Shirred Curtains

Red curtains make a powerful design statement, injecting energy, warmth, and drama into any space they adorn. This bold color choice ranges from deep burgundies that evoke old-world luxury to bright scarlets that create modern vibrancy. Red’s psychological impact—associated with passion, excitement, and warmth—makes it particularly effective in living rooms and dining areas where stimulating conversation is desired. The color’s intensity can be balanced with neutral walls and furnishings or embraced fully for maximalist impact. Practical considerations for red curtains include selecting fade-resistant fabrics, as bright reds can be susceptible to sunlight bleaching over time. Many high-quality red curtains use solution-dyed fabrics or UV-protective linings to maintain their rich hue. Red works beautifully with various materials—velvet for opulence, linen for casual elegance, or silk for formal spaces. When paired with metallic accents like gold or brass hardware, red curtains achieve especially luxurious effects. This versatile color can read as traditional in dark tones or contemporary in bright shades, adapting to diverse interior styles while always commanding attention.

House Made Home

Sewing

Decorating

The whole point of the various header styles on draperies is to control fullness. Only rarely does anyone want a completely flat panel of fabric on a window. If it is to have fullness, it must be contained somehow- hence, the pleat. There are other methods, and here is one: shirring. In this workroom sample, the gold silk is outlined in a rust microcording, a separate rust layer is added from the back, and the whole thing is shirred. A two-cord shirring tape has been sewn and hidden- I wanted it to look as finished from the back as from the front. I would like to credit Heather Luke, an English curtain maker, for the inspiration for this curtain. Her amazing curtains are all made by hand, and I wanted to develop a technique to achieve a similar look with faster methods so that I could offer it to my clients. (SHE doesn’t use shirring tape!, and therefore doesn’t need to hide it!)

Airstream Dreamin’

Cottage Blues….

Adding softness, pretty texture and pattern to the Master Bath was on my mind for quite some time. One way to do that would be to add some pretty drapes if you have a large window in your bat…

Ideas for the house

An openwork laser lambrequin made of high-quality Turkish buckram. These types of lambrequins do not bend and hold their shape. Openwork lambrequins are suitable for any sized curtain rod, do not collect dust, nor require washing. Choose between shirring tape or velcro for your fastening options. ***Please note that we do not accept returns or exchanges on custom orders. Please contact us directly if you have any problems with your order.

Sewing – Ideas and Tips

Transforming fabric panels into curtains is easy! Well hello, good-looking windows! It’s amazing how a window refresh can update the entire look of room. It’s even more amazing that curtains can be made pretty easily using Dritz® drapery tapes. Our friends at Sew4Home™ are really experts on the topic of window treatments. Are you ready to become an expert, too? Check out this rod loop tape. Simply sew this tape onto the back of fabric panels and turn them into curtains. They look so professional and are so easy to hang! Clip ring tape is also sewn onto the back of fabric panels. The tape has little openings to accommodate clip rings, ensuring that your hardware is evenly spaced, and that your curtains are hanging straight! Iron-on shirring tape is yet another wonder product! See it in action here – it really is easy to apply, right? Nice pleats and gathers are yours in an instant. Ready to get started? Visit Sew4Home™ to see how to use these tapes to make a variety of curtains. Their site is packed with a variety of curtain styles, and step-by-step photography and instructions show you precisely how it’s done. Other resources include the curtain …