Extension Bulletin 264 June 1951 BULLErJN HU()fvt liBRARY, Uf\WERC:ITY Fi>.P.M Selecting and Making CURTAINS AND DRAPERIES planning ideas buying guides construction aids Jfelen Jf. )Uatfteis WitcH Vou Select eurtnifiS and Vraperies ODAY'S homemaker has a world of new ideas and new prod­ T ucts to choose from when she plans window treatments for her home. She finds tremendous stress placed on the number, size, shape, and placement of windows in rooms in order that they may serve a number of purposes. Among these are, of course, the basic functions of windows-light, air, and vision. In addition windows often are the focal point, or gathering place for people in a room. All these points must be considered when planning windows and window decor. Whatever your light, air, vision, or by the store display of suggested room activity problems, remember that good settings. window treatment will be restful, it In addition, successful shopping calls will harmonize with the room, and lend for accurate information about your ·distinction to the furnishings used room requirements. You supply this by there. This means that good window carrying with you a sketch of your treatment will take its place as a sat­ room, preferably with wall and floor isfying part of the room furnishings and space indicated in %-inch scale. will also allow flowers, books,' works Salespeople count on this when they of art, and hobby interests of the family prepare merchandise for your selec­ to accent the character of furnishings tion. They must know about the archi­ in the room. tectural effects in your room-size, number, and location of doorways, How Will It Look at Home? windows, and niches. They will also want a description of When you shop-be careful for the the wood trim, the floor treatment, and, design that seems most startling will if possible, a sample of the wall cover­ draw your attention first. This may be ing. They will ask about the exposure just what your room needs,, but the to determine the effect of natural light test really lies in the way a striking on fabrics, and will consider the design will look with the other fur­ amount, kind, and placement of arti­ nishings. ficial light you use. "How will it look at home?" should They welcome a description of your be the determining factor when you furniture and often use it to find a choose window treatments. This ques­ fabric which carries a subtle repetition tion can be answered to some extent of the dominant lines in the furniture. FIG. 1 (left) The warm color and pleasing pattern of fabric used to curtain windows of this north-facing living room add to the comfort of steady north light for desk work. FIG. 2 (right) Balance between the appeal of view from this south-lacing window and the total effect of furnishings is apparent. Delicate design and color in th e fabric support the entire plan. When You Plan the Color Scheme Color is a matter of relationship so before you shop take account of the interplay of established room furnishings, the colors of the floor cov­ ering, the walls, upholstery, and slip cover fabrics, and the light exposure. You can save yourself much shopping for color matching if you select paint or wall color after the curtain fabric has been chosen. Often it is barely possible to match a drapery color to a wall, yet it is quite easy to paint to a certain color in fabric. Exposure Affects Color Pictures and art objects may give you ideas. A room with windows facing north When a window fabric is brighter and might seem cheerless unless warm lighter than the floor or floor covering, colors are used. Temper the north light but related to it in color, it will attract with shades of yellow and red in the an easy movement of attention from curtains and repeat tints of these colors the floor to the curtain and wall The on the wall. Count on tints of green and fabric can be darker, lighter, or a little blue to absorb the warm light coming stronger in shade than the wall and in the south windows. Windows facing achi ve this same effect. east have more cold than warm light There is an ever-recu:ring cycle in so use warm colors there to modify th fabrics and color schemes for room light. Choose cool colors to temper the furnishings. For some time window warm light of west windows. fabrics have been prints of definite olor and patt rn. Among them you will find many diversified prints that are How Many Colors? lc y d to country living. The scenics, Generally, it is well to restrict colors cali o-typ s, and small documentary to three--a main color, a secondary prints ar xamples. Any of them are color of pleasing blend or contrast, and IT tiv wh n us d with maple and a third accent color. Contrasts of tints pin furnitur . They ar also highly and shad s of a main color with car ful d sirabl with informal olonial fur­ blending o.f an accent color mak pl as­ nishings and take th ir place qually ing color schem s. w ll with Fr n h Pr vincial styles. Plan your color sch me from furnish­ N w plain and semi-plain wov n fab­ ings which will be us d longest in th rics ~re availabl in an abundance of room. Try out a shade which r epeats a varied ton s of sin l col rs. This great color in the floor cov ring or k ynote an vari ty of solid colors off rs a w lcom accent color from the upholst ry or slip hang . Th y have b n pre-color-cor­ cover fabrics and see how it can carry r lat d for case in color matching and all the needed color 1 m nts in a room. scl ction. 4 EXTENSION BULLETIN 264 Texture blending is just as important which soften and enrich the colors of as color. Coarse meshes, like the heavier furnishings. These are the deluxe cool marquisettes, nets, and scrim, are best white and deluxe warm white tubes. used with other coarse fabrics in rugs, While not available everywhere, they upholstery, slip covers, and wall fin­ are worth asking or watching for. The quisettes and ninons are used with fur­ list below indicates the type of fluores­ nishin~s of corresponding smoothness. cent tube to use in your home. Check Your Lighting for Color Effects Exterior Effect Is Important Have you had an unpleasant shock Window curtains decorate the out­ in seeing your draw curtains or drap­ side of the house as well as the inside. eries take on a mysterious change in If color is used it should blend harmo­ color when your lamps or light fixtures niously with the exterior color plan or were used? affect an interesting accent to it. Such experience proves that choos­ Stand in front of the house and note ing color is only part of completing the the effect of the windows. Uniform ap­ window treatment plans. You must be pearance is desirable, especially in the sure the lamps and light fixtures show front windows. This is quite possible off the scheme to best advantage. when you use the same color in roll If your color scheme accents warm shades or blinds, the same or similar colors, reds and yellows, and your color for all the curtains and uniformity lighting is incandescent, you're prob­ in the style of the curtains, shades, and ably satisfied with the color effects be­ blinds. cause incandescent bulbs bring out the Pleasing use of color on the exterior warmth and richness of red and yellow can be realized from several sources colors. other than curtains. Among these are If standard warm white or daylight the roof color, the window sash, win­ fluorescent tubes are your main source dow louvers, flower boxes, and the of lighting, you will have found the flowers themselves, awnings, door steps, colors of your furnishings considerably walks, and terraces. Relate your cur­ darker at night than during the day. tain plan to these features if you wish Now new fluoregcent tubes can be had to add to the appearance of your home. Purpose Type Fluorescent Tube Good over-all color appearance Deluxe cool white Best over-all color appearance, for a warm color scheme Deluxe warm white Best over-all color appearance, for a cool color scheme Deluxe cool white Most efficient light (most light per dollar) Standard warm while Efficient lighting of a cool color scheme Standard cool white Efficient lighting of a warm color scheme Combination of fluorescent and incandescent ~i~~3~~3 ~~~j" :/J~i~~e for conlrast; standard lighting in one area of a home warm white for blending Blending with natural daylight Standard cool white or deluxe cool wllite Changing Window Size and Shape Windows in remodeled or old houses often seem too short and narrow for today's curtain styles. Such windows needn't be a handicap. You can change their proportions quite easily by fastening board extensions or metal extender plates to the top and sides of the frame to gain height or width as needed. Try to have the same height measurement for all windows in a room. Then fasten the fixtures before measuring for curtains. CURTAINS AND DRAPERIES 5 TO GAIN HEIGHT-add a wooden accommodate your drapery hardware. extension of required height above the The front of the board will be as long window frame (figure 3A).