1.Window Treatments

Double Hung Window

has two sashes, one or both of which slide up and down

Casement Windows

window with one or two more sashes that are hinged on a vertical edge. This kind opens from the side.

Ranch/ strip Windows

most often a wide window set high off the floor. Usually has sliding sashes and is common to most ranch type houses.

Awning window

has wide, horizontal sashes that open outward to any angle; can usually be left open when it's raining

Jalousie Window

identified by narrow, horizontal strips of glass that open by means of a crank to any desired angle

Picture Window

one designed to frame an outside view. May consist of one large, fixed pane of glass, in which case the window cannot be opened. It may have moveable sections on one or both sides of a fixed pane - or above and below - which can be opened for ventilation

Dormer Window

Usually a small window projecting from the house in an alcove-like extension of the room

Slanting Window

often called "cathedral window". Its main characteristic is the angle at the top where the window follows the line of a slanting roof

Bay Window

three or more windows set at an angle to each other in a recessed area

Bow Window

Curved window, sometimes called a circular bay

Double WIndow

side by side windows

French Door/ Window

Come in pairs and often open onto a porch or patio

Corner Window

Windows that come together at the corner of a room

Sliding Glass Doors

today's version of French Doors. They are often set into a regular wall, but are sometimes part of a modern "glass wall"

Clerestory Window

shallow window set near the ceiling

Palladian Window

arched top window with straight panes below the arch

Glass wall

usually a group of basic window units made to fit together, forming a veritable wall of windows

sheers

used to accent an open, airy feeling found in most of today's newer home designs. Very thin fabric. May be hung straight, shirred on a rod, tied back or arranged to draw. Can be layered and combined. Provides the maximum amount of light to enter when the curtains are drawn, but the least amount of privacy

semi-sheers

treatments that diffuse light for a little privacy. May be used alone or with draperies. People will not be able to see inside during daytime, but will so come the night time when the lights are on.

semi-opaque

provide partial blockage of light when the curtains are closed. At night you can only see shadows on the inside from the outside. Most widely available and include most drapery fabric and a few hard window treatments

opaque

window treatments for the person who nedds privacy and maximum light blocking. Include most hard window treatments and lined curtain

Soft window treatments

include draperies, curtains and shades that are purely made of fabric

Draperies

uses a thick kind of fabric and is made with pleats. Although main purpose is decorative, it is also used for privacy and elimination of light. This type is usually lined. They are hung by tabs, eyelets or drapery hooks on plain or traverse rods

Overdrapes

stationary draperies used on either side of a window with other window treatments between them. Can be left straight or tied back. Usually used for decorative purposes only.

Draw draperies

Pleated panels that can be pulled across the window. Uses a traverse rod, master carrier and pull cords. They operate or draw by opening and closing with a cord or by hand. Generally they are hung straight to the floor and tied back.

Curtains

generally shirred or smocked or have headings attached to rods. They can also be pleated and hung on a rod with the use of hooks. Usually a term for informal window treatments.

Tiers

curtains that impart a homey, country feel to a room and come in different styles. Short in length, each about the length of 1/2 the height of the window in which they are to be hung, and are often used in kitchens and baths. Can be combined with a swag or valance

Cafe Curtains

Only the lower portion of the window is covered, are stationary and usually on rods with rings. Generally used to create privacy in a kitchen or bathroom. It can have gathered, pleated, or scalloped headings. Invented by a french restaurateur.

Stretch or sash curtains

sometimes known as brise-brise, french term for "wind screen". Curtain is gathered and hung with top and bottom rods- cannot be drawn or traversed. Usually installed in casement windows or french doors, but sometimes does not run the entire height of the window. Pleats can be used instead of shirring for both top and bottom

Hourglass Curtain

similar to stretch curtains but is permanently tied with a tie back in the middle. It works well on glazed doors and is generally made of sheer fabric. Usually found in kitchen doors with glass panes on top or in french doors

Tie Back Curtains

curtains that are designed to be gathered at the side of the window and held by a decorative tieback, sleeve or cord

Rod Pocket curtains

also called casement curtains. the top, usually shirred, forms a pocket through which the fabric is then threaded onto a pole or rod.

Bishop's Sleeve

rod pocket curtains withe extra length so that the sides can be gathered with tiebacks to create multiple poufs and they often puddle on the ground

Under curtains

curtains that hang behind the main curtains

Fabric shades

generally drawn up from the bottom

Roman Shades

fabric-covered shades of horizontal panels, with wooden slats inserted horizontally at intervals down its entire length. Raised and lowered via pull cord as with other blinds, it gathers soft folds as it does so. Newer variations include lighter fabrics and pleats without wooden slats, so the folds drape more dramatically when the shade is raised

Austrian Shade

curtains that are pulled up like ordinary shades, but with cords rather than by means of a roller. The vertical shirring transforms the tailored folds of the roman shade into soft draping scallops

Balloon Shades

made of soft fabric, with cords placed vertically along the shades to hold the fabric in place. has straight sides and a straight lower hem. When the cord is pulled to raise it, deep inverted pleats cause the shade to billow out into the puffs along the bottom edge

Hems

the finished bottom edges of the drapery. Usually 4" of double fabric, or 5-6" of hem to weigh them down and help them to hang better

Headers

the "hems" at the top of the draperies

tab tops

highlight the decorative hardware used to hang them. loops of separate fabric sewn onto unpleated, flat drapery. A round rod slides through the loops. Best not used where they will be drawn frequently.

tie top curtains

small strips of fabric attached to the head of the fabric and are used to tie over a curtain rod, holding the curtain in place. An informal look is created and used mostly with sheers and lightweight fabrics

eyelets

aka grommets. Similar to tab tops but have metal grommets or fixed onto the head of the curtain at regular intervals. Can be threaded through a rod, pole or tension wire for a more contemporary look.

shirring

created by a row of gatherings on a pole or rod. There should be 3 times as much fabric as the length of the rod for added fullness. Curtains with this kind of heading are usually called cased (slot) or gathered curtains.

smocking

Uses double or triple rows of puckers created by a line of stitching through the fabric according to a set pattern. It starts out looking like pencil pleats before certain points are stitched together to form x or diamond patterns

Pleats

folds of cloth sewn or taped into place to create fullness

Box pleats

flat symmetrical pleats formed by folding the fabric to the back of each side of the pleat. These are deep, inverted, tailored pleats featuring two straight fabric folds facing in opposite directions creating a classical boxy look. Each fold is an equal distance from the center line of the pleat. The spaces in between are the same width as the finished pleat.

Cartridge pleats

are round, 2"-2 1/2" pleats, filled in with cotton or paper to hold the shape. They are generally spaced 2" to 3" apart

French Pleats

aka Pinch Pleats. Composed of 3 folds. Most often used in standard draperies. Made by dividing one fat pleat into 3 smaller ones, but not creasing them.

Pencil Pleats

curtain heading formed by a tape which, when drawn up creates a row of narrow densely packed folds.

Accordion Pleats

made easily with patented devices that allow the creation of neat, even folds that snap on and off a traverse track without hooks. Has a uniform exterior and interior appearance. It can be stacked in a minimum amount of space

Goblet pleats

calculated and formed in the same way as french pleat headings, but instead of making the single tuck or fold into a triple one, you secure only the base of it forming a short cup. This cup is then stuffed with a rolled-up piece of interlining or Dacron (synthetic filling fiber) to pad out the full shape

Flemish Headings

Takes the form of goblet pleats linked along their base by hand-sewn cord

Inverted Pleats

2 folds facing each other

Butterfly pleats

similar to french pleats, but has only 2 folds

Knife pleats

all facing the same direction. aka straight pleats

Hard Window Treatments

includes blinds, shades and screens that are made of wood, plastic, or strong fabric

Horizontal Blinds

horizontal panels that open and close at right angles, depending on the privacy needed

Venetian Blinds

usually made of lightweight metal, usually aluminum coated with paint. 2" wide slats held together by a 1" wide cotton braid ladder or nylon cord

Miniblinds

like venetian blinds but only has 1" wide slats

Microminiblinds

has slats that are only 1/2". recommended for bathroom windows

wood blinds

same as venetian only the that the strips are made of wood

Vertical blinds

made of vertically aligned vanes. have all the advantages of horizontal blinds as well asside draw operation of draperies. It may also be used as room dividers for control or privacy of light. This kind neatly stacks against the wall when not in use

Vertical woven blinds

made of fabric in approx 4" widths. when closed, these woven strips fold one in back of the other creating a look of macramé panel on either side of the window

Roller blinds

actually a roll of material attached to a spring-wound tube or roller mechanism that hangs on your window. this roller mechanism comes with distinct ends-- one with a pin and one w a blade. no blackout options available

wood shades

usually made of narrow horizontal strips connected with thread (sometimes colored) woven on both sides. others are made of bamboo, tortoise shells or woven wood

pleated shades

more of a blind than a shade. made of accordion-pleated fabric or fibrous paper w/c is raised and lowered with cords like a blind. it is permanently pleated so that when drawn up, it folds neatly into clean pleats. it must be raised in order to see outside.

stitched roman shade

resembles pleated shades

cellular shades

aka honeycomb shades. consists of 2 or more sheets of accordion-pleated reinforced fabric that are bonded together. it's honeycomb construction creates multiple air pockets within its shade having an insulation effect

Shutters

wooden hinged or solid panels that may be folded across a window to diffuse light and add privacy.

Screens

type of free standing accessory/furniture; consists of several frames or panles w/c are often connected by hinges

Coromandel

chinese wooden folding coated in dark lacquer painted in gold and varied colors. made for europeans; created and discontinued during the late 17th century

Shoji

traditional japanese designed panel screens made of lightweight washi paper, giving privacy and diffuses light throughout the room.

lattice screen

open framework with crisscross pattern; overlapping strips of building material made of either wood or metal. created by crosiing the strips to form a network

pierced screen

ornately carved; have pinholes allowing light to penetrate. It is purely a decorative material, the holes in it creates a pattern on the floor when light shines through. Used mostly in indian architecture. aka jalis

drapery liners

used to protect draperies, provide added insulation in colder climates and block sunlight that can damage or fade fabrics and disturb sleeping occupants. can be used to give weight to lighter, thinner fabrics, helping them hang better. also give uniform appearance to the exterior of a home while allowing the use of different fabrics and patterns in the interior

milium sateen

either in white or gray/silver in color. eliminates inter-lining but is twice the cost of sateen

sateen

most draperies line with this. may have to be interlined

glosheen

colored sateen generally interlined with white flannel

interlining

used to change or enhance the properties of draperies. Inserted between the lining and drapery fabrics. not durable enough to withsatnd exposure to uv light, abrasion, moisture, and other environmental conditions

pole treatments

lend a nice, airy feeling to a room with drapery hanging just below the pole with rings, or with drapery fabric fully gathered on the pole. large poles can be brass, painted or stained wood, whirred with fabric, decorative end finials. sizes usually 1 1/2" ø for brass and 1 3/8" ø for wood

valances

soft horizontal treatments mounted across the tops of a window and are always made entirely of fabric (often the same as that of the main draperies). Hides the hardware and traverse rods but also give a finished appearance to the framing of a window. can be used with or w/o a curtain underneath

arched valance

valance treatment that is arched along the lower edge

kick pleated valance

constructed like box pleats, but the pleats are spaced further apart

banner valance

includes triangularly cut fabric pieces that overlap together

scarf

long pc of fabric, usually designed to drape across the top of a window and hang to the floor on either side, but easily customized for unique looks. can be hung from hooks in the top corners of a window, draped across a curtain rod or suspended from other specialty hardware

pelmets

aka corniceboard; vernacular term valance board. stiff paneled headings to curtains. Made out of wood with edges cut either straight or curved. usually covered in fabric but wooden ones may be painted, or padded, or w moldings attached, or with framed mirrors, or wallpapered. depth of cornice usually varies from 4-8"

lamberquins

extends all the way down either side of the window as well as across the top, framing the window on 3 sides. usually plywood covered with fabric or other materials

swag

aka festoon. a single or double draping of fabric across the top of the window. adds striking accent to curtains

jabots

french term for bird's crop. pleated or draped lengths of fabric hanging down the side of the window. Loose, hanging ends are called "cascades" or "tails". cascade being defined as descending in a zigzag line from the heading or top treatment

tie-backs

can be the same fabric as the drapery itself, or in a contrasting fabric, or may have a border, or may be shirred, or may use ornamental pcs or accessories. function is to tie back draperies.

hold backs

simple or ornamental knobs or hooks where you attach the tie backs or use them by themselves

trim

defined as decorative cording, braids, or fringes applied to the edges or hems of draperies, to match or contrast the panel fabric

balls

trimming that may be silk, cotton, wood or crystal

fringes

type of trimming sewn onto the edges and hems of curtain panes. It comes in a wide variety of designs, sizes, colors and materials. It is also often used to decorate pillows, lampshades and rugs

tassels

defined as 8" long bell shaped trims constructed entirely from yarns and are tied together at the neck. can be braided, looped, or scalloped

molded fringes

consists of round or elongated wooden turnings that are wound with one or more of a variety of yarns

bullion fringe

formed or twisted loops of rope

braid

a woven ribbon used as edging or trimming

galloon

narrow closed woven band or braid used for trimming draperies and upholstery commonly made of lace, metallic thread or embroidery. a heavy gimpe