When it comes to pleated draperies, the first style that comes to most people’s mind is the standard Pinch-Pleat, also known as the three finger pleat in the industry, as it is the most common style in pinch pleated curtains.
However, there are quite a few different pleating styles out there such as the French pleat, Parisian pleat, Box pleat, Windsor pleat, Fan pleat, Cartridge pleat, Goblet pleat just to name a few.
Each of the pleating styles mentioned range from a casual to a formal style of pleated drapery.
In the three finger pleat, three pleats are sewn together and then the pleat is tacked at the bottom so that the pleat itself fans out a bit going upward.
The French pleat, also known as a top tacked pleat, is a casual style where you still have “three fingers”, but instead of tacking the pleat at the bottom, it is tacked at the top. Regardless of which style of pleated drapes you order, the pleats will be evenly spaced across the width of the fabric for a uniform look.
Pinch pleated draperies offer timeless fashion and are very much on the top decorators’ lists when outfitting a home for draperies. Pinch -Pleated drapes are versatile in the fact that that can be used as a functional curtain or if you just want to add a bit of color to your room or to just frame a window, they can be used as stationary panels.
Stationary panels are also a great way to go if you don’t need the privacy, especially on wider windows as stationary panels generally take less fabric and lower workmanship costs.
When you need the privacy and want a functional drape, you can hang the curtains on a traverse rod or on a decorative pole. We suggest using a decorative traverse rod so that you have a pulley cord to use to open and close the curtains, thus not having to constantly handle the curtains with your bare hands. This will help keep them clean.
When using stationary panels, we suggest using a decorative pole with rings. Wooden poles that can be cut to the width of pole you desire are always a great way to go.