle light filtering, blackout lining for bedrooms, or thermal lining for added energy efficiency
Enhances acoustic comfort by absorbing echoes and reducing outside noise, ideal for media rooms or homes near busy streets. Lining also stabilizes delicate weaves during sewing, ensuring crisp hems and pleats that stay true over time. Finally, a quality lining adds perceived luxury, elevating the overall look and resale appeal.

The weight and structure that lining provides makes drapes hang in graceful folds rather than hanging flat against the window. This single addition makes a remarkable difference in how your drapes look and function.

Proper Care and Cleaning

Regular maintenance protects your investment and keeps drapes looking fresh for years. Vacuum your drapes monthly using the soft brush attachment to prevent dust buildup, which can dull colors and damage fibers over time. Always check care labels first – many drapes with pleats, elaborate trim, or mixed materials require professional dry cleaning to avoid shrinkage or damage. For washable cotton and linen drapes, use cold water on a gentle cycle with mild detergent, and remove all hardware before washing. Air drying is preferable to machine drying, as it prevents shrinkage and maintains the fabric’s integrity. Steam your drapes before hanging to relax wrinkles and add length as the fabric settles. Protect drapes from sun fading by drawing them back during peak daylight hours, especially for darker colors that absorb more light. With proper care, quality drapes will maintain their appearance and function beautifully for many years.

Visit us in Store

Prefer to check out your fabric in person before deciding? We have an extensive collection of premium fabrics across numerous textures, patterns, and color palettes to suit any home aesthetic. We also carry coordinating trim options and specialty fabrics like performance materials that resist fading and moisture.

Our inventory includes coordinating trim options – from subtle piping to decorative fringe and tassels – that provide professional finishing touches. Our team brings years of experience in fabric selection and can guide you toward the best choices for your specific room conditions and style preferences. We have a variety of fabric samples so you can evaluate how different materials and colors work with your existing decor and lighting. Whether you’re working with a traditional, modern, or transitional design scheme, our comprehensive fabric library includes options that will meet both your aesthetic goals and functional requirements.