Is it curtains for you?

Curtains are back big time for 2013. All the great houses in Meath, Dublin, Kildare and indeed all over the country were adorned with beautiful drapes. They were a statement of status and power. Maybe we have Downton Abbey to thank for the renewed interest in curtains...
 The trend this season is to dress windows with luxurious fabrics such as silk and velvet. Custom and hand made curtains are top of the list for adding the wow factor to any space. Your curtains are one place in your home you can truly express your individuality. There are so many fabrics on the market that if your road had 200 houses, you could each have a different shade of ivory silk. Of course there are silks to suit all budgets but in general they vary from €45 to €165 and even more for the more exclusive embroidered silks or hand painted silks. It is the one fabric that exudes effortless luxury however plain it is. However I do not recommend anything cheaper than €45 as the quality is seriously compromised. The plain yarn silk dupion from Designers Guild this season sees the addition of a vast range of blues from duck egg to indigo. Silk curtains however need always to be interlined to add weight and protect the fabric from sunlight.

The new "indigo" from DG

Some new silks

Velvets are another big trend this season and with choices from €25 yd to €45 on average, they are a great investment. There are so many velvets to choose from now, matt finish, high gloss, embossed, damask. plain patterned or stripe. They are also available in many different weights from the heavy weight we all know, to a gorgeous lightweight soft draping silk velvet. This is ideal for bunching up into billowing folds with tie backs.
The velvet shown on the left is a Roccoco inspired velvet with a jaquard weave and gilded highlights from Designers guild. This is suitable for drapes and upholstery.This one isn't cheap but hey, everyone one would know it. The bottom line is there is a price point to suit everyone. 

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Gloss silk finish velvet €65 m Huge range of colours

Our favourite finishes for curtains this season are French pleats. Our 10" french pleats are deeper than most curtain manufacturers offer and are one of our specialties. The proportions are much better than with the usual shorter pleats. Eyelets are an option for the silks but are not successful on very thick velvet's. Roman blinds are always beautiful in silk or velvet and trimmed with bobbles or braid are simply stunning. Curtains and Roman blinds are now more affordable than ever and with the saving made on energy after installation they are not just aesthetically pleasing but in the long term good for the pocket. So, is it curtains for you?