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Curtains have the power to transform a house into a home by making the space more inviting, livable, and representative of your personality. One way to give your drapes a unique, custom look and connect with your personality is to select the top style. Top style dictates how your drapes hang from the curtain rod. The three most popular styling options are rod pocket, back tab, and grommet. Each has it's own aesthetic and features, but how do you know which style is right for you? We’re taking a look at the different options and how they can fit into your home’s style. Rod Pocket A rod pocket is a pocket, hence the name, at the top of the curtain panel. It is made by folding the top of the curtain down and stitching it in place. We like a 3-inch rod pocket so that you can use a decorative rod that is approximately 1.5 inches in diameter, or a continental rod, which is approximately 3 inches tall. Once the panels are on the rod, they have a nice shirred look. Think of fabric bunching around an elastic waistband. If you do not plan to open and close your curtains very much, this is a great option for you. It also works great if you like to hold your curtains open with tiebacks, which can be from the same fabric or something unique to you like a beaded necklace or printed scarf. Another option would be to purchase clip rings and hang the panel from them. Back Tab Back tabs are like belt loops but are on the back of the curtain panel. They are typically a 2-by-3-inch loop sewn to the back of the curtain at the top. Most (not all) back tab curtains are also rod pocket curtains. Think of it as a 2 for 1 styling deal! Back tab panels work best on decorative curtain rods that are approximately 1.5 inches in diameter. To hang, you thread the curtain rod, through the back tabs, much like putting a belt through belt loops. The panel is hung so the back tabs face out the window, not into the room. The aesthetic of a back tab is a clean, tailored look, and creates a nice fold between each tab to give the curtain panel depth. They are easier to open and close than a rod pocket. Grommet A grommet is a metal ring that is attached to the top of the curtain panel, and the center fabric is punched out. A decorative rod, approximately 1.5 inches in diameter is threaded through the rings. A grommet panel will easily slide open and closed. The aesthetic is more modern than the other options. Grommets are made out of metal and come in a variety of finishes. We suggest that you match the grommet and the decorative rod. Pinch Pleats Pinch pleats are not as readily available in the marketplace and lean towards a more traditional aesthetic. They have been around forever, and are slowly re-gaining interest in the design world. We will be adding this style option to our regular assortment soon, and we are currently accepting custom orders for this style! The common pinch pleat styles are a two-pleat or three-pleat and there are two ways to hang these curtain panels: They have skinny loops on the back. A decorative rod, approximately 1.5 inches can be threaded through the loops or clip rings can be purchased to create a slightly more contemporary look. There is a pinch pleat tape sewn onto the back. A drapery hook can be inserted into the pleat and hung from rings or a traverse rod. At the drape, we invite you to create and design the curtain that is perfect for you by selecting your fabric, color, and styling option. Don’t feel like you have to make all these decisions alone. We are here to help. Ask a designer for a free 30-minute design appointment to walk you through all these choices.

Let’s get wild in this edition of History of Hues and talk about the color Mink. Mink became a popular color name in the 20th century. While we do not believe in the use of animal fur for apparel or home fashion use, owning a mink coat indicated that you were part of the new and growing middle class in the 1950s. Minks are from the weasel family and native to the northern hemisphere. They’re a semiaquatic, carnivorous mammal. Most wild minks are dark-colored but can range from a tawny brown to a dark brown that may appear almost black. Farm-raised mink have a wider range of colors: white, gray, and brown. There are a total of 15 gradations of color within these 3 groups. An experienced furrier can differentiate between the shades of the coat as the animal matures. There is also a difference between the coats and colors of males and females. It is our responsibility as a brand to bring you alternatives to using animal fur to bring this color into your home. At the drape, we chose the color name mink for the textured velvet because it is a little bit brown and a little bit gold. The soft texture of the textured velvet window curtain seemed to also be a good match to the animal fur it is inspired by. Velvet is a textile fabric that is woven on a special loom. This loom weaves a fabric that is two pieces of cloth attached in the center by yarns. The fabric is sliced down the center to create two pieces of cloth. Cutting down the center of the two layers and separating them creates the pile effect. The pile is the height of the fibers standing up off the base of the fabric. The pile height and density can vary creating different plush effects. Velvet can be made from a variety of fibers: silk, cotton, rayon, wool, and more. The textured velvet is 100% rayon, which is a manmade fiber. When velvet fabric was first introduced in Baghdad toward the end of the 700s, it was limited to nobility due to its luxurious feeling and look. The fabric was originally produced in the Middle East. As the cloth gained traction in Europe, it was imported through Venice which became the gate city for velvet fabrics. By the 14th century, Lucca, Italy, produced their own velvets on a large scale and exported them across Europe. The popularity of the fabric was widespread. In England, it is recorded that King Richard II (reign 1377-1399) wanted his body wrapped in velvet upon death before he was buried. The Black Death killed many residents in Lucca, Italy in 1348. It also caused many of them velvet weavers and silk merchants to relocate to other Italian cities like Venice, Florence, Genoa, and Milan. At the same time, the French King Louis XI wanted the talented weavers in his own country and enticed the Italians to relocate by offering compelling tax exemptions and setting up velvet weaving centers in Lyons and Tours. Spain also recruited Italian velvet weavers to Barcelona, Toledo, and Valencia. Italy, however, remained the leader in caché. The Industrial Revolution in the 18th century meant that the weaving techniques began to be automated. Velvet became easier to produce, and more velvet on the market lowered the fabric's status and was no longer just for nobility and religious groups. We are happy that today's velvet is for all! You can have a lot or a little in a room. Don’t be intimidated by velvet or think it is only for luxury. the crushed velvet window curtain can be styled to fit the aesthetic of your room. The mink color is a rich neutral, and the fabric's texture adds the right amount of surface interest to your drapes. In the living room, a back tab panel can add a backdrop to fun furniture. For bedroom curtains, add the blackout liner and sleep like royalty. Order your 5 free swatches today.

We know that curtains are more than a nice-to-have item. In truth, they have the power to transform a house into a home by making spaces more inviting, livable, and representative of the resident’s personality. Don’t hesitate to invest in custom curtains. Below are some of the benefits of custom curtains. You get to choose the length you need. At retail, you are limited to the length of curtains that the store carries. The industry standards are 63”, 84”, and 96”. But what if your windows are 38”, 72”, or 112”? Then what do you do? There is the option to hem ready-made curtains, but remember that is an added cost. Another thing to keep in mind is if the windows in your room are different sizes, or if there is an architectural feature or heating element in front of one you may need different lengths in the same room, which can make installing ready-made curtains even more challenging. You get to choose the top treatment you want. The retailers carry an assortment of fabrics, but they do not carry the same fabric with multiple top treatments. If the window curtain in store is a rod pocket panel, you will not be able to find it as a grommet panel or a back tab panel for purchase. he same goes for grommet colors. You are limited to the selection that the retail has made. With custom curtains, you can create the curtain that best suits your needs and aesthetics. You get to choose the lining you want. Situational light management can enhance the quality of life of those living in the space. Some rooms require blackout curtains and some require privacy lined curtains. There are also rooms that no lining is required. Due to limited space in a retail store, there will only be one lining option per window curtain fabric. It may not be the one you need, leading you to settle for lining option that aren’t truly what you want in the space. Custom curtains are less wasteful. Textile waste makes up 9.5% of municipal solid waste according to the Center for EcoTechnology. Ordering a custom curtain is better for the environment because only what you want and need is produced. Additionally, because your curtains are custom-made to your exact desires, you’ll be less tempted to buy new curtains in a few month's time because you loathe how the ready-made ones work in your space. Make the investment in quality custom curtains that meet all your needs. The space you create will be more rewarding and make your home feel special. You never want to walk into your home and be plagued by the nagging sensation of knowing an element of the design (in this case, curtains) isn’t really working as you had dreamed. At the drape, we provide affordable luxury by offering curtains tailored to fit the needs of each individual homeowner or renter. Through our carefully curated selection of drapery in custom lengths and design preferences, we simplify the shopping process with our high-quality, accessibly-priced products. Our products aren't simply about the aesthetic appeal—we encourage our audience to welcome us into their homes and become lifelong partners in creating a comfortable, beautiful sanctuary. Order 5 free swatches and start creating your perfect custom curtain. If you would like to discuss your project, book a free 30-minute consultation here.

In this edition of History of Hues, we are starting in the Paleolithic era. Charcoal, the color for exploration, was found in prehistoric art, which was produced around 14,0000 BC. The cave art in Altamira Spain was discovered, as most things are, by accident in 1879. Mr. Sanz de Sautuola, a local landowner and amateur archeologist, was in a cave with his daughter Maria and was busy dusting the floor looking for tools when his 9-year-old daughter called his attention to the pictures on the wall and ceiling. She was pointing at drawings of a herd of bison in dark charcoal and ochre. When he published his daughter’s findings in 1880, Mr. Sanz de Sautuola was met with ridicule and accused of fraud. Esteemed professional archeologists of the time did not bother to visit the caves but instead decreed that prehistoric man was too savage and lame to be able to create such a drawing. Mr. Sanz de Sautlola died broken and dishonored in 1888, but in 1902, as many other caves with paintings were discovered, the reality of paintings in the cave in Altamira was finally believed. As charcoal pigment can come from almost anything that can be burned, the assumption is that prehistoric man took a stick from the fire and used it for the cave paintings. The charred part of the stick is what made the marks on the walls. The charcoal most people think of is a lightweight black carbon residue that is the byproduct of an organic matter that has been heated in an oxygen-restricted manner. Artists' charcoal is made the same way. Finely ground organic materials are held together by a gum or wax binder for crayons. It is also pressed together for the dry form of drawing sticks. Artists use charcoal for its versatility as a variety of lines and shading are achievable in drawing with charcoal. During the Post-Impressionism era in 19th century France, the medium started to come into its own. Artists like Georges Seurat and Odilon Redon were pushing the boundaries of charcoal. Seurat captured the capabilities of charcoal, enhancing the range of shading and textures in his work. His investigation of light was seen in his paintings and his works of charcoal and conte crayon. As a color family, gray has grown in popularity. Charcoal is a color that is represented by dark gray. It is a sophisticated color that has the strength and mystery of black, but not the potential negativity. It has a wonderful neutral quality to it and can be paired with other neutrals. With brighter colors, it can act as the grounding color in the room. This makes it a perfect color choice for window curtains, paint, and rugs. At the drape, we used charcoal as one of the colors in the cotton fabrication. This fabric looks great on its own and lined with the privacy liner or the blackout liner. The dove color in the velvet is also rooted in charcoal. Order your 5 free swatches today and see if charcoal is the right color for your home.

Spring is here, and it is time to put on the sunscreen and get outside to enjoy the weather! Look around, nature is here for your color inspiration. It is time to bring that energy inside. While selecting colors for your home can feel overwhelming, taking inspiration from nature is a way to create a color story for the interior of your home. The natural world has a way of balancing colors and creating pairings that work. To get started putting together color combinations, look around you. You can look at one thing like a flower or an entire vista. Nature Inspired Color Palette Look at a Black-Eyed Susan. It has a green stem and leaves, yellow petals, and a dark center. If we put those three colors together even without the context of the flower, they work. Another inspirational image is a view that may be from a cabin out across a lake. The deep blue of the lake surrounded by green foliage and wildflowers in clays and yellows. Look at how lovely the colors look in fabric swatches. Beach lovers know that witnessing colors in nature is best at sunset: the deep blue of the ocean, the natural color of the sand, and the sky filled with white clouds and shades of pink. Look no further than the yard. Multiple shades of green in the grass and shrubs. Whites and beige in the stones and accent pieces. And of course, the flowers in warm red shades. Go-to Colors from Nature Not sold on the color palettes? Try looking at specific hues that immediately evoke nature. Green - Step out your door in spring and shades of green are everywhere. In the morning after a rain shower, the green leaves shimmer. The vibrant green is an uplifting color and is great for accents, like a lamp base, accent tray, or throw pillow. If you want more green in your home year-round look for olive green and other light greens with a dusty yellow cast. This family of greens can be used as a base color for paint, curtains, or carpet. Blue - It is said that blue is America’s favorite color. It is natural for us to react positively to a color we see almost every day when we look up. Light blue in a bathroom can transport you to a tropical island. Add a blue shower curtain or set of towels. Darker blues like denim and indigo are like looking into the ocean. A denim blue sofa in a family room creates a collegiate feeling. Hang indigo blackout curtains in a bedroom for the teenager that wants to sleep through the beautiful days. White - there are many variations on white in nature. Look up at the clouds and you will see nuances of color moving the spectrum of cool greyish whites to warm yellow and off whites. If you have made color-loving bold choices with your paint colors and furniture, white on your windows can give the eyes a place to rest. Red - A flower garden is full of colors. Shades of red are very popular. Red in your home can be a fun addition. Use it as an accent color with a red coffee pot or tea kettle in the kitchen. Use a pinky red in the bathroom on the wall of the towels creating a fun glamour zone. Muted reds are great wall, curtain, and furniture colors. Take a look around outside. How can you bring nature indoors? How can you combine colors the way mother earth does? At the drape, we have 7 fabrics that can be used as window curtains throughout your home. Channel your inner decorator, and order 5 free swatches.

In this edition of History of Hues, we will be talking about natural, not just as a type of fabric but as a color as well. Does the term natural bring bland and boring to mind, or does it make you think of an unfiltered Instagram post? At the drape when we say Natural, we think about a color that will add a nature-like quality to your windows, remain neutral, and let the rest of your décor shine. Fabric in its natural state is called greige fabric. This does not refer to the color of the fabric, but the actual material. This fabric is woven or knit and has not been dyed or bleached. It's possible to purchase greige fabric, which can be beautiful, but it can also be irregular with changing shades. Additionally, natural fabric can also refer to where the fibers come from. Examples of plant fibers (cellulosic) are cotton, flax, and linen. Wool and silk fibers are animal derivatives. The first textiles were made from animal and plant fibers. They create yarns and fabrics that are excellent for economic consumption due to pliability and strength. When commercial production of textiles changed during the Industrial Revolution, the quality of fibers that could be made into textiles expanded. Factories had the ability to source materials from a broader area and were not limited to plants and animals that were local to their region. The farming and breeding of plants and animals for optimum fiber output also took off during the Industrial Revolution. Natural fibers for commercial use are still dyed and printed. Natural materials take dyes better than synthetics. The color of natural is a grayish color with warm brown undertones. Dyeing fabric natural is very common so that in a commercial setting, the fabric has consistency. The drape offers two natural fabrics in a natural color. the linen and the cotton canvas are both available in the natural color. The cotton canvas natural is a slightly heavier fabric than the linen. the linen natural is woven with a yarn that has a slub. This means that the yarn is not always the same size. These two curtains in natural are fantastic for the windows in a room with lots of color. It is a way for the windows to blend into the wall and let your décor be the standout. Conversely, if you have a lot of white and neutral colors, the natural curtains can soften the space and bring warmth to the room. Since natural is a beige/grey color with warm undertones, it looks good with warm and cool colors. It truly is a versatile color. The linen blend sheer is a combination of natural (linen) and synthetic (polyester) yarns. The natural quality and slubs of the linen yarn stand out. This is an open weave fabric and allows a lot of light through. Selecting a sheer curtain for the windows in your room allows you to control the light without making the room dark. If you enjoy the view from your windows, but like a little bit of privacy, this is a good choice.

Sometimes when it comes to drapery, the different terms can be confusing. Especially when terms (like curtains or drapes) can be used interchangeably. When it comes to the difference between curtain panels and sheers, two distinct elements determine which category the materials fall into the weight of the fabric and the opacity. A sheer, as the name suggests, has a low opacity and can be seen through. It provides more privacy than a naked window but allows lots of light to still enter the room. From the outside looking in, you will be able to see movement and objects but not full details. A curtain panel is semi-opaque, or what we call light filtering, and will travel the spectrum all the way to opaque, 100% blackout. The intention of a panel is to filter out light and provide more privacy. The fabric weight, quality, and color will all play into how the curtain looks and reacts to hanging in your home. How to decorate with sheer curtains only. If the main goal is to allow as much light as possible and provide a minimum amount of privacy from the outside world, sheer curtains are for you. The more sheer panels you hang on one window the softer the light will be from outside. If you plan to open and close the sheer panels frequently or have a more modern aesthetic, grommets are the best solution. The sheer panels will slide open and closed on a decorative rod. If you are of the style set that you want the sheer to permanently hang over the window, a rod pocket is a great option. It will provide a gentle shirred look. This is a great solution if you want minimal privacy and lots of light. How to decorate with curtain panels only A window panel hanging on either side of the window is a quick and easy way to change the look of your room. When the panels are open, you have a clear view out the window. When the curtain panels are closed, they will obstruct the view from outside. However, the fabric and quality you select will determine how much can be seen. This is the option to use if you want to be able to change between privacy and full light. How to decorate with both curtain panels and sheers. Using curtain panels and sheer to decorate is what is called a layered look. Two curtain panels and one sheer panel can all be hung on one rod. So, the layout would be panel, sheer, panel. Because they are all on one rod, the top treatment needs to be the same. For example, they should all be rod pockets. This is a static look as the panels are not opened and closed. You can use this look in a living room, or other room that you don’t need full privacy. The sheers will soften the light and the panels will provide color and texture to your décor. If you have two rods, one or two sheer panels can be hung on a rod close to the wall and the panels can be hung on a decorative rod over them. For this look, the sheers should be rod pockets, but the panels can be any style you desire. This is a great option for rooms, like a bedroom, where sometimes you want a little privacy and other times you want the room to be as dark as possible. At the drape, we offer two sheers: the linen blend sheer and the cotton sheer. We also have 5 different fabrics and two linings so you can create a curtain panel that is perfect for you and your home. Take a look for yourself and order 5 free swatches to get started. If the sheer and panel combo is more aligned with the look you’re going for, check out the bundles. We do the work and put together the panel and sheer for you. If this is overwhelming, chat with us at info@thedrape.com. We are here to help and will consult with you to help you get exactly what you need.

When we think of nature, the color that most commonly comes to mind is green. The plant and mineral world provides plenty of options to create green dyes. We are going to explore this and more in this History of Hues: Olive. Green earth, also known as Verona green, is a natural pigment that is easily found. The minerals and pigments were available all over Europe. The most famous deposit of green earth was found near Verona, Italy, and this mine was active until World War II. It still sourced today in much of Europe, specifically Cyprus, France, England, Poland. It was an easy color to find and use, yet it is rarely seen in ancient art. The Lascaux cave paintings in France that date back to 15,000 BC and Altimira in Spain from 10,000 BC don’t contain any green. These paintings are dominated primarily by reds, ochres, and browns. One trace of green is a mural discovered near Pompei that was preserved by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD that has a natural-looking green tree. When the painters of the Middle Ages discovered that a green underlayer could make skin and flesh look more natural, the use of the pigment by artists blossomed. As you can see in the below painting of the Annunciation by Duccio, 1311 the faces are green where the other pigments have faded away. We all know that green can also be made by mixing blue and yellow, but this was considered taboo. Alchemists were mistrusted and feared. Mixing elements together was not understood. There were also guild restrictions and highly specialized dyers. For example, a craftsman who dyed blue/black fabrics was forbidden to work with reds or yellows. In some countries, large fines, exile, and other serious reprimands would be levied if someone was caught mixing yellow and blue dye together. The color name Olive was popularized in England between the years 1300 and 1500. The term was used to describe things that are the color of the green olives found in the gardens of the Mediterranean. In the late 18th century, synthetic dyes were developed. Bright green was one of the most popular dyes of this innovative technology. From there, other shades of green could be created, making the color Olive more widely available. Olive is considered a conservative color. Greens are generally soothing. Having a link to nature, green is a color of hope and renewal. The linen in olive makes a wonderful curtain panel in a living room. The best thing about olive green is that it is a neutral color. As a neutral color, olive will coordinate with almost everything, there is no wrong way to use it in your home. You can pair it with a neutral sofa and accent pillows in blues or pinks. Olive also looks great with blues and golds. It is a versatile color partner. Having green as your window curtain is like inviting nature in. You can also fill your home with green fabrics and green plants. To create a bedroom that welcomes light and nature during the day and provides darkness at night, line the linen with the blackout lining. If you add grommets, you can easily open and close your curtains.

The future is still uncertain, and many of us are feeling unsure. However, we are entering what we like to call the “New Season.” The world is not going to return to its pre-pandemic ways, but things are changing in a positive way. We have been home for a year. We have de-cluttered, we have cleaned, we have rearranged, all for our own pleasure and contentment, but now it seems like we may be able to have people over! Not a lot of people, not for the boisterous singing party, but people... With the promise of guests on the horizon, it’s time to figure out what exactly these new gatherings will look like. Not only do you have to worry about venues and menus, but also who you feel comfortable inviting. Many of us are experiencing anxiety about making plans. For so long now, our movements have been limited and our options narrowed. Getting back to socializing outside our immediate family or “pod” is exciting and intimidating all at the same time. However, the pressure can feel overwhelming to get your first in-person get-together right, but we’ve put together some ideas to ease you in! Plan a gathering for a missed celebration. The past year made all of these milestones different. Create a new family tradition by celebrating all birthdays that ended in 0 and 5 at the same time. Have a life stages party starting with a baby shower and moving through to a 50 year wedding anniversary. These events typically are large boisterous family gatherings, but now, maybe the way to celebrate is multiple times with smaller groups. Have a hobby meet-up. Did you belong to a book club, bridge club, or knitting club pre-COVID? Reignite this group with a live in-person get-together, complete with chatting and snacking It’s sure to bring back memories of what life was before COVID. “Sorry, I can’t cook dinner tonight, I have Book Club.” That is a phrase that hasn’t been uttered in a while. Reconnect with close friends. It is time for a close catch-up. Round up your three or four besties for lunch, an at-home spa day, or maybe nothing at all. When was that last time you all gathered at someone's house? Each bringing part of the meal. Lingering at the table catching up on work, family, and life. Planning this type of get-together will go a long way in making life feel a little normal again. If you are ready, and you feel safe, then start planning. It doesn’t have to be today or this week, but start flexing those event planning muscles. Maybe start with putting together menu ideas on a Pinterest board. If you’re worried about the look of your home, consider investing in tableware, a few cushions, or our custom drapery to add the perfect ambiance to your next gathering. Our linen blend sheer or our cotton voile are fantastic curtains that will filter the light creating a soft daytime ambiance. If an evening gathering is in your plans, try the cotton velvet or the textured velvet in your living room or dining room. Both fabrics are sumptuous!

In this edition of History of Hues, we’re chatting all things Honey Gold, which just so happens to be the name of one of our textured velvet curtains. The definition of honey gold is a moderate yellow that has red overtones—essentially just imagine a beehive in the middle of summer. In Ancient Egypt, yellow ochre was amongst the first pigments used. The Ancient Egyptians believed that the skin and bones of their gods were made of gold, and thus depicted them as such in their art. Golden yellow was used to decorate the regalia associated with pharaohs. The history of gold cloth, also known as cloth of gold, is a fabric woven with yarns that are wrapped in gold. The core yarn is silk, and a fine beaten filament of gold is spiral-wrapped around this. In the 14th and 15th centuries, Italian cities such as Venice, Milan, Lucca, Florence, and Genoa supplied the European markets with these materials. This fabric would be commissioned by those with extraordinary wealth. Because it was made with real gold, it could also be used as actual currency. In the mid-1400s during the reign of Edward IV, the laws were very clear about who was allowed to wear what colors and fabrics. Wearing purple silk, sable fur, and cloth of gold were restricted to those of the rank knight, lord, or higher. In 1520, there was a summit between Henry VIII of England and Francis I of France. The two men tried to outdress each other, and there was such a show of gold and opulence that lasted 18 days. The site became known as the Field of the Cloth of Gold. The event was designed to allow the two men to bond their two nations but instead turned into each king showing off his wealth and power. Present-day India still has mills that make cloth of gold. It is time-consuming and expensive. In addition to the cloth of gold, they also produce the yarn and use it for embroidery. Lavish borders on saris are commonly embroidered in this technique. Most people who want gold fabrics use other methods such as lamé, which is a fabric with a metallic fiber, or dye a fabric the color they are searching for. In present-day fabric stores, it is possible to find synthetic fabrics that have the sheen of cloth of gold. Prior to synthetic dyes, saffron was used to achieve a rich yellow gold color. This color was reserved for royalty and was also used for the religious robes of Buddhist monks in China and India. The saffron stamen comes from the center of the crocus flower. Each flower produces three stamens. The flowers are ready for harvest for one week and must be harvested by hand early in the day before the blooms open. Saffron is currently the world’s most expensive spice at about $20,000.00 a kilogram. Due to the labor and expense, other natural dyes have been used to create gold fabric. Some of the more popular being turmeric, marigold, and Queen Anne’s Lace. All of these produced lovely shades of golden fabrics. The textured velvet in honey gold is a way to add warmth and elegance to your home. We like to say that this is the goldilocks of fabric, not too shiny and not too matte. Honey Gold is a neutral color, so if you are starting from scratch, it is a great building block for designing your perfect space.

The She Shed trend started about six years ago. It was womenkind's answer to the man cave. The idea was to create a space to get away and relax in a space that was your own. In the beginning, the plan was simple, refresh the old shed in the backyard: paint it, add some comfy furniture, create a sanctuary. Over the years, this trend has grown and so has the extravagance of the sheds. There are numerous articles and resources online, and Pinterest is full of inspiration. But what if you live in a city? Is it still possible to have your own She Shed? Instead of looking outside your home for your personal space, consider creating a She Room, otherwise known as a “Shroom.” How to start? First, define what your expectations are for the space. What do you want to do in this She Room? Do you need a desk for your computer? Or maybe you have craft supplies and exercise equipment that need a new home. Take inspiration from Marie Kondo and decide what sparks joy in your life and how you can bring it into your new space. Storage and furniture should be next on your list, including how to make the most out of closet space. Our team are huge believers in closet systems, as they’re a great way to hide items you might not want out for everyone to see. From there, think about what furniture exists in the room already that can be repurposed to fit within your new design. Anything that’s leftover should be decluttered and donated or given away to your local Buy Nothing group. After you’ve decided what furniture best fits your space, don’t be afraid to get creative with it. Adding decal tiles to the face of your existing drawer can go a long way in giving it a makeover! Next, consider the color palette. If you have a signature color, this is the perfect space to fully embrace it. For example, if you love purple as I do, you’ll need to decide what shade of purple will best represent the look you’re going for in your Shroom. Since this is now your own space, embrace the opportunity to experiment, even if it means mixing seven small sample cans of various shades of grey, lilac, and lavender you already have on hand. Even though painting is rarely any fun, try to make sure the process is as pleasurable as possible. Give yourself the space to take a few days to paint and really enjoy making the room come to life. From there, it’s time to add accessories. If you have well-loved floors, spruce them up with a rug that ties together the colors you’ve selected to incorporate in the room. Also, don’t forget to shop your own home for pieces that might look tired in their existing location but could come alive in your Shroom. Those floor pillows from your trip to Thailand might look out of place in your living room, but perfectly cozy in your Shroom. Similarly, make sure to add in mementos and things that make you smile. Art and shelves lined with trinkets will put your personal stamp on your Shroom. Finally, you’ll want to make sure you can enjoy your space no matter the time of day. Add in a few lamps to create a soft glow to read by at night. Crave sunlight during the day? A She Room is the perfect place to hang sheer window curtains. We have a wide variety of fabrics that will gently diffuse the light (the cotton sheer, the linen, and the linen blend sheer) depending on your preferences. Realistically your Shroom will probably continue to be a work in progress. It could probably use more plants, right?? But as long as you love the space and continue to have to grow with you, it will be a great sanctuary to get through all life throws at us.

This edition of History of Hues is all about white. The color that has no color. White objects reflect and scatter all visible wavelengths of light. On a phone screen or a computer screen, white is created by a mixture of red, blue, and green light. Who says white is “plain”? White is certainly basic but in the best way. There's a lot of power in that simplicity. The neutrality of white allows other colors and textures to shine through. But in a different space, white can act as a partner to the other colors in the space, much like the yin and yang. Because of this, there's nothing plain about decorating with white. It’s a wonderful way to express a sense of cleanness, freshness, brightness, and calm. At the drape, we see white for all that it can be, and embrace its potential to inspire! White is the color of sunny day clouds, fresh clean sheets, and wedding days. Its use in art can be traced all the way back to the earliest works of art, the Stone Age cave paintings made with kaolin or calcite. It almost seems unnecessary to say that white symbolizes purity, cleanliness, and light. In Feng Shui, white is connected to metal elements and is balance by wood and glass. Paleolithic artists used white to draw bulls and other animals in the Lascaux Cave in France. These drawings were created between 18,000 and 17,000 years ago using the mineral calcite. The mineral calcite is a kind of limestone. Originally, limestone was deposited under the sea as the scales of tiny microorganisms called coccolithophore. This is what was used to create the first white pigment that the cave artists used. Fabric in its natural state is called greige fabric. Before bleach, the process to clean and whiten the fabric was called Fulling, and the people who did this job were called fullers. The earliest fulling mill dates back to 1086 in Normandy France. There are two steps to fulling: scouring and thickening. Scouring is conducted by standing ankle-deep in tubs of stale human urine and cloth. Walking around in these tubs was an act of"washing” the fabric. The urine was a source of ammonium salts that cleansed and whitened the cloth. The second step in the process is thickening. The fuller stomped the fabric in knee-deep stale urine for seven to eight hours. The cloth is then spread out on the ground to be bleached by the sun. After this, the cloth is rinsed and hung to dry. Thankfully, in modern textile production, the fabric is bleached. Oxidative bleaching is the process for natural fibers using sodium hypochlorite, sodium chlorite or sulfuric acid. For polyester and other synthetic fabrics, reductive bleaching is done with sodium hydrosulfite. To create a whiter white, an optical brightener is added. This is a chemical compound that absorbs light in the ultraviolet and violet region. White is versatile—its ability to go with everything is the result of the reflection of all the wavelengths of the visible light spectrum, allowing it to naturally coordinate with nearly any color. Using white provides space for bright colors to breathe. Pairing whites with soothing pastels creates a zen-like calm. The mood of a gloomy room can be lifted with the addition of white for the windows. Or go full out with a fashion-forward monochromatic all-white room that showcases your life with a curated, artistic feel. In a teeny-tiny room, pairing white or off-white walls with light, bright cotton panels adds the feel of more space. For an added illusion, hang the curtains all the way to the ceiling to draw the eyes upward and provide even more space. Does white sound like the right fit for your home? Wrap your windows in softness with our soothing white cotton canvas or add some texture using our white in the linen. Since your order is customized, you get to have the exact look you want. Do you want a clean, crisp tailored look, or the air of opulence that a pair of perfectly pooled drapes provide? We'd love to help you decide—just contact us!