Window Treatment Terminology

Shopping for new window treatments is fun. Windows take up a lot of wall space in a room, so having great window treatments is a good way to keep the décor of any room in your home looking fresh and pulled together. Curtains and drapes are likely the most popular form of window treatments for most homeowners, with Venetian or mini blinds coming in a close second – though most people that have mini blinds also make use of curtains and drapes to camouflage them and dress the window up.

What’s In a Drape?

When you go to choose your curtains or drapes for your new window treatments, it will help to be familiar with the terms used for different parts that make up the whole drape. You will know exactly what you are looking at, and an informed consumer is always a good consumer.

The surface of the fabric that faces the room is called the “face fabric.” This is the “good” side of the drape that is visible from the interior of the room. Some drapes, particularly those designed to be used with linings, will show a different face to the room – this is the decorated part, with the pattern, embellishments, embroidery, or just the color being shown off to its best advantage. The back side of the drape may be a less vibrant color, or show the “bad” side of the stitching, which won’t be visible if you are using a lining with the drape. Unlined drapes may have a face fabric side that is identical to the other side, so it will not matter which side you have showing to the room.

The top of the curtain is called the head or the heading. When you have a head or heading that wraps around the edge of the curtain track to rest flush with the wall, as in the case of many valances and pelmets, that part is called the “return.” Heading tape is what gives your drapes its decorative pleating, ruffling, or other style. So, when you are looking at a drape labeled “French pleat,” the heading tape is what creates that look by being sewn into the head of the drape and having its strings pulled into the French pleat design.

When you measure for your new drapes, you need to take into account the “stackback.” The stackback is the space that pleated or ruffled drapery takes up when pulled back far enough to allow the window to be seen. This area will need to be taken into account when you choose what size drapery to get and how big of a curtain track or rod it will need. “Leading edge” refers to the edges of the drapes that will meet in the middle when the curtain is closed, and the hem is obviously the bottom of the drape that is turned up to give it a polished and finished look. Weights are often added to the hem of a curtain to make sure the fabric hangs neatly. By being familiar with all of these components, you will know what to look for when you shop.