Home Decor Q & A with Drapery by Anna Maria

Anna Maria’s love of fashion sparked her passion for sewing that, along with her admiration of style, she now uses to create striking customized drapes.

Q: When deciding on drapery, should the drapes or wall paint be chosen first?
A: When choosing a fabric colour for your drapes, you’ll only fall in love with maybe one, two or maybe three colours, but paint comes in thousands of different shades so it becomes easier to pick a paint colour after you’ve settled on a fabric colour for your drapes. You should also pick the drapery first because when you’re renovating you want the drapery to be incorporated into the whole décor process, not look like you just added them in last.

2. What are some of the differences between buying drapery at a general home and décor store and the drapes that you create?
Ready-made drapes will not be specified to your window frames and to your décor. I don’t just throw the fabric on the window – I take the fabric and create custom, one-of-a-kind drapery pieces that show off a touch of the client’s personality while meeting the needs of efficiently covering their windows. Customized drapes will look timeless for years.

3. Is there a particular lining to use?
The decision of which lining to use is a big one, depending on the type of drapery fabric you’ve chosen, which room the drapery is in and what reason the drapery is being used for. For example: In the bedroom, blackout lining is used to block out sunlight, while silk fabric uses interlining plus regular lining.

4. Explain how drapery is integral to a room’s décor.
A room will never feel complete unless the right drapery is on the windows. They can be simple – nobody said you have to have the most expensive drapes – but getting them customized will ensure your windows aren’t just covered with hanging fabric. People use drapery for different reasons, so with customized drapes you can be sure that your personal needs and visions are met.

If you have any drapery questions, contact me at: draperybyannamaria@hotmail.com or 905.856.8655

Stay tuned for my next column, Measurements & Installations, in the Aug./Sept. issue of City Life Magazine.