Pros & Cons of Store Bought vs Custom Made Drapery
Pros & Cons of Store Bought vs Custom Made Drapery
Above is an example of where we used Ready Made Drapery in a Guest bedroom; the client wanted to refresh the room on a budget and these lovely panels from Bouclair were exactly what we needed!
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The other limitation is that often store-bought panels are not lined. Lined drapery helps in many different ways; when a panel is not lined, it is exposed to the sun which can cause fading—especially on a window with strong sunlight! Lining also helps the drapery panel to hang nicely rather than the flyaway ends that can happen. If you need blackout drapery, your options are far more limited as not all retailers offer this option.
Custom Drapery Panels
I have to honestly say I am a big fan of custom drapery. I love being able to go into the fabric stores, choose the type of fabric, and have the options of plain or patterned. Silk-like fabrics, Linen & Cotton are my favorite options, but a good velvet works too! There are different lining options available that I can choose that work with the fabric itself, and also for whatever the client wishes for their room darkening needs. There is Full Blackout, Dim-out, Flannel Interlining (used to help fabrics like Silk and Taffeta drape better), and even Flame Retardant Lining for Commercial Spaces.
When you can customize, options are plentiful! We can do Pinch Pleats, French Pleats, or Box Pleat (also called Inverted Pleats) headers. We can do Roman Blinds that fit perfectly for an inside or outside mount. We can do a tailored valance. We can add trim or a border in a contrasting color. We can size them to fit the height of a two-story window, work around awkward windows, or layer more than one treatment for a luxurious effect...there are so many possibilities!
The cons of custom drapery are that they take time to make and are not purchase-and-hang-on-the-same-day-available. They take at least 6 weeks in most cases, if the seamstress is not backed up! They are also costlier as you are paying for the fabric, and the labor on top of that; but generally, the longevity of a custom made drapery treatment, if lined properly, will last a very long time!
Drapery workrooms often charge by the panel, so depending on how large the window is and how many lengths you need, that will determine the overall price. For instance, if you need two panels a side (four panels total) you will be charged the per panel price x 4. In Hamilton we have an excellent fabric district where you will find lovely designer fabrics for less than the to-the-trade options. That being said, there are so many more options that are available in the designer-only fabric showrooms that you can access when you hire a professional. A small roman blind in a bedroom or powder room might be worth the extra splurge of a decadent fabric because you will only need two yards to make that statement...totally worth it!
Should I Buy Custom Curtains or the Ready Made Ones?
Custom Curtains vs. Ready-Made
The natural question is should I buy custom curtains or the store bought type? If price is your only concern, buy ready made curtains. But if style, design, functionality, and other factors still exist in your mindset, then custom curtains may be a better choice. The attached video goes over some of the details.
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For this blog, I want to keep it very simple. Look at the before and after pictures. Analyze what your needs are. If your only concern is that you want a curtain, but are afraid of the pricing, then you should do the ready-made variety. They can be a great solution for a lot of windows. But they have some flaws. Let’s just talk about a couple of them.
Curtains And Their Rods
Curtain rods and their brackets are a concern. The question was, “Should I buy custom curtains?”, but in reality, it is not just about the fabric. Did you notice in the video how the rod itself as well as the brackets caused problems for the original ready made curtains? Notice this photo:
As you can see, the rod makes a big difference. When the rings run across this “bump”, over time the stress on the pins that hold the ring to the drapery tend to cause them to tear at the fabric. This is usually what causes pleats to break down and for draperies to lose their durability. The other factor that the video showed was the bracket issue.
To clarify, this has to do with where the rods are installed. When the homeowner did their DIY project, they installed the 3 brackets on the wood trim. Why did we design and install the brackets to fit with some on the trim and some on the wall? To have a wider drapery rod, so that we could get the side of the drapery off of the window. This maximizes light and the view as well.
It is these kinds of choices that make a difference. The brackets we talked about, on the wall, were custom made to be 7/8” deeper than the ones mounted to the trim. This is one of those scenarios that is obvious to a good drapery designer, but a massive headache to the typical DIY homeowner who wants things done right.
Which is a Cleaner Look? Custom or Ready-Made
Now let’s quickly take a peek at the different types of draperies to see if you can visibly decide which is better for you. Remember the same question… should I buy custom curtains? What appeals to you more?
About Us
Kempler Design is located in Reno NV and serves the northern Nevada and Lake Tahoe regions with a mobile design showroom. Paul Kempler, its founder is considered a window fashions expert. Kempler Design has been featured in many prestigious projects, including the HGTV dream home in Lake Tahoe. Kempler Design works with homeowners as well as interior design firms looking for a local contact in the Reno/Tahoe area or is available for travel.
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