Decorating with window scarves is an exciting and creative way to add interest to your interior dcor. Many windows are unsuitable for traditional drapes, and using voile or other thin fabric is a fabulous solution.
If you have small, awkwardly shaped or tinted widows, or if your windows are glazed with obscured glass, you might not want to use traditional drapes. Think instead about how you can dress up the window in an alternative way.
A window scarf is basically a length of sheer fabric that is draped around the window opening to add color and interest without necessarily screening the outside world.
- tiny windows might be too small for you to use traditional drapes on as they would be swamped
- if you have a beautiful arched window, you might not want to hide the shape with heavy fabric
- obscured or tinted glass, such as stained glass, might be too pretty to cover, and already offers privacy
You will need to buy a longer length of fabric than you might think, to allow for wrapping and draping. Sew a small hem around each edge. If you are using the whole width of a fabric, like muslin, you will find that the outer edges are already selvedges and don’t need hemming.
Muslins, voiles, and silks are all suitable. Choose a fabric that is very light, and has a good drape to it. If you can find sari fabric, that is a wonderful choice for an opulent living room or bedroom.
Choose a color for your window scarf as you would for any other fabric in the room. It should match the rest of the dcor, or compliment it, but not overpower it remember that drapes provide a significant block of color in the room.
As the fabric will be sheer, you can choose a light texture to it as well. I would recommend a plain or lightly patterned fabric. You could match the pattern to your room by customizing the fabric with fabric paint. Use a small rubber stamp, and stamp tiny leaves or dragonflies all over. Perhaps shells would be nice for a bathroom, or fleur-de-lis shapes for a living room.
You will have to play about with the fabric to find the best draping solution for the space you are covering. Attach a simple curtain pole above the window to hang your fabric from, and find a secure ladder to use. You’ll be up and down the ladder quite a lot while you get your folds right, and stepping up and down onto a chair is not only dangerous, but uncomfortable too!
You can wrap the fabric around the pole and have it draping down one side, or both sides. See the different effects of wrapping the fabric tightly and loosely around the pole, letting the loops hang down into the window space.
You can buy curtain clips that are suitable for use with a very light fabric. You could have your window scarf all the way across the window, to screen out extra light, similar to the English net curtains. This would be useful in garden rooms and conservatories, when the light can get too intense at certain times of the day.
Experiment with using two colors of fabric at once. Choose tones of all one color, such as creams and beiges, or try a bright splash of rainbow colors.
Window scarves seem like a more difficult choice than traditional drapes at first, but don’t be scared to try them! they are actually very easy to hand, and look wonderful.
