Even the most stylish and high-quality curtains offered in stores have one significant drawback: they are mass-produced and do not add individuality to the interior. Therefore, many housewives prefer to sew “clothing” for windows themselves or to order.
The first option is also good because handmade products carry energy that has a positive effect on the overall atmosphere of the house.
The photo shows Roman and Austrian curtains with fringe. This finishing along the bottom edge gives the roller blinds a special elegance.
It is also convenient that even a novice seamstress can make simple curtains, and curtain accessories, such as tassels and fringe, will help give them shine.
Mounting features
Thread fringes are popular and available in a wide variety. They come in different widths or colors. They are sewn on without any problems, even a school-age girl can do it.
Fringe decoration decorates windows and doors; it is also used for other elements of interior decor - it can be successfully matched to tablecloths, bedspreads, pillows, and toys.
It is more difficult to hang fringe that combines threads with other materials. There are also nuances depending on where the decorations are attached - the bottom, sides or top of the canvas in the form of a complex draped lambrequin. You need to consider how the jewelry will look after attaching.
Examples of decorating curtains
The combination of fabric with bamboo, plastic, wooden elements, tassels, pompoms, and bells is gaining popularity. The main thing is not to overdo it with decorations, so that everything together does not turn into a rough, vulgar heap. The first rule is to select weightless decorations for thin openwork curtains, and heavy ones for massive curtains.
What to pay attention to when choosing
In principle, fringe for curtains is appropriate in any room; it is a worthy decoration for home and office. Such curtains catch the eye and immediately form a favorable impression of the owner.
However, when choosing, pay attention to the color of the curtains, texture and density of the material. Gold or silver braid matches almost any expensive curtain fabric.
Large decorative elements suit massive, heavy curtains. And for airy curtains, elegant, subtle decorations are more suitable.
What to look for when choosing fringe
When considering various options for curtain accessories, pay attention to the colors and materials used. Almost always, such finishing is used on expensive and high-quality fabrics. A braid made from threads whose color tone resembles gold or silver will look good.
Also an excellent solution would be to use contrasting shades. Special attention should be paid to the type of curtain; heavy curtains made of dense material are usually framed with fringe with massive tassels; thinner fabrics are decorated with elegant elements.
Today's fashion trends force decorators to use rhinestones and beadwork. Curtains with such fringe will immediately take on a noble appearance and add overall sophistication to the room. A well-calibrated lighting installation can add new aspects to the use of such decorations, giving a rich and festive look to the room.
Interior decoration of rooms
The interior style plays a leading role in the choice of decorations. In design projects of modern trends you will not find heavy curtains trimmed with fringe. And this is typical for the standard oriental style or Baroque. Therefore, you need to design curtains taking into account the general principles of the chosen interior style.
Living room
Thread fringe in the living room is appropriate on curtains, lambrequins, tiebacks, and curtains. If the fringe for the curtains is also decorated with tassels, then a festive and solemn atmosphere will settle in the living room.
For the oriental style, sliding red curtains trimmed with golden fringe along the edges are traditional.
Bedroom
To make the bedroom more comfortable, the curtains in it are decorated with fringe and tassels. Only they are chosen not to be contrasting, but to match the tone of the curtain fabric.
A similar edging of the canopy above the bed is also practiced; this makes the bedroom elegant. The decor of glass bead curtains evokes motifs from oriental fairy tales.
The elite Empire style can be created by heavy fringe on velvet curtains decorated with lambrequins. A soothing blue color is suitable for the bedroom, which can be decorated with gold fringe.
Kitchen
The kitchen is different from other rooms; shortened curtains are usually hung there, which do not move apart, but rise. Roller blinds and Roman blinds are also popular in kitchens.
And all these options at the bottom can be decorated with fringe; this solution looks funny, but elegant.
You can decorate the pillows on the kitchen sofa with fringe, a tablecloth with napkins to match, this will add coziness and make the interior unified and solid.
To create a Country style in the kitchen, the fringe is additionally decorated with pompoms.
Peculiarities
For a long time, such decoration was present only on heavy curtains. A textile ribbon trimmed along the edge with glass or plastic decorations and a lush frill of thread has considerable weight.
Fringe as a finishing for lightweight material began to be used relatively recently due to the advent of synthetics in industrial production. Nowadays, no one will be surprised by such decor on curtains, the basis of which is silk, chiffon threads and organza.
Curtains with glass beads
For curtains made of chiffon or organza, as well as for curtains made of light fabrics (satin, silk), fringe with beads made of light, cheap plastic, incl. transparent, imitating glass. An intermediate option in price is glass beads, which are colored glass thin short tubes that can be strung on a thread. The most expensive options for luxury interiors are made from crystal, which shimmers with all the colors of the rainbow under artificial lighting conditions.
The beads can go in a continuous row or be sewn to the thread fringe only in places. Using glass beads, you can create complex mosaic compositions or visual borders.
Decorating curtains with glass beads, rhinestones or beads looks organically in both classic and avant-garde modern interiors.
Types of fringed trim
You can attach a variety of curtain accessories to curtains:
- From loose threads of fabric. This is a cutaway view;
- The presence of several color segments is characteristic of the block look. They differ in color. This can be a smooth transition of palettes of one color to another or a sharp contrast of opposite colors;
- Tinsel in the form of thread tassels. There are fittings made of metal and plastic, or glass beads;
- For fan decoration, decor in the form of figured products is used. They differ in shape. It can be a "wave" or a cascade. Decorated with scalloped patterns;
- If the edge is full and made of fluffy threads, then you have a classic look. It can also be in the form of separate ropes with attached decorative fittings that imitate balls, rhinestones, steel figures, and feathers. This fringe can be used to decorate tiebacks, lambrequins, pillows, tablecloths and upholstered furniture.
Silk threads
The silky shine of the fringe will give the room a unique, cozy, festive atmosphere. It is used both for edging the edges of fabrics and for making curtain ties.
You can buy natural silk threads separately, and then crochet a lace ribbon from them yourself. Such a decoration can become a masterpiece of handicraft, a real family heirloom.
Place in the interior
More often, heavy curtains are decorated with fringe; in such cases, voluminous heavy braid is more appropriate. For example, the dark green velvet material of the curtains, bordered with golden fringe with tassels, looks chic.
However, airy curtains with weightless fringe sewn on, with or without additional decorations, are also very aesthetically pleasing. A narrow silver or golden fringe edge will add additional elegance to the tulle.
Fringe for a formal occasion
Curtains made from high-quality textiles can radically change the interior of a room. They add notes of solemnity and presentability to the design, elevating even the simplest furnishings of the room. Fringe is a decorative element that greatly enhances the visual appeal of the window design.
There is a variety of fringe on the market, differing in the material of manufacture, size, color and the use of additional accessories. It is not difficult to choose the appropriate decor for any curtains - from light curtains made of silk and satin, to curtains made of dense fabrics - jacquard, velvet.
Among the interiors in which fringed curtains are appropriate, we highlight the following stylistic trends:
- Victorian style;
- Classic;
- Modern;
- Baroque;
- Provence;
- Empire style
In interiors decorated in modern styles - minimalism, fusion, hi-tech, loft, fringe on the curtains looks alien, since their philosophy does not imply an emphasis on the solemnity of the atmosphere.
How to sew
Now we’ll tell you how to sew fringe to a curtain. If you think that this is a trivial matter, then you are mistaken. If you make a mistake in this matter, then expensive curtain fabric can be hopelessly ruined. The work requires patience and diligence. Most often, the sides or bottom sections of the canvas are edged. Let us describe step by step the correct algorithm of actions.
- If the fabric is synthetic, it is first burned along the edges, then the edges are folded and overcast (if possible).
- The braid is placed on the table, and the prepared edge of the curtain fabric is placed on top of it, wrong side down, with the threads under the fabric and the tape out. You should sew the fabric to the braid, stepping back a little from the edge. If the braid is wide, then a double-row stitch is made.
- The fringe is pulled out from under the fabric and straightened with threads outward. In this position, the braid along the very edge should be sewn to the front side of the fabric.
Such sewing ensures that the curtain in the place where the fringe is attached will not stretch or wrinkle, i.e. not deformed.
Tassels on the curtains
Curtains decorated with tassels have a long history. It is believed that this decorative element first appeared in Ancient Rome. The revival of fashion occurred during the Renaissance, it happened in France. The golden age of brushes was the 17th century. At this time, they were made everywhere from a variety of materials: wool, cotton, silk.
Not only curtains with furniture were decorated with tassels, but also any textile items, incl. clothes with shoes. It can be argued that brushes are currently experiencing a new renaissance. This practical accessory was undeservedly forgotten, as evidenced by numerous examples of the use of brushes by modern designers in a variety of interiors.
Lambrequin with fringe for curtains
This is a popular window decor option that gives drapes an elegant, luxurious look. Its original purpose is to hide the line of connection between the cornice and the curtains. But over time, it turned into a self-sufficient decorative element.
Lambrequins come in different shapes. Let's list them.
A simple soft lambrequin is a narrow strip of fabric sewn to a curtain fabric. For such options, choose a light, well-draped fabric. This variety is good for finishing doorways.
A rigid lambrequin is a rigid plywood frame covered with fabric. In this case, a complex decorative shape in the form of shells, decorated with fringe and tassels, can be formed. The drapery is first attached to a thick curtain tape, then the sides of the lambrequin are formed, they are also called ties. Sometimes it is done in the middle. At the end, the lower part is decorated with fringe and tassels. In this case, you need to ensure that the entire structure is in harmony with the curtains. If every element of decoration intensively attracts attention, there can be no talk of any aesthetics.
What is considered to be fringe?
At its core, fringe is a braid with pendants or threads hanging from it. This decorative element serves to add solemnity and showiness to curtains. It can be either heavy and massive, used for thick curtains, or elegant, used for the design of light curtains.
You can customize braid with hanging beautiful threads in various ways:
- by pickups;
- on a lambrequin;
- to decorate the bottom or side edge of the canvas.
Design options
Brushes are mainly used to decorate lambrequins or curtain ties, although they can become a self-sufficient interior decoration. For example, there are tassels decorating the cushions on the sofa that complement the curtains.
The color can be any - to match the canvas or contrasting. Golden beige tassels look great against a dark blue or brown background. On light beige curtains, black or bright decorations that repeat the interior colors look organic. To tie up curtains in delicate pastel colors, twisted cords (garters for curtains) with tassels at the ends, painted in metallic colors, are suitable as tiebacks.
Use for curtains
Curtain decorative fringe can perform several diverse tasks. A spectacular, very beautiful braid will emphasize the texture and shade of the curtains and add solemnity to the curtains. In this case, the braid can be either matched to the tone of the product for the integrity of the entire composition, or used in a contrasting version.
In cases where there is no pattern on the curtains or it is not very pronounced, the braid can serve to dilute the monocolor and emphasize the edge of the canvas. Another use of fringe is for fixing all kinds of draperies on curtains.
For your information! Small tassels along the edges of the curtains visually make the curtain longer and smooth out the relief of the folds.
Styles
Most often, classic interiors are decorated with tassels. But they are appropriate in the Baroque style, strict English classics, bohemian Art Deco and even avant-garde High-Tech. Tassels are an attribute of luxury; they can elevate the simplest fabrics.
Oriental style is characterized by a combination of tassels and fringe, often in the design of arches or doorways. The same applies to the Empire style, which includes Oriental and European motifs. Roman blinds and roller blinds are also decorated with tassels. Exquisite, even when folded, are French or Austrian curtains, decorated at the bottom with small tassels.
Key Features
Decorating window openings using textile elements framed with braid, on the edge of which there is a row of threads or pendants, is called fringe decoration.
The purpose of using fringe is to decoratively transform curtains, window openings and the room as a whole. It has no functional use, but makes the room presentable and creates a memorable and elegant atmosphere. Images of rooms decorated with fringed lambrequins prove the above statement.
How to beautifully tie decorative cords with tassels
The garter is tied in different ways. The most common is when a hook or ring is attached to the wall, to which two decorative cords with tassels at the ends are tied. These cords are used to tie curtains on both sides with a simple double knot. To make it even more decorative, the tied fabrics are decorated with sewn artificial flowers, pinned brooches, and tied with a beautiful braid. Such a hold is good aesthetically, but is not practical if the curtains are often used, closed and opened.
In classic interiors, curtains are picked up symmetrically on both sides, at an equal distance from the slope.
But in modern interiors, asymmetrical fastening is practiced - when one canvas is picked up at the level of the window sill, and the second one is lower or higher. This technique visually expands the space, which is important for small rooms. If there are two or more windows in the room, then the opposite (outer) panels should be tied equally.
How to tie a knot
The second way to tie tiebacks is to use the macrame technique. The knots are stylish and there are many variations of them. You can learn about tying techniques on the relevant resources.
Benefits of use
Apartment owners can purchase new curtains with fringe or give a second life to old curtains by decorating them first. The main advantage of using such an accessory is the fact that it gives the room nobility and sophistication.
Of course, the overall style of the room plays a decisive role; it is unlikely that it would be appropriate to use heavy curtains with decorations in a modern design. But for the general baroque style or oriental motifs, such a decoration is perfect.
