When is red drapery ok?

If you ask my husband, he may say "never". There was once this fabric I liked ...that's another story.

With Valentine's Day on it's way, it made me think about using red in home decor, especially drapery.

modern holiday decorations design by Etsy

I had red drapes in my bedroom as a kid, they were ugly then and still would be as they were a horrid colour and a nasty texture. Sorry Mom! (That was long before she started the business!)

People tend to stay away from red in drapery because it can be a little overwhelming, but it doesn't have to be.

Take a look at some different ways to tastefully incorporate red into window coverings.

It makes a difference where you use red in your home decor. If you're considering red in your bedroom, be careful of using too much, keep it as an accent if you want to use it. Red is energizing and lively. Even though red is considered passionate, it's not the greatest for a restful sleep.

contemporary home office design by atlanta interior designer Cristi Holcombe

This is an excellent way to use red as an accent colour. The grey and white break it up, so its not too much. Choosing a fabric with red in it is a great way to stay safe.

eclectic living room design by atlanta interior designer Dillard Design Group, LLC

These red drapes blend in with the rest of the room, so they don't jump out at you. This is a lively, energizing room. If your whole room is red, the drapes support the decor.

asian living room design by new york interior designer Olga Adler

These drapes go with the asian theme of the room and add the home owner's personal touch. Maybe they're world travellers.

living room design by los angeles interior designer betsy burn ham

contemporary living room design by raleigh interior designer Heather Garrett Design

Banding is a great way to use red in drapery if you don't want too much. 

eclectic kids design by sacramento home staging 3 Doors Down Home Staging & Interior Redesign

Choosing a classic geometric fabric in red is another great way to use red. There isn't a lot of red in the room, so these drapes become a fun focal point. This is used in a kid's room, but we've used this fabric elsewhere also with great results.

traditional living room design by miami interior designer Brown Davis Interiors

If you're brave enough to paint your ceiling red, instead of the town, then choosing red drapery is a nice way to bring the room together. This looks like a big space and it can support the drama that red brings.

Maybe adding some red candy hearts in a dish is about as red as you'll get, that's ok too! Happy Valentine's Day!

For more ideas on red decor check out Style at Home magazine online.

Reason's not to have silk in your kitchen!

I don't really believe that entirely.... but if you're considering silk drapery panels or window coverings of some kind in your kitchen and you have kids, or a husband or pets....beware!

Let's say your child has a runny nose and decides that the patio door drapery panels are a good place to wipe their nose.... you might get a little angry. (this did happen to a friend of mine)

Would I really do that Mom?

Let's say your husband spills his drink and it ends up on your silk panels. What do you do? Hmmm let's not  think about this too hard. It hasn't happened yet, but it could.

Let's say your cat decides to stretch her claws on your panels... this would not be good. I realize a cat doesn't know its silk and could do that to any fabric, but its so shiny and soft, its' just bound to happen.

Food and silk can be a nasty combination, especially since silk tends to mark and stain very easily. I know fabric companies are always on the look out for more durable, sun-resistant fabric, but its still silk!

What would another option be? Faux silk is a polyester and to many is hard to tell from the real deal.

Silk drapery in the dining room? That's ok, how often do you eat in there anyway?

If you have silk in your kitchen, please don't despair, I don't dislike you at all. You must be a person with a great amount of taste.

If you haven't yet decided on the type of fabric for your kitchen window coverings, look at some practical options that give you the same look you're after!

Visit Faye on our site for more thoughts on silk draperies.

How drapery and curtains can change your life!

When I go to client's homes, I love the reaction of the man in particular. The first question is "how much is this going to cost me?" Bottom line please. It makes me smile because I know that's exactly what my hubby would say. It's not like new drapery and curtains is going to change his life in a "save the world" kind of way, like his life would be incomplete without it. But it will finish that room off that his wife has been agonizing over for the past 10 years... On second thought, maybe it will change his life.

Think about a bunch of fabric sewn into a panel with awesome drapery pleats and lining and maybe interlining. Yes, this can change your life.

How?  You ask? It can make you happier on a small scale, because you've finally gotten around to completing your room. Having something beautiful to look at can improve your mental state and give you inspiration.

Or what about a roman shade that functions and keeps the light from shining into your eyes in the morning to wake you up. See, you get to sleep more!

Let's keep going...

Your mother will stop disapproving of your plain windows! Do you have a mother or mother in law like that? We'll save this for another post.

If you do the drapery hanging yourself, you'll get a great workout. Anyone can ask my hubby about that.

For men, it can give them a happy wife.

On the flip side, I once had a man call and say he was desperate and would we finish off the drapes that his wife had started about 2 years ago. That made me smile too!

For women, even though your man says it doesn't matter, deep down it does. See what happens when you hang up a tasteful pair of drapes on a window that is needing some tlc. He'll say something!

Too many pillows on the bed... that's another topic all together. If you take some pillows off, that could change a man's life. Much happier!

You can even save money on your heating costs since window coverings, particularly blinds and fully closing, lined drapery will keep the heat out in summer and the cold out in winter. How nice is that?

So, happier because of completing a task, getting more sleep, a less disapproving mother, a great workout and saving money!

There you have it! You can always visit our site for other reasons too!

Bringing the outside in, or the inside out....

These two pics show a great way of bringing the outside in, or perhaps taking the inside out... Since the outside came first, I imagine the idea is to take the inside out. Something to think about with window coverings.

I love the texture of the roman shade and the rugged brown wood on the barn. Faye Fortune Drapery Design

Such a great view of drapery and the outside. Faye Fortune Drapery Design