Podcast Summary: Dear Alice | Interior Design – "Drapery 101: Our Guide To Your Best Choice | Part 2"

Release Date: April 17, 2025
Host/Authors: Jessica Bennett and Suzanne Hall (Alice Lane)

Introduction to Drapery 101 Part 2

In the second installment of their "Drapery 101" series, Alice Lane dives deep into the intricacies of selecting and installing window treatments. Building upon their previous discussion about window treatments from September, Jessica Bennett (Cory) and Suzanne Hall (Sue) aim to clarify essential rules and share their extensive experience spanning over two decades in the interior design industry.

Key Rules for Successful Window Treatments

1. Height of Drapery

Maximizing Ceiling Height:
Alice emphasizes the importance of hanging drapery rods as close to the ceiling as possible. "You're going to take that as close to the ceiling as you can to then, like, let it just elongate those walls and make it feel so luxurious and tall" ([21:09] Alice).

Avoiding Common Mistakes:
Using standard heights from big-box stores often results in suboptimal lengths. Alice shares an example where restoration hardware draperies were limited by stock sizes, preventing them from achieving the desired lofty appearance. "It's never gonna go to that optimal height. ... we're just telling you there are other options still available" ([08:09] Alice).

2. Width and Fullness

Achieving Desired Fullness:
Cory explains the significance of drapery fullness, which typically ranges from two to five times the width of the window. "They were like, my gosh, that has got to be, like, five times the width of that window" ([17:04] Alice).

Avoiding Catalog Limitations:
Alice recounts a project where budget constraints led them to use catalog draperies, resulting in uneven pleats and a messy appearance. In contrast, workroom-made draperies offered precise measurements and seamless pleating. "The rhythm here is perfectly taut. ... That's what you're paying for" ([18:49] Cory).

3. Pleat Styles

Preferred Pleat Styles:

• French Pleat: Described as elegant and formal, involving three folds with a pinched top. "It feels polished, but then little bits that feel a little bit more paired back" ([12:24] Alice).
• Pinch Pleat: Features a pinched waist a few inches down from the top, creating a flattering silhouette. "It gives you kind of a fan at the top ... full pleats below" ([12:53] Cory).

Disliked Pleat Styles:

• Grommet Pleats: Compared unfavorably to shower curtains, described as "unbecoming" and "dated." "It looks like a shower curtain ... corrugated metal" ([07:52] Alice & Cory).
• Rod Pocket Pleats ("Hot Pocket"): Mocked for resembling stuffed crust pizza, deemed impractical and unattractive. "It's the stuffed crust pizza ... it's way too heavy and thick" ([09:17] Cory).

4. Drape Hardware (Rods)

Preferred Hardware Finishes:

• Polished Nickel: Praised for its versatility and timelessness. "Polish nickel is the best just because it's ... friends with everything for time and all eternity" ([24:11] Alice).
• Unlacquered Brass: Recommended for those seeking a statement piece. "If you want to throw down and do brass, look for unlacquered" ([24:16] Cory).

Disliked Hardware Finishes:

• Finials: Avoided to allow draperies to tuck seamlessly into the ceiling. "Don't do finials ... don't do a flat black" ([23:13] Alice).
• Wood Rods and Flat Black Finishes: Considered outdated and incompatible with modern aesthetics. "Wood rods always broke ... don't do flat black" ([28:55] Cory).

Things They Love and Hate in Drapery Styles

Styles They Love

• French Pleat: Highlighted for its balance of formality and relaxation. "Something that feels a little bit more relaxed about it" ([12:24] Alice).
• Pinch Pleat: Appreciated for creating elegant silhouettes and allowing for impressive fullness. "It gives you kind of a fan at the top ... full pleats below" ([12:53] Cory).

Styles They Hate

• Grommet and Rod Pocket Pleats: Criticized for their unattractive appearance and impracticality. "I hate the grommet ... it's like the stuffed crust pizza" ([07:52] Alice & 09:17] Cory).
• Tap Tops and Clip-On Style: Considered outdated and unsophisticated. "The tap top is not coming back" ([34:25] Cory).

Handling Challenging Window Shapes

Arched and Palladian Windows

Design Challenges:
Arched and Palladian windows pose significant challenges for drapery installation due to their unconventional shapes. "How the hell are you going to dress it? You can't drape it" ([37:50] Alice).

Solutions:
Alice recommends extending draperies as close to the ceiling as possible and using generous fabric to accommodate the arch. In one project, they embraced the arch by incorporating circular shapes and forms in the upholstery to harmonize with the window's design. "We squared everything up with the rod and just did not pay attention to that" ([42:11] Cory).

Regret and Lessons Learned:
Cory shares personal regrets about neglecting window coverings for uniquely shaped windows, emphasizing the importance of considering drapery needs during the planning phase of a project. "There's so much more to measure for ... It's impossible to correct and, and to cover" ([38:15] Alice & 39:22 Sue).

Tips and Examples from Projects

Project Highlights:

• Linden Art Manor: Showcases a lavish drapery arrangement with five times the window width, creating heavy stacks that convey luxury. "She was really, really pretty. This is Linden Art Manor. We did a really healthy stack" ([17:04] Alice).
• Rachel Parcel Primary Bedroom: Features silk drapes over Gracie wallpaper with immaculate French pleating, achieving a formal and elegant look. "These are all the exact same pleat ... and that silk is just so pretty and full" ([17:19] Cory).

Practical Advice:

• Weighting Drapes: Adding weights to drapes, especially near vents, ensures they hang correctly and maintain their appearance. "Add extra weights when it's sitting by a vent, a floor vent" ([22:28] Alice).
• Custom Measurements: Emphasize the necessity of working with a workroom to obtain precise measurements and tailored solutions for optimal drapery performance. "If you can afford it, ... it is going to be there for a really long time" ([06:40] Alice).

Conclusion and Resources

Ensuring Long-Term Satisfaction:
Alice and Cory stress the importance of investing in quality draperies through professional workrooms to avoid common pitfalls associated with off-the-shelf solutions. "We're always adding that, like, layer of just, like, little bits that do feel polished" ([13:27] Alice).

Design Services:
Listeners are encouraged to utilize Alice Lane's home furnishing design services for personalized assistance with drapery projects. "Go to alicelanehome.com and under the design services tab you're gonna click on Home furnishing design" ([46:32] Sue).

Final Thoughts:
By adhering to the outlined rules and drawing from their extensive experience, listeners can achieve elegant, functional, and timeless window treatments that enhance the beauty and sophistication of their living spaces.

Notable Quotes

• Alice Lane ([05:53]): "We're going to say however you choose to do it, just don't do this because it's not going to age well and you're going to hate it."

• Cory ([12:53]): "It gives you kind of a fan at the top and then you get all the fullness below."

• Alice Lane ([18:10]): "When you work with a workroom, you're going to get the perfect height, the width that you want. All your pleats are in a row. The hardware's hung, it's precise."

• Cory ([24:11]): "Polish nickel is the best just because it's friends with everything for time and all eternity."

• Alice Lane ([37:50]): "How the hell are you going to dress it? You can't drape it."

Note: Timestamps correspond to the podcast transcript and are included for reference to specific discussions and quotes.