Ways to Style Side Drapes for Windows
When shopping for drapery, you have a nearly endless number of options. This includes deciding if you want functional traversing or stationary side panel styles. We love side drapes for a variety of reasons. The designers at Rachel Brosky Interiors are sharing our favorite ways to style side drapes and why they may be a good fit for your home.
Consider a Top Treatment
Often, side drapes are used with a traversing center panel to increase the functionality of the window coverings. This is a great way to enjoy the aesthetic of side drapes and the light control of standard drapery, but you need a top treatment to avoid risking your window treatments looking disjointed. If this is the case for you, we suggest tying the multiple panels together with a top treatment. A valance or cornice will make the separate panels appear as though they are one continuous window covering, lending an upscale finishing touch.
Cover Sidelights
Sidelights near front doors are an attractive addition and a great way to let natural light into your home's entryway. The downside to uncovered sidelights is that you can't control the light or ensure your privacy. We love the look of slim, sheer panels for sidelights, but don't give in to the temptation for floor-length panels. Drapes that fall too far past the bottom of the sidelight frame will look frumpy and out of place next to the door's clean lines.
Stylish Drapery Headers
Some drapery headers, including goblet and tuxedo pleat, are best reserved for stationary side drapes. If you move drapery with complex headers, you risk undoing the pleat or breaking the tabs or grommets. Other pleats, like two-finger pinch styles, are suitable for stationary and traversing drapes.
Use Side Drapes to Add Height
Side drapes are an easy way to make your ceilings appear higher. Installing drapes just below the ceiling draws the eye upwards, creating the illusion of space and height. Depending on your fabric weight, functional panels may be cumbersome to move. Opting for side panels will allow you to fit a more luxurious fabric into your design budget.
Side Drapes Reduce Stackback
Stackback is the amount of space drapery takes up when drawn open and is what gives drapes their famous fullness. When you pull a drapery panel back, it takes up about ⅓ of its original width. If you don't have the space to allow for stackback, consider stationary side drapes that remain at a consistent width.
Contact Us
At Rachel Brosky Interiors, we aim to make interior design easy and enjoyable for everyone. Rachel Brosky Interiors is your local resource for high-end window treatments, custom bedding, rugs, wallpaper, and more. We offer a variety of premium services, including in-home consultations.
Contact us today to make your interior design vision a reality. Our showroom is in Elizabethtown, KY, and we're happy to serve Elizabethtown, Brandenburg, Vine Grove, and Bowling Green, KY.
