Tiers are fabric panels that cover just the bottom half of the window, and are most often accompanied by a valance or swag at the top half of the window. … You may use tailored tiers to dress the windows of a modern kitchen, or finish a country-style bedroom with frilly, ruffled tiers.

How are curtain tiers measured?

Measure from the top of the curtain rod down to where you want the curtain to fall. The length of the curtain includes the rod pocket, but not the heading. Tier curtains typically cover the lower half of a window, ending at the sill.

Can you use a tier curtain as a valance?

Tier curtains are also known as café curtains or privacy tiers. They cover the lower half of a window to afford privacy and can be combined with a coordinating valance to complete the look.

What is the thing at the top of a curtain called?

Simply put, they’re called valances. Valances are stationary, meaning that they don’t move. Shades can also be hung above a window, which are functional window treatments that can be moved up or down. Most people know what shades are, so we’ll focus on valances in this post.

Should you hang curtains above window?

A rule of thumb (from Architectural Digest) is that curtains should be hung between four to six inches above the window frame, so install your curtain rod accordingly. When you hang the curtain rod high, it will make the window appear taller.

What is the end of a curtain rod called?

Finials are the decorative end pieces that fit into the ends of the drapery rod to give it a finished, ornamental look. Finials are available in many styles and finishes to coordinate with the style of your room.

What are the things on curtains called?

Finials: Decorative end pieces on pole rods also called “pole ends.” Holdbacks or tiebacks: Used to hold curtain window treatments to each side off the window when open. Cleat: Metal or plastic hook mounted at the side of the window to hold the cords of window shades or blinds.

Do you need a double curtain rod for a valance?

We recommend using two single curtain rods of 1″ – 2″ in diameter: the top one is for the valance with swags and tails, and the lower one for the two curtain panels. This way, you have more flexibility in adjusting height, width and projection (distance from the wall).

What is a curtain header?

A curtain heading is the top piece of the curtain that attaches to the curtain track or rod. The heading style you choose can dramatically change the overall look of your finished curtains and will influence the type of rod or track you can use.

How do you hang sheers and valance curtains?

Mount Your Curtains First When layering curtains with a valance, the curtains should always be hung first. Whether you mount your curtains with a rod or track, we recommend that they do not hang more than 3-inches outside of either side of the window frame.

Article first time published on

How far should a valance hang?

For most windows, a valance should cover about 2 to 6 inches of the top of the window and window frame (this is called the window overlap), with the rest of the valance covering the wall above the window. If there is not enough room to do this, then the valance should be hung immediately under the ceiling.

What is the point of cafe curtains?

Cafe, or tier, curtains are designed to hang from the middle of the window to the bottom of the window sill. They provide privacy while letting in light through the top portion of the window. Like most other curtains and drapes, cafe curtains are typically installed with two panels per window.

What do cafe curtains look like?

They are made from fabrics like linen, polyester, and sheer. Sometimes made with pleats at the top, cafe curtains are typically hung from rings, with their rods halfway down the window, covering the lower part. This style was inspired by the way roadside cafes cover their window in the past – hence the name.

Who bought out Country Curtains?

In October 2017, Country Curtains shareholders voted to liquidate the company, and its retail stores, catalog and internet operations ceased operations at year end. In February 2018, The Vermont Country Store purchased Country Curtains’ designs.

Should curtains touch the floor or window sill?

In formal or dressy rooms, curtains should just touch the floor. A romantic room deserves elegant, extra-long curtains that pool or puddle on the floor. Curtains to the sill, or to the bottom of the window trim (called the apron), look great and are practical in a kitchen.

How much wider than window should curtain be?

How wide should curtains be? To ensure that curtain panels look ample when closed, they should have a combined width that is 2 to 2.5 times the width of the window/rod.

Do bedroom curtains have to touch the floor?

Like most other rooms, curtains should extend to the floor (give or take an inch). In the bedroom, curtains should only be short when something would interfere with their ability to reach the floor. For example, the headboard of a bed or a radiator placed under the window.

What are curtain panels?

Curtain panels or drapery panels are both stationary side panels that frame a door or window. Commonly used to frame blinds, shutters or shades in the window, or on either side of a doorway between rooms. This window treatment can make a design statement in the room.

What do you call the things that hold curtains back?

A curtain knob consists of a decorative metal or wooden knob projecting directly out from the wall next to the curtain. The width of the knob serves to hold the curtain from spilling back into the window.

What are curtain hooks called?

Pin-On Hooks Also known as drapery pins, these hooks have a sharp pin that points up vertically toward the top of the hook. Pin-on hooks are used to hang pinch-pleated draperies from a traverse rod or from tabbed rings on a decorative round rod.

How are finials attached?

Iron finials should be tack-welded for permanent attachment. Wooden finials are screwed or glued onto posts. Most wood finials require a fence post cap to contour the shape of the finial to the shape of the post. The fence post cap adapts the shape of the finial to the shape of the post.

What does a finial do?

Though they elevate aesthetics, finials—at least on lamp styles that have them—also serve an important functional purpose. They connect all the pieces of a lamp, balancing the shade and securing it to the harp (the U-shape wiring that surrounds the bulb). They give new life to an old lamp.

How do you remove the end of a curtain pole?

Examine one of the finial ball ends of the curtain rod. Twist the ball counterclockwise while holding the rod steady. If the ball loosens, continue twisting until it is off the curtain rod. If it does not loosen, repeat the process with the other end.

What are curtains without grommets called?

Rod pocket curtains, also called pole top or casement curtains, are a classic, and classy, way to hang drapery. A casing sewn onto the back of the curtain panel at the top allows the rod to slip through unseen. Panels bunch in gathers on the rod for a soft look with clean lines.

What does Rod Pocket mean?

The most classic and common of all methods of hanging drapery, a rod pocket is a sewn-in pocket, or casing, at the top of a drapery panel that easily slips over a rod and conceals it. Drapery panels hung this way bunch nicely and have a simple, casual look.

What is eyelet curtains?

Eyelet curtains are very fashionable and make a dramatic feature of a window thanks to the deep folds of fabric, which run in uniform lines from top to bottom. Eyelet curtains always hang from a pole, which is threaded through metal rings.

How thick should a curtain rod be?

Choose a curtain rod with a diameter of at least 1 inch (2.5 cm). Thin curtain rods tend to look cheap and can bow under the weight of your drapes if they are heavy. When choosing a curtain rod, look for a rod that is at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick for good aesthetics and curtain support.

What is the proper height to hang a curtain rod?

DO Hang High The higher the curtain rod, the taller the window will appear, so fix your curtain rod closer to the ceiling than the top of your window, if you can. One rule of thumb is that they should sit 4-6 inches above the window frame.

How do you hang curtains without a rod?

1. upholstery tacks.
2. tension cables.
3. hook-eye screws and drapery pins.
4. staples and furring strips.
5. cabinet knobs.

How wide should a valance be for a 36 inch window?

To determine the width of a valance for a 36-inch window, the Window Treatment Expert website suggests adding 2 to 4 inches on each side, adding less for narrower windows and more for wider windows. For a 36-inch window, this measurement would provide you with a valance that has a width of 40 to 44 inches.

How many valences does a window have?

While some decorators suggest allowing your valance to cover no more than the top one-third of your window’s glass, others base valance length on the length of the window’s curtains, making valances 1/6 to 1/5 as long as the curtains.