Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-04
Buying and Making Curtains
Selection of Various Styles Must Be Made With
Proper Attention to Comfort and Gen
eral Appearance
eral Appearance.

The attractiveness OF your home
depends to a great extent upon the
tudsment YOU exercise when select
ing curtains and draperies for your
windows. The chief point to remem
her is how to combine in the best way
usefulness and artistic effect.
Curtains for windows are classlflec
&c glass curtains or sash curtains
side draperies, valances. draw curtains
and window shades. They may all DC
used at one window, each may be
used singly or they may be used II
env possible combination.
Glass curtains may be placed over
all or part Of the glass of the windows
and made of a thin fabric. They ex
tend only to the window sill. the
use of net for these affords the mos,
light.
lined. They will hang better, the ma
terial is protected from strong light
dampness and dust, and the pattern
shows UP more clearly. Valances are
that part of window drapery which
is placed across the top of the win
dow. They may be used with or with
ont side draperies and made plated,
shirred or draped.
Curtains must not conceal an attrac-
tive view, prevent ventilation or smut
out too much daylight. BY a careful
choice of material and color they must
har-monize with the other furnishings
of a room. When planning curtains
for your home consider the number
Of windows in the room and their
shape, size, location and exposure.
A window and the room Will not APP
pear at their best if the relation or
the window to the rest of the room
has been ignored. For instance, II
elaborate and colorful curtains are
hing at the windows the rest OF the
room will fade and only the windows
will be seen.
The lines of a curtain are deter
mined by the way in which a curtain
is hung. The lines are formed by
bands, trimming features. pattern and
each fold of the material. yertical
lines are formal and dignified and
give the impression of height. They
are suitable for public halls and re-
ception rooms. Horizontal lines are
formed by a valance, tie-back, trim
ming band and double-sash curtains.
They make room appear lower.
Success with draperies is matter of
hanging them with consideration of
the proportion Of the window and of
selecting fabrics which are appro-
PIRATE in color, design and texture.
Simple, straight hangings are artistic.
There are definite rules which help in
deciding how curtains should be
hung and what materials, colors and
patterns to use i'm the rooms with
different kinds of furnishings. The
lines, color and texture OF draperies
must be carefully planned so that
they will blend into the rest of the
room.
Color and Fabrics.
To increase the appearance of
height in a room, use only vertical
lines. In order to reduce height
slightly. use both vertical and horizon
tai lines, and to reduce the height still
more, use horizontal lines alone The
longer the horizontal lines, the greater
win be the widening effect given to a
window and to room. If a window
is too broad and low, the side draperies
may be made Of a striped fabric and
spread out over the window to reduce
the eGpanse Of glass. The valance can
be placed above the casing and just
reach the glass, or the valance may
be omitted or reduced to narrow
rlfiie. II a window is too tall and mar.
row, the proportions can be changed
by mounting the rods out ON the wall
snSSCdd sOH SllC CS1SlIlSs 0Itu tIl0 sue
draperies may be pulled over until
they just reach the glass.
Color is a very important feature in
the success of curtains and draperies.
1t produces charm when rightly used.
When selecting the color or colors to
be used in draperies. consider walls,
floor, woodwork and all the furnish
1ngs of the room. If the rug and much
OF the furniture is in plain colors, the
draperies may be cretonne or printed
linen having a dominant color that
carries out the plan of the background.
Too much plain color makes a room
severe and uninviting.
What to Ruy.
There are 100 or more different
standard and novelty drapery fabrics
from which a selection may be made.
They vary in cost, beauty, durability
and appropriateness. No draperies or
curtains should be purchased without
first seeing a Sample of the material
in the room. 1t should be tried against
the wall I'm the position in which it
will hang and against the upholstery
and woodwork by daylight and lamp
light. With dainty painted furniture,
organdy, Swiss or wolfe curtains pre-
serve the spirit of the room. but with
heavy, overstuffed furniture the right
effect would be destroyed. With heavy
furniture, heavy linen, tapestry or
yelours is necessary. Silk, damask,
rayon and novelty cotton are suitable
with fine mahogany. Scrim, mar
uuisette or gauZe glass curtains may
be used with cretone draperies. DAM