WINDOW &
BED COVERINGS
Period Style Window Treatments, Draperies, Curtains, Valances, Swages & Cascades,
Fabric Shades, Cornice Boxes, Lambrequins, Blinds, Shades, Shutters, Verticals, Bed
Coverings, Head Boards, Pillows, Seat Cushions, Dusters, Yardage Calculations,
Fullness Charts, Glossary of Window Decorating Terms & more.
“This is an amazing compendium of window treatment styles, history and application information.
It’s a must have book for every designer, DIY homeowner and drapery workroom.”
—Jamie Gibbs,
ASID, IFDA, WCAA
“Finally, a well-organized easy-to-use book on window treatments.”
— Joy A Gilbert,
Interior Designer
“A definitive, comprehensive, and indispensable tool for the professional and laymen alike...”
The Encyclopedia of WINDOW & BED COVERINGS
The Encyclopedia of
The Encyclopedia of
WINDOW &
BED COVERINGS
— Gary Bloch,
Drapery Works
USD $24.95/CAD $26.95
ISBN 978-1-890379-18-6
52495
9 781890 379186
CHARLES T. RANDALL
Charles T. Randall manages Window Décor by Charles Randall, a retail window decorating
company in Southern California and to date, Charles has decorated more than 60,000
windows. He is also the author of The Encyclopedia of Window Fashions, a book that
has sold more than one million copies, and is listed in Samantha Ettus’s book
The Experts’ Guide to Life at Home, as a leading expert on window decorating.
Historical Perspectives • Classic Designs • Contemporary Creations
CHARLES T. RANDALL
Table of contents
Period style window treatments
6
Overlapping styles.....7
Renaissance.....8
Baroque & Early Georgian.....12
Late Georgian.....16
Rococo & Louis XV.....20
Neoclassic.....24
Federal, Empire & Regency.....30
Victorian.....37
Draperies
46
Flat panel.....47
Pleated.....53
Rod pocket.....62
Specialty.....67
Custom draperies.....78
Yardage chart.....79
Calculating yardages.....80
Drapery terms & calculations
charts.....81
Pinch pleated specifications.....82
Shirred (smocked) & pencil-pleated
specifications.....83
Goblet & box pleated
specifications.....84
Tab top & grommet
specifications.....85
Flat panel/Athena
specifications.....86
Rod pocket specifications.....87
Tuxedo specifications.....88
Rod top & bottom
specifications.....89
Window types.....90
Solutions for difficult windows.....91
Hemlines & embellishments.....98
Heading styles.....99
Rosettes & ties.....102
Flags & specialty hardware.....103
Tiebacks.....104
Banding & tieback styles.....106
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The Encyclopedia of Window & Bed Coverings
Round table covers.....107
Sunbursts & dressing tables.....108
Table linens.....109
Fabric covered rods & mirrors.....110
Shower curtains.....111
Valances
Swags & cascades
Bed coverings
186
Board mounted.....204
Pole mounted.....208
Swag & cascade
arrangement styles.....210
Jabots.....211
Swag & cascade yardage
specifications.....212
112
Valance styles.....136
Valance yardage
specifications.....156
Fabric shades
254
Additional bed covering
styles.....284
Bedspread styles.....287
Upholstered benches,
bolsters & shams.....288
Upholstered
headboards.....289
Dusters.....290
Spreads & upholstered
benches.....291
Throw pillows &
cushions.....292
214
Glossary of decorating terms
Cornices & lambrequins
158
Cornice shapes, styles &
embellishments.....170
Cornice box shapes.....182
Lambrequin shapes.....184
Upholstered cornice box
specifications.....185
293
Additional shade styles.....234
Cloud shade specifications.....236
Balloon shade specifications.....236
Flat Roman shade
specifications.....237
Folded Roman shade
specifications....237
Shirred Roman shade
specifications.....238
Austrian shade specifications.....238
Fabric shade measuring
instructions & footage chart.....239
Glossary of fabric terms
Shades, shutters & blinds
240
300
Textile fibers & their properties
304
Shutters.....244
Wood blinds.....246
Verticals.....248
Pleated shades.....250
Mini blinds.....252
Roller shades.....253
The Encyclopedia of Window & Bed Coverings
5
Period style window treatments
The history of window treatments. What book on window treatments could begin without first looking back? Without historical context, we cannot find proper perspective. To begin, look at the adjacent chart. The
chart represents the approximate dates of period styles as they relate to art, architecture and interior design.
There was some overlapping of dates as styles changed in various regions at different times. For example, the
Renaissance began in Italy but it took many years for the style of that period to reach England and France, by
which time the Baroque Era had already begun in Italy.
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Period Style Window Treatments
7
Draperies
Flat panel (non-pleated)
(DR100) Instead of hiding the shape of
this grand window, a drapery treatment
was chosen to accent its graceful arch.
Tassel detailing is an inspired choice.
(DR101) Intriguing drapery hardware
provides the focal point for this arch top
window; drapeable fabric provides the
soft accent.
While Europeans find the terms curtains and draperies to be interchangeable, Americans find
the pair anything but synonymous. Utilizing heavier and oftentimes lined and interlined fabrics, draperies offer a more
formal choice than curtains which make use of lighter, sheer materials. Yet no matter what the desired effect, draperies
can take a shape as an uncomplicated, sill-length window treatment or a floor-length work of art. Whether in a soft-white
bedroom or a period-style dining room, draperies offer a wonderful opportunity to maintain the genre of any space as
they effortlessly harmonize with furniture pieces and wall décor. Draperies can also act as a prelude as textures and colors hint to what lay on the other side of the window—a vibrantly green oak tree, a richly red rose bush or a delicately
blue ocean. With an almost overwhelming variety of choices, draperies can fulfill the simplest of needs to the most
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The Encyclopedia of Window & Bed Coverings
demanding of tastes. Though oftentimes a more expensive choice, draperies possess many advantages that accompany
their aesthetic value.
Whether a window is large or small, draperies offer a comforting sense of privacy from the world outside the home.
Warmth can also be found in draperies as they can help to protect from a cool winter’s night. While nestled in your
favorite chair—whether to read a few chapters of a good book or to take a relaxing, afternoon nap—draperies will always
accommodate the most specific of lighting needs. And regardless of taste and desire for formality, in a chameleon-like
nature, draperies will both complement and enhance the existing style of any room in your house. In recent years, custom-made draperies have become somewhat of a status symbol—especially with today’s overabundance of luxurious fabrics and hand-crafted rods and finials.
Draperies
47
Valances
(VAL100) Tassel fringed Kingston
valance with rosettes over tieback
draperies.
Top treatments, such as the versatile valance, have the wonderful capability to be infinitely casual and also completely elegant. Take the breezy scarf valance, for example: it will step into a supporting role alongside an
elegant set of draperies or a modest vertical blind. Other styles will command a room, drawing the spotlight upon themselves so all may enjoy their stand-alone beauty. From the most petite bathroom window to a large picture window, a soft
valance may be the answer to any window dressing question.
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(VAL101) An open Kingston
valance works perfectly with
flanking, stationary drapery
panels.
Valances
113
Cornices & lambrequins
(COR101) Bishop sleeve draperies
with thickly braided ties and arched
cornice follow the window shape
well without masking it.
Whether alone or as an accompaniment to an existing window treatment, cornices can be a
wonderful addition to any home decor.
Though they are a permanent window treatment usually installed snugly next to a window frame, a cornice box is
anything but sedentary. Situated atop a tall window, an intricately carved cornice box can transport the room to a time
when kings and queens lived in opulence. Conversely, a shaped cornice above a child’s window, adorned with a favorite
animal or icon, can contribute to a playful theme in a big way.
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(COR102) Multi jumbo
welting creates this arched
custom designer cornice
box. Cord and tassels over
stationary panels finish this
treatment nicely.
Cornices & lambrequins
159
Swags & cascades
(SC100) Fabric hangs in shabby
chic swag and cascade style,
layered over lush, puddled
stationary drapery panels. Note
how the braid lines the edge of
the panels and then is also
draped casually among the folds
of the swag.
As diverse as they are versatile, swags and cascades can assume many roles, taking the lead role in a dramatic and eye-popping capacity—or perhaps just a supporting role or bit part. At its most subtle, a swag and cascade combination can take shape as it winds itself around a pole in a slouchy and casual way; for a more involved installation, look
to a swag accompanying drapery panels. No matter how it’s installed, however: board mounted, pole mounted, multi-layers or just a single, this time tested top treatment is certain to make a statement.
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(SC101) Gathered linear
swags over traditional
overlapping swags with
stacking cascades make for
an elegant and expensive
treatment. Finished with
rosettes and tassels.
Swags & cascades
187
Shades, shutters & blinds
(SSB100) Trimmed swags
and cascades with matching trimmed roller shade.
This book has thus far been a celebration of all things fabric: draperies, fabric shades, curtains, valances.
And yet, the practical good looks of a “hard” window treatment such as a blind or shutter need not be considered unimaginative. There are many charismatic options for those who prefer a more streamlined look at the window.
There are simple, vinyl roller shades for kitchen windows and woven wood shades that will beautifully complement a
living room. There are stained wood Venetian blinds for the window above your desk and modest vertical blinds which
fit nicely across sliding glass doors. Consider panel shutters for a bay window. No matter what type of hard window
covering you decide upon, it is certain that your shades, blinds or shutters will fulfill your needs for visual impact and
light control while they provide you with a calming sense of privacy.
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(SSB102) Rod pocket tieback draperies over wood
blind with matching fabric
tapes.
Shades, shutters & blinds
241
Bed coverings
(B100) Soft scalloped cornice
with brush fringe; lush drapery
panels and box pleated bed skirt.
Matching fabric on the bolsters.
(B101) Gathered valance
showcases an elaborate fabric bed
ceiling with matching dust ruffle
and draperies.
For some, the bedroom is merely a place to sleep. For others, it is a playroom, a reading room or a quiet
place to catch up on work. Yet, no matter how much time one spends in the bedroom, the look and feel of the space is
of utmost importance. And thankfully, it is space with boundless options that extend well beyond the decision between
draperies and shutters. When beginning to design in the bedroom, there are an infinite number of starting points. But
whether choosing the window, the floor or the walls, eventually you will come to the bedding. A well-chosen bedspread
can quietly blend with a complex color scheme, or can easily become the room’s focal point. Surrounded by an exotic
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swag and cascade combination or sophisticated floral draperies, a light blue bedspread that complements one of the
many colors in the room may be just enough. For a more augmented involvement, a pink and gray gingham bedspread
may find its place in a room with a perfectly-matched valance, surrounded by simple walls and pale pink pillows. And
when a bedspread is ready to become the centerpiece of a bedroom, the fabric can become as vivacious as reality will
allow, as window treatments, armoires and carpeting fall into place to complement the ingenuity.
Bed coverings
255