How To

The length of your curtains is a matter of personal choice, but please take our advice before choosing.The length of your curtains is a matter of personal choice, but curtain length normally falls into one of 3 categories (illustrated below):

SILL LENGTH

Allow a clearance of approx 1cm from the sill. Ensure the curtains hang clear of the sill to avoid condensation damaging the curtains.

BELOW SILL LENGTH

Below sill length Where your curtains finish below the sill is purely a matter of personal choice. For guidelines only, we recommend a drop of approx 15cm below the sill.

FLOOR LEVEL

Allow a clearance of approx 2cm from the floor or carpet.

Follow these steps to calculate the amount of fabric required for drapes:

As a general rule, drapes need to be twice the fullness of your drape track/pole.

Measure the width of your track or pole.

Divide the width of your track or pole by the width of your fabric and multiply this figure by the fullness (usually 2). Always round up to the nearest width.

For example, pole width = 180cm, fabric width = 140cm, fullness = 2.

Number of widths = (180/140) * 2 = 2.6 widths. Round up to 3 widths.
Measure the drop and add 20-40 cm for hems and turnings to give the length.

Multiply the number of widths by the length to give the total length of fabric required.

Note, you may need to add an allowance for pattern repeat.

Sheers and laces filter light without blocking it, and don’t disturb your view. Natural or white cottons or blends, are translucent, and soften the light. Woven fabrics, lined curtains and insulated curtains more nearly block out the light. Achieve the lighting effect you want by selecting an appropriate fabric.

Achieve the lighting effect you want by selecting an appropriate fabric.
For more information about the different fabrics for draperies, go to the Fabrics section of our website. The Window Decorator Software can also help you select the right fabric you’re looking for.

Sheers and laces filter light without blocking it, and don’t disturb your view.
Natural or white cottons or blends, are translucent, and soften the light.
Woven fabrics, lined curtains and insulated curtains more nearly block out the light.

With tab curtains, you can create looks that range from country to colonial to contemporary. With tailored curtains, your look can be anything from country to traditional to formal. With a combination of top treatments and curtains, sheers or laces, an up-to-date feeling is easy to have. The most important thing is to design to please yourself!

Click here go to Drapery Styles Section

Selecting colors for your drapes

Use as much or as little color as you feel comfortable with. Solid colors or prints are refreshing and draw attention to the window. Soft, neutral colors can complement the colors in your carpeting, furniture, or wallpaper. If the window is interesting architecturally, you may want to emphasize that feature through color selection. Don’t hesitate to experiment with mixing naturals and whites, or prints, stripes and solids. Warm shades of reds and yellows will add life to a room. Cool colors – Blues or whites – Or earth tones like greens and browns – Are restful. Work toward harmony and complementarily in color selection. For help with choosing a color or a fabric.

Please call us or drop us a note. We’ll discuss your project with you, and we’ll send you some free fabric swatches. You might even want to order a half yard of material that appeals to you. Place it at your window,step back or even across the room – See how distance influences the appearance of the print, pattern or color – Notice how the color and texture captures the mood in your room. Also, observe the mood and effect created by the fabric in the daylight, and how it changes at night illuminated by the lamps in your room. Choose the fabric or color that passes the “feels right” test under these different conditions. Choosing a color scheme and don’t know where to start? Collect pictures of interiors from magazines, fabric swatches, wallpaper / paint swatches and any other sources of inspiration as a starting point to creating the look you want.

Lachina Drapery & Blind Factory offers a free sample service. Browse the Collections and select the colors and designs of your choice.

Choose a patterned fabric as a feature for the room and pick out colors from the design to use in different areas such as the walls, floors, upholstery or accessories. Remember to use varying depths of plain colors.

Mix and match patterned fabrics with plains. Use the patterned fabric as a feature in the room and mix with plain fabrics which pick out the colors in the feature fabric.

Mixing Patterns Use a variety of patterned fabrics which share the same color palette. Try to limit your choice to 3 patterned fabrics to prevent the scheme from looking too busy. Keep larger areas of color in paler shades and introduce the stronger colors with accessories such as cushions, vases, flowers etc.

Choose two slightly different colored wallpapers in the same design. Apply to the wall in alternate horizontal stripes for a dramatic contemporary effect.

Think about size! Paler color schemes will make rooms feel light and airy and will give an illusion of added space. Make a high-ceilinged room seem much cozier by decorating in rich warm colors.

Finishing touches – mount objects into simple frames to echo the color scheme of the room.

Boldly patterned fabrics don’t need elaborate draperies styles – keep them simple such as pencil pleat or tab top.

Add interest to plain curtains by choosing a more detailed drape heading such as pinch pleat.

Make a feature of large windows by dressing with more elaborate draperies styles.

Finishing touches – echo a room’s color scheme with vases of fresh flowers in the same colors.