How to Use Hand-printed Fabrics in Window Treatments
At Jim Davis Designs, we celebrate the value of skilled craftsmanship and the process behind creating truly unique, hand-crafted and expertly-designed custom window treatments. Our standards and our vision go beyond the perfect blend of form and function to encompass the maker’s process as an integral ingredient in an overall aesthetic.
For this reason, we love using hand-printed fabrics in our designs. Here are a few things to think about when doing so:
Choosing the Right Style
Drapery Panels: Offer maximum surface area to showcase large-scale or detailed hand-printed motifs.
Roman Shades: Create a neat, flat surface that highlights geometric or repetitive block-print patterns when lowered.
Sheer Curtains: Diffuse soft sunlight through lighter hand-printed designs for an airy feel
Key Considerations for Hand-Printed Fabrics
Sun Fading: Hand-printed designs and natural dyes can bleach over time when exposed to strong, direct sunlight, though this soft fading can add a relaxed character to older or traditional properties.
Lining: Always use a quality lining to protect delicate natural base fabrics (like cotton or linen) from UV degradation and to give the window treatment a fuller hang.
Orientation: Consider north-facing or shaded windows where harsh UV exposure is minimal, preserving the vibrant ink or paint colors for longer
Caring for your window treatments
Protecting your fabrics: It is recommended that appropriate finishing services are used to ensure this fabric is suitably protected.
For our recent project using Walter G’s hand-printed Pahari Saffron linen fabric in an Atlanta dining room, we used full length curtains to show off the beautifully rhythmic variations of the saffron-colored block-printed design.
The subtlety of the block print pattern brings a softness to the structure of the room and the square, blocky form of the windows. The drape and weight of the 100% oatmeal linen allows natural light to filter in and, when interlined and lined, provides insulation while giving a feeling of natural grace that is strong but serene.
But beautiful linen drapery is just the start. We love to anchor a room with a thoughtful piece of the puzzle before layering touches of personality and charm.
