Pick the Right Drapery Top for Your Room's Style

Pick the Right Drapery Top for Your Room's Style
2019-10-08

If you think all soft window treatments look the same, take a closer look at the top of each. The heading of a window treatment can demonstrate a room or homeowner's individual style — sometimes more than the fabric itself does. From elaborate to unpretentious, these heading styles speak volumes about attention to detail. Check out some favorites below.

Back-tab ripple fold. For a highly contemporary look, try using this heading, which makes draperies appear to levitate. Fabric sewn onto a clear plastic band guarantees gorgeous folds of precise symmetry.

Tip: Install the track on the wall or ceiling — the latter works great when the walls are all windows.

Pinch pleats. Although traditional, these perfect pleats never go out of style. For this heading, fabric is gathered delicately into three little folds and then pinched together to create one pleat.

Tip: The closer you place the pleats, the fuller the drapery looks.

Pierced heading. Grommets line the entire top of this whimsical drapery heading so a drapery pole can slide through.

Tip: Many big-box stores carry this window treatment prefabricated. Match the finish of the grommets with other metal finishes in the room for design cohesion.

Sag top. Drapery rings sewn directly to the very top of this heading hang on a rod. When you draw the drapery back, the fabric between the sewn-on rings sags forward.

Tip: The closer you sew the drapery rings together, the less sag will occur.

Goblet pleat. The name of this elegant heading comes from the shape of the pleat, which looks like a goblet. For this treatment, a cone of fabric is formed and pinched slightly together at the desired length.

Tip: The more goblets you add to the top of this treatment, the more formal and elegant it will look.

Rod pocket. The rod pocket is the simplest and most cost-effective heading treatment. The drapery fabric is folded over and attached to itself, creating a pocket for the drapery rod to slip through.

Tip: Sew a seam across the very top edge of the pocket. You will get a distinctive gathering of fabric at the top of the header.

Tie top. For the ultimate in shabby chic, use this heading treatment that says, "Old is new again." Individual pieces of fabric attached to the top of the drapery create ties. Tie them over the drapery bar for that easygoing cottage look.

Tip: The longer you make the ties hang down, the "messier" and more effortless the drapes will look.

Box pleat. The box style is my favorite drapery heading. It has fabric folded into pleats on the front and on the back. After being sewn, the top treatment creates flat, boxy folds.

Tip: This easy, laid-back treatment looks great in a masculine space.

Smocked. This blouse-like and feminine drapery heading is detailwork at its best. Created by fastening pleats into an elaborate lattice pattern, this style is not for the faint of heart.

Tip: This heading is great to use when your interior space lacks architectural details.

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Pick the Right Drapery Top for Your Room's Style2019-10-08

Pick the Right Drapery Top for Your Room's Style
2019-10-08