The Best Hassle-Free Method to Hanging Curtain Rods

Curtains (formally called draperies) are one of the top home furnishings that’s installed improperly. No offense, but chances are your curtains are hung wrong too. Let’s chat about the common misconceptions when installing curtain rods, how to remedy them, and our formula for installing them like a pro.

Common Misconceptions

01 | Curtains should hug the window casing

Ninety-nine percent of the time, your curtains should be installed on the wall surrounding the window. Why? Because they make your windows look smaller in comparison to the rest of the room. You’re also blocking quite a bit of natural light from the windows.

There is one exception to this rule, though; if the window is tight between two walls, like in a dormer or small powder room, then you can install your hardware directly to the casing.

While curtains and draperies are sometimes purely functional, you don’t have to sacrifice aesthetic in the process. On the other hand, you may have your draperies just for looks, and in that case, you definitely don’t want to sleep on installing them the right way.

December 21, 2020 Veronica 0

Window Treatments 101 | Roman Shades & Draperies

Did you know curtains have been around since 3rd-century Egypt? Though they were primarily used to separate rooms, these first generation curtains inspired the use of soft window coverings. Becoming popular in 16th-century England, window coverings were commonly made from linen, flax and cotton… just like today’s roman shades and draperies!

Renaissance styled draperies — Renaissance draperies
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Roman shades are just as old and date back to- you guessed it- ancient Roman times. But they were originally designed to function horizontally, like an awning. This was to block the hot sun while spectators enjoyed the spectacles at the Colosseum. Now used vertically on our windows and doors, Roman shades still function as they did back then.

Design of the construction of the awning system used at the Colosseum
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Flat roman shades in a modern industrial loft.
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We won’t bore you with a full history lesson, but it’s fun to know where our modern fabric window treatments got their start. This month, we’re expanding our Window Treatments 101 series to the most timeless treatments you can put in your home— roman shades and draperies.

June 28, 2019 Veronica 0

Window Treatments 101: Venetian Blinds

Window treatments are often the most defining decor in a room. How you adorn your windows contributes greatly to the vibe of the whole space based on scale, color, and coherency of styles. In this five-part mini series about window treatments, we’re going to dive into the history, the making, and the designing of five super relevant window treatments— the first of which is Venetian Blinds. So let’s start from the beginning!

Where Did Venetian Blinds Originate?

Somehow the Italians always get credit for incredible design but the blinds we know and love aren’t actually Venetian. They were first recorded in use in 18th-century Persia and rapidly gained popularity throughout Europe, starting in Venice. They made their way over to the U.S. in 1767 and were later patented in England in 1769. Natural roll-up shades used to be the norm. But the easy light control and privacy of Venetian blinds quickly put roll-up shades on the back burner. The functionality of these blinds made them perfect for commercial and office spaces. In fact, a little company in Vermont made every Venetian blind for the Empire State Building in the 1930’s.

February 25, 2019 Veronica 0