I thought I’d post a few more ideas on dressing up ready-made drapery. I wrote about borders in my previous post. This application is called, banding. Thin contrasting bands of fabric or ribbon that give the drapery its graphic custom appeal, and ties in the fabrics or feel of the room to the drapery.
You can add the banding onto ready-made panels, or make, or have made the panels. One of the easiest ways to add banding is to purchase 3″ grosgrain ribbon in a color that coordinates with your room. Attach the ribbon to the panels by ironing on a fusible web between the two. No sew! (I’ve even glue-gunned banding on as well…shhhh). Of course you can sew it on, which is probably the best way…you choose! You don’t have to use the ribbon. You can cut strips of fabric in the width you want, turn under the raw egdes, fold and pin it around the edge of the panel and sew it on, (or… attach in some way).
There are many ways to add the banding, as you can see from the pictures.
* Add banding just on the leading edges of the drapery.
* Add on both leading and outside edges.
* Divide the panel in thirds and add banding at these intervals.
* Add 2 or 3 rows of 3″ banding just at the bottom part of the drapery, or only on the top part.
* Frame out the whole panel with banding around all edges.
* Can you come up with some others?
You also can make some great pillows using the banding to mimic the look of the drapery. Add the same banding to the bottom of a taylored bed skirt (dust ruffle). Or band a duvet cover. Add the same detail to bathroom towels and valances. Lots of ways to go band crazy… (don’t overdo a good thing, a little goes a long way).
I love the look, do you? It’s easy to do. Ready-mades never looked so good! Give it a try, I think you’ll like it.
1. I love the look also, Cathy. I especially like the white panels with the black banding on each side. Have you made panels like this for your own home? The colors would definitely work.
by Janice — 7/15/08 at 4:20 pm #
2. Cathy,
Thank you for posting more information about draperies. I would like to know what you suggest for my living room. My walls are a yellow gold tone and my sofa, chair and ottoman are red. I would like to bring an accent of zebra or a black and white leopard print into the room but not sure where to put it. what do you suggest for my window and sliding glass lanai door.
by Dawn — 7/15/08 at 10:41 pm #
3. I like your ideas for customizing ready made draperies but here’s my question…I have a terra cotta and gold sofa and matching striped chair..any ideas for wall color and draperies? thanks
by Antoinette in Flat Rock, MI — 7/15/08 at 10:55 pm #
4. Cathy,
I would also like to ask you what you would suggest for my bedroom. My walls are a yellow gold color and my furniture is black. what would you suggest for my bedding color and drapery color to coordinate? Would you stay with the same wall color? I am trying to do an accent of black and red in my each of my rooms in my home with accent of leopard or zebra print.
Also in my living room my walls are a yellow gold and my sofa, chair and ottoman are red. i would like to change my window treatments and bring in accents of zebra or leopard print in white and black. what would you suggest for this room?
Thanks, Dawn
by Dawn — 7/16/08 at 12:31 pm #
5. Hello Janice,
Glad you like the look…a simple way to give the drapes some pizazz.
I have banded some drapes in my dining room. They are white with black banding. I really like the look. It draws some interest to them and a visual vertical line for some height as well. You know me well!
Talk again soon,
by Cathy — 7/17/08 at 12:59 pm #
6. Hello Dawn,
I’ll address both your comments here.
Your home sounds nice and colorful. For your Living Room, with your golden walls and red furniture. I would suggest a few neutrals to add some balance to the stronger colors. Also some texture is good.
You might add…
* A natural sisal or seagrass style area rug with black border.
* Some natural woven wood shades on your windows and maybe some black banded white draperies for the patio door and side panels on the windows. (this combination wiil repeat the B/W zebra feel in the room, but won’t scream zebra).
* Maybe some natural baskets or boxes on tables or shelves.
* All trim in white, crown, baseboards, built-ins, doors etc.
* Add in just a LITTLE zebra or leopard in some sofa pillows and maybe a throw. (don’t over do the zebra, a little goes a long way.)
In other words, “cut” the strong color and pattern with some textured neutrals and it will look great.
For your Bedroom…
You can stay with your golden wall color and black furniture.
You might add…
* White bedding with zebra/leopard pillows, a red pillow and some textured natural woven pillows as well. A zebra?leopard throw over the end of the bed.
* Maybe a natural seagrass or wicker chair with a red pillow.
* Same window treatment as the L.R.
* Art work with white mats and back frames.
* contemporary lamps.
Keep the stronger pattern and color to a minimum. Bedrooms should be restful. Again, the neutrals will soften and balance the stronger colors.
I hope there were a few ideas for you to use here.
Let me know how it turns out.
Thanks for commenting.
by Cathy — 7/17/08 at 2:18 pm #
7. Hi Antoinette,
Thank you so much.
You have a question about wall color and draperies with a sofa and chair in a gold and terra cotta stripe fabric.
A few ideas…
Paint the walls a warm green. (yellow undertones, not blue). Like moss, olive oil… not too dark. Look at #3 or #4 on the chip. These three colors always look nice together. An analagous color scheme. Good harmony.
The draperies you could do in the gold color of your sofa stripe fabric and “band” them with the terra cotta…sharp, against the green wall, it would look good and ties everything together.. Add some of the wall color green to solid pillows on the sofa to repeat that color in the room
Does this sound good to you?
Good luck with the room. Let me know what you think.
by Cathy — 7/17/08 at 3:14 pm #
8. Hi, Cathy
Your comments to Dawn regarding zebra print caught my attention. You know how I love that black and white stuff! The only zebra I have is the area rug in my living room and a couple of nice throw pillows — but I’m not using the throw pillows anywhere now. They’re packed up in the closet. I have an obsession about white bedding. In fact, the king-size bed in one of my bedrooms has pure white bedding now, and I love it for the summer. Could I use my zebra pillows in there, to create a look similar to what you described to Dawn? You also know of my love for red, so perhaps I could throw in some red accessories too — right? I’ve been thinking about using white shams for this bed, and having them monogrammed in black — but this wouldn’t work if I used zebra, would it? I need to do either one or the other, don’t you think? I’ll shut up and let you comment. LOL
by Janice — 7/18/08 at 11:19 am #
9. Hi Janice,
Of course you could use your zebra pillows on your white bedding, and a little red as well. A red pillow or two would be fine as well as some red accessories. It would look great.
Now, If you monogrammed your shams, you would cover up the monogram with the zebra pillows in front of them I think. What about putting a black monogram on one Red pillow to set in front of the 2 zebra pillows, in front of the white shams…did that make sense? That would work well. Yes, I love white bedding as well. It’s so versatile. Pillows and throws can easily be changed without changing all the bedding.
I’m sure it will look great, whatever you decide to do Janice. Let me know how it turns out.
by Cathy — 7/19/08 at 12:46 am #
10. I’m going this weekend to have the shams monogrammed. There is a lady in our area who does this so inexpensively so how could I go wrong. I love zebra print pillows but I also love monogrammed ones. I have a problem with “over kill.” That is, I want to use everything I love but I know it’s not possible to have a tastefully decorated home using this approach. So, I really have to watch myself when it comes to pillows and accessories. How do you restrain yourself when shopping at home decor stores? Are you ever attracted by “pretties” that you know won’t work in your decor? How do you resist the temptation to make impulse purchases?
by Janice — 7/22/08 at 12:20 pm #
11. Hey there Janice,
Yes, I’m always attracted to lots of different things. Most won’t work in my home, or I just don’t have the space to add more. So I appreciate them for their ability to capture my attention and leave me, oooohing and awwwing. Someone will buy those beautiful things and add them to their home…just makes for nicer homes for everyone.
I think your mono.shams will be great…not too much with the zebra either. A nice mix.
Talk soon,
by Cathy — 7/22/08 at 4:12 pm #
12. Cathy, while on the subject of monogramming, could you explain something to me? If you plan to use two monogrammed shams or pillows on the bed, do you use your husband’s initials, or your own — or both? And, is it better to choose a masculine style for the monogram (I believe it’s called diamond pattern) than, say, a feminine style, like something cursive?
by Janice — 7/22/08 at 4:41 pm #
13. hi cathy with a c , my daughter as an 100 year old house, she is having trouble with window ideas the windows are 77 long and 36 wide, che tried white plantation shutter, but thr room look to modern, she is doing with on a shoe string ,any ideas will elp. thanks eileen
by eileen — 7/23/08 at 8:45 am #
14. Hi Janice,
No rules on what initials should go on things. If you are doing two pillows for you and your husband, I would do, HIS and HERS. Put his 3 initials on one sham and your 3 on the other. Why not? Or just your last name initial on both shams if you want it simpler. Also, for style, If your room is a little more contemporary I would do the box or diamond pattern. If your style is more traditional, do the cursive or scrolled. I like the diamond pattern but see what other styles they have.
Let me know how it comes out.
by Cathy — 7/24/08 at 1:26 pm #
15. Hello Eileen,
Your daughters 100 year old house sounds nice. She needs some window treatment ideas that arn’t too modern, but on a budget.
A more traditional way to dress the windows, is to use a sheer, full length drapery panel underneith two full length side drapery panels (hang them out on the wall a bit to bring more light in). If you need privacy, you can draw the top panels over the sheers on a double rod. Or just use one set of lined drapery, open during the day, and close them at night. You can also make drapery from sheets or look for sales on fabric to keep cost down. Line them with a white sheet if the fabric has a pattern. They are not hard to make if you sew. Look through some pattern books at a fabric store for more ideas. Keep it smple and add a little contrast banding for color.
That would be the nicest and most inexpensive way to dress her windows.
Good Luck. Thanks for your question.
by Cathy — 7/24/08 at 2:02 pm #
16. Thanks Cathy for your wall color and drapery ideas however I think I may have been a little off on the color of the furniture. The sofa is gold with very small flecks of red/orange and the chair is red/orange with tiger stripes of gold. With this new information would you still suggest moss or olive as a wall color and gold draperies? Thanks again
by Antoinette — 8/12/08 at 4:36 pm #
17. Hello again Antoinette,
Thanks for clarifing. It sounds like the furniture is contemporary in style…tiger stripe chair, color etc. Maybe not the moss wall color. A few other ideas for you…
Paint an accent wall, the red/orange color in the furniture. Place the gold sofa on or near this wall. The red chair will repeat this color out in the room. The rest of the walls paint a warm white. Maybe hang the draperies in the gold color of the room. Red banding if you want. Add some warm wood pieces to “cut” the color.
Or… Paint the whole room in a lighter gold color of the sofa and hang some red/orange draperies. Add wood pieces as well.
Let me know if I’m on the right track with how you see the room.
by Cathy — 8/15/08 at 1:08 pm #