Window Treatments

Headers

"Hems" at the top of the draperies

Bay window

A basic window type consisting of three or more windows set at an angle to each other in a recessed area; also called cathedral window; angles at the top where the window follows the line of a slanting roof

Dormer window

A basic window type defined as a small window projecting from the house in an alcove-like extension of the room

Double windows

A basic window type defined as side-by-side windows; called multiple windows if they are more than one

Picture window

A basic window type designed to frame an outside view; may consist of one large, fixed pane of glass in which case the window cannot be opened; or it may have movable sections on one or both sides, above, or below of a fixed pane which can be opened for ventilation

Jalousie window

A basic window type identified by narrow, horizontal strips of glass that open by means of a crank to any desired angle

Slanting window

A basic window type often called "cathedral window" and its main characteristic is the angle at the top where the window follows the line of a slanting roof

Awning Window

A basic window type which has a wide, horizontal sash that open outward to any angle, and can usually be left open when it is raining

Casement windows

A basic window type with one or more sashes that are hinged on a vertical edge; this kind opens from from the side

Double hung window

A basic window type with two sashes, one or both of which slide up and down

Sheers

A category of window treatment used to accent an open, airy feeling; made of very thin fabric and is nearest to glass when at least two sets of curtains are used thus letting in the maximum amount of light when the curtains are drawn but offers the least amount of privacy; may be hung straight, shirred on a rod, tied back, or arranged to draw; layered and combined with other printed and/or plain fabrics; also called Glass Curtains

Semi-Sheers

A category of window treatment used to diffuse light for a little privacy as the fabric is thicker and may be used alone or with draperies; people will not be able to see into the room during the day but at night when the interior lights are on, they will be able to do so

Semi-opaque

A category of window treatment used to provide partial blockage of light when the curtains are closed; at night, only shadows can be seen in the house's interior; most widely available and include most drapery fabric and a few hard window treatments

Opaque

A category of window treatment which provide partial blockage of light when the curtains are closed; at night, only shadows are seen from the outside; most widely available and include most drapery fabric and a few hard window treatments; also Blackout Curtains; with rubber backing or lining

Pencil Pleats

A curtain heading formed by a tape which, when drawn up creates a row of narrow densely packed folds

Bow window

A curved window; also called a circular bay

Scarf

A long piece of fabric designed to drape across the top of a window and hang to the floor on either side, but easily customized for unique looks; can be hung from hooks on top corners of windows, draped across a curtain rod or suspended from other specialty hardware

Clerestory windows

A shallow window set near the ceiling

Soft Window Treatments

A type of window treatment which includes draperies, curtains, and shades that are purely made of fabric

Kick Pleated Valance

A valance treated constructed like box pleats, but the pleats are spaced further apart

Banner Valance

A valance treatment that includes triangularly cut fabric pieces that overlap together

Arched Valance

A valance treatment that is arched along the lower edge

Roller Blinds

Actually a roll of material attached to a spring-wound tube or roller mechanism that hangs on your window; comes with distinct ends, one with a pin and one with a blade; sold in precut lengths (36" 45" 54" 72"); originally made of vinyl

Rod Pocket Curtains

Also called casement curtains; the top, usually shirred, forms a pocket through which the fabric is then threaded onto a pole or rod

Swag

Also known as festoon; single or double draping across the top of the window; hung from a foundation cornice, adds striking accent to curtains

Cellular Shades

Also known as honeycomb shades; consist of two or more sheets of accordion-pleated reinforced fabric that are bonded together; appears to be standard pleated shade from the front but on the side has multi-layered construction that creates single, double or even triple layers of honeycombed air spaces which create multiple air pockets within the shades having an insulation effect

French Pleats

Also known as pinch pleats; composed of three folds, most often used in standard draperies; made by dividing one fat pleat into three smaller ones without creasing them

Palladian window

An arched top window with straight panes below the arch

Corner window

Any window that comes together at the corner of a room

Aesthetics

Benefit of a window wherein it is used to cover or conceal defects on walls, to decorate the wall in a certain style, or to relieve the monotony of unbroken wall space

Acoustics and noise control

Benefit or use of a window wherein insulation to control noise is considered

Tie-backs

Can be the same fabric as the drapery itself; function to tie back draperies

Tie Back Curtains

Curtains designed to be gathered at the side of the window held by a decorative tieback, sleeve, or cord

Austrian Shade

Curtains that are pulled up like ordinary shades, but with cords rather than by means of a roller; vertical shirring transforms the tailored folds of a Roman shade into soft draping scallops; generally made of sheer or lightweight fabrics

Trim

Defined as decorative cording, braids, or fringes applied to the edges or hems of draperies, to match or contrast the panel fabric

Windows

Derived from Old Norse word for wind (vindr) and eye (auga) meaning eye of the house; they function to admit in light, admit in air, protection from outside elements, and to frame or admit visual beauty of the exterior into the room

Milium Sateen

Either in white or gray/silver in color drapery lining; eliminates inter-lining but is twice the cost of sateen

Lambrequins

Extends all the way down either side of the window as well as across the top, framing the window in three sides

Exterior Evaluation

Factors to evaluate in the installation include climate, orientation, prevailing breeze, architectural style, setting or location

Interior Evaluation

Factors to evaluate in the installation of windows include light, view ventilation and safety

Hems

Finished bottom edges of the drapery, usually 4 inches of double fabric (sometimes 5-6 inches to weigh them down and help them hang better); corner weights are added to keep drapery ends hanging evenly with no flares; a bead tape is sewn to the hems to stabilize sheer fabrics

Box Pleats

Flat symmetrical pleats formed by folding the fabric to the back at each side of the pleat; deep, inverted, tailored pleats featuring two straight fabric folds facing the opposite directions creating a classical boxy look

Jabot

French term which means "bird's crop"; pleated or draped lengths of fabric hanging down the side of the window, can be foot long or floor-length

Horizontal Blinds

Hard window treatment consist of horizontal panels that open and close at right angles, depending on the privacy needed

Vertical Woven Blinds

Hard window treatment made of fabric in approximately 4" widths; when closed, these woven strips fold one back of the other creating a look of a macramé panel on either side of the window

Vertical blinds

Hard window treatment made of vertically aligned vanes; has all the advantages of horizontal blinds as well as the side draw operation of draperies; slats can be made of PVC, fabric, wood, painted aluminum or polycarbonate plastic; some have grooves or mirror-like surfaces; may be used as room dividers for control or privacy of light; neatly stacks against the wall when not in use

Pole treatments

Lend a nice, airy feeling to a room with drapery hanging just below the pole with rings, or with drapery fabric fully gathered on the pole; usual sizes are 1 1/2" diameter for brass and 1 3/8" for wood (with 2" rings)

Cascade or Tail

Loose, hanging ends of a jabot; more clearly defined as descending in zigzag line from the heading or top treatment

Balloon Shades

Made of soft fabric, with cords placed vertically along the shade to hold the fabric in place; has straight sides and a straight lower hem; when cord is pulled to raise it, deep inverted pleats cause the shade to billow out into puffs along the bottom edge

Privacy

Major reason for treating windows; critical for bedrooms or bathrooms

Sateen

Most draperies lined with this may have to be interlined

Energy conservation

One of the uses of the window treatment and also has become an important factor in interiors as it considers regional climate; include consideration of providing insulation in both hot and cold climates

Draw Draperies

Pleated panels that can be pulled across the window; uses a traverse rod, master carrier and pull cords; they operate or draw by opening and closing with a cord or by hand; generally hung straight to the floor and tied back

Cartridge Pleats

Pleats that are round, 2" to 2 ½" pleats, filled in with cotton or paper to hold the shape; generally spaced 2" to 3" apart

Bishops Sleeve

Rod pocket curtains with extra length so that the sides can be gathered with tiebacks to create multiple poufs and they often puddle on the ground

Miniblinds

Similar to Venetian blinds only that it has 1" wide slats

Wood Blinds

Similar to Venetian blinds only that the strips are made of wood

Hourglass Curtain

Similar to stretch curtains but is permanently tied with a tie back in the middle; works well on glazed doors, made of sheer fabric; for kitchen doors with glass panes or French doors

Hold backs

Simple or ornamental knobs or hooks where tie-backs are attached or used by themselves

Valances

Soft horizontal treatments mounted across the tops of a window, and are always made entirely of fabric; these primarily serve the function of camouflaging the hardware and traverse rods but also give a finished appearance to the framing of a window

Curtains

Soft window treatment generally shirred or smocked (gathered onto a rod) or have headings attached to rods; can also be pleated and hung on a rod with the use of hooks; usually a term for informal window treatments such as café curtains

Tiers

Soft window treatment imparting a homey, country feel to a room and come in several different syles; short in length, about the length of ½ of the height of the window in which they are to be hung, and are often used in kitchens and baths; can be beautifully combined with a swag, valance, etc

Draperies

Soft window treatment which uses a thick kind of fabric and is made with pleats; although main purpose is decorative, it is also used for privacy and elimination of light; this type is usually lined; hung by tabs, eyelets or drapery hooks on plain or traverse rods

French doors

Sometimes called French Windows. They come in pairs and often open onto a porch or patio

Overdrapes

Stationary draperies used on either side of a window with other window treatments between them; can be left straight or tied back

Pelmets or Corniceboard

Stiff paneled headings to curtains; valances made out of wood, with edges cut either straight or curved; usually covered in fabric but wooden ones may be painted or padded or with moldings attached, framed mirrors or wallpapered; depth from 4" to 8" depending on length, height of room and material used

View Enhancement

The benefit or use of window treatments wherein adding to the beautiful view outside and reducing harsh, straight lines of window frames are considered; covering up views that are not aesthetic

Light Control

The benefit or use of window treatments wherein filtering out light and glare is considered; ability of treatments to add light to a dark room or dim a room that is too bright

Bay window

Three or more windows set at an angle to each other in a recessed area

Sliding glass doors

Today's functional version of French doors; they are often set into a regular wall, but are sometimes part of a modern "glass wall"

Fringes

Trims sewn onto the edges and hems of curtain panels; comes in a wide variety of designs, colors and materials; also often used to decorate pillows, lampshades and rugs

Balls

Trims which may be made of silk, cotton, wood or crystal

Cut fringes

Type of fringes that is cut

Glosheen or colored Sateen

Used for lining but is generally interlined with white flannel

Interlining

Used to change or enhance the properties of draperies; not generally durable to withstand UV light, abrasion, moisture and other environmental conditions therefore they are inserted between the lining and drapery fabrics

Drapery Liners

Used to protect draperies, adding to their durability and longevity; provide added insulation in colder climates and block sunlight that can damage or fade fabrics and disturb sleeping occupants; lighter, thinner fabrics

Glass wall

Usually a group of basic window units made to fit together, forming a veritable 'wall of windows'

Venetian Blinds

Usually made of lightweight metal, usually aluminum which is coated with paint; has 2" wide slats held together by 1" wide cotton braid "ladder" or nylon cord

Wood Shades

Usually made of narrow horizontal strips connected with thread (sometimes colored) woven on both sides; others made of made of bamboo, tortoise shells or woven wood

Ranch Window

also called strip windows; most often wide window set high off the floor; usually has sliding sashes and is common to most ranch type house

Eyelets

also known as grommets; similar to tab tops but have metal grommets fixed onto the head of the curtain at regular intervals; can be threaded through a rod, pole or tension wire; often used with rods as shower curtains

Microminiblinds

blinds which has slats that are ½" in size rather than 1"

Goblet Pleats

calculated and formed in the same way as French pleat headings, but instead of making the single tuck or fold into a triple one, the base is only secured to form a short cup which is stuffed with a rolled-up piece of interlining or Dacron to pad out the full shape

Roman Shades

fabric-covered shades of horizontal panels, with wooden slats inserted horizontally at intervals down its entire length; raised and lowered via pull cord, it gathers soft folds as it does so

Pleats

folds of cloth sewn or taped into place to create fullness

Shutters and Screens

hard window treatment lending elegance, simplicity and architectural interest to a space; when closed, solid-panel types of these block all light

Shirring

header created by a row of gatherings on a pole or rod; there should be three times as much fabric as the length of the rod for added fullness; curtains with these headings are called cased, slot or gathered curtains

Tie Top

headers which are small strips of fabric attached to the head of the fabric and are used to tie over a curtain rod, holding the curtain in place; creates an informal look for sheers and lightweight fabric

Looped or Tab Tops

headers which highlight the decorative hardware used to hang them; loops of separate fabric sewn onto unpleated, flat drapery; a round rod slides through the loops; not advisable where they will be drawn frequently as they don't move easily over the poles and will wear quickly

Screens

include lattice and pierced screen, pierced oriental screen, shoji screens

Pleated shades

more like a blind than it is a shade; made of accordion-pleated fabric (or sometimes even fibrous paper) which is raised and lowered with cords like a blind; permanently pleated so that when drawn up, it folds neatly into clean pleats; must be raised to see outside; fabric in different thicknesses and transparencies; Stitched Roman Shades are made to resemble these

Accordion Pleats

pleats made easily with patented devices that allow the creation of neat, even folds that snap on and off a traverse track without hooks; simulate the look of accordion folds, thereby having a uniform exterior and interior appearance; can be stacked in a minimum amount of space

Flemish Headings

takes the form of goblet pleats linked along their base by hand-sewn cord

Under curtains

these are curtains that hang behind the main curtains

Smocking

type of heading made as in smocked trim in dresses; uses double or triple rows of puckers created by a line of stitching through the fabric according to a set pattern; starts out as pencil pleats before certain points are stitched together to form x or diamond patterns

Fabric shades

window treatment generally drawn up from the bottom

Café Curtains

window treatment invented by a French Restaurateur; used to allow seated patrons privacy beside the window while allowing passerby a glimpse of the tempting atmosphere within; lower portion of window is covered, stationary and usually on rods with rings

Stretch or Sash Curtains

window treatment known as brise-brise, French term roughly translated as "wind screen"; hung with top and bottom rods; cannot be drawn or traversed; usually installed in casement or French doors; sometimes does not run the entire height of the window

Hard Window Treatments

window treatments including blinds, shades, and screens that are made of wood, plastic or strong fabric

Shutters

wooden hinged or solid panels that may be folded across a window to diffuse light and add privacy; can have adjustable louvers which function the same way as blind