Custom Drapery vs. Ready-Made

When you choose custom drapery through Slipcover Plus Upholstery and Window Treatments, you can be sure to have options and considerations that would never be available with ready-made drapery.  Having a professional that is highly experienced measure and install your draperies will make a big difference in the way they look.  Our professional installer will “dress” and steam your draperies to make sure they look just right, and they will take accurate measurements that will ensure they start where you want them to start and end where you want them to end.  They can also address “returns”. Returns are the part of the drapery at either end that returns back to the wall so if you are looking from a side view you do not see the backside of the drapery.  It gives it a finished look, and returns are not available in ready-made drapery.  The returns we provide are custom sized to be the exact right distance from the front of the drape to the wall behind it. 

Custom drapery is also available with an overlap in the middle (in draperies that are a “split draw” which means 2 panels that come together to meet in the middle). Instead of having the 2 drapery sides just butt into each other, we can provide an overlap so one side slightly overlaps the other to get rid of light holes between the 2 drapery sides when they are pulled closed.  Having a professional provide your draperies also means that if you want tie backs, you can get them in the right position and placement so they do not look haphazard or sloppy. 

With custom draperies, you can also get a layered look, with draperies in the front with a split draw and sheers or shades in the back for when you want more light coming in. You can achieve a custom look that suits the way you want to live in that room.  You can get lined draperies with returns in the front, with sheers in the back that let more light in.  This way you can open the drapes and have the sheers behind them which can offer a bit of privacy while screening the harsh sun.

Ready-made drapery is convenient, but it limits the options you can have in terms of style, fabric and fullness.  Ready-made drapery is usually made less “full” than custom, and it is easy to see that when you look at them hanging on a window compared to the same style in a custom-made variety.  The ready-made will look thinner and inconsistent.  One of the things that makes custom drapery stand out is consistent and even draping.  Draping that looks even across the window has a more soothing look that naturally looks good when you glance at it.  Ready-made drapes often look fuller in some places than they are in others.  You also don’t see them very often in styles that are popular, you see then in styles that are easy to hang on a regular curtain rod such as grommet panels and back tab drapery – both of which have a tendency to be more full in the middle and more sparse on the ends.

Another factor to consider is that sometimes when a house “settles” the floors are uneven in spots.  Ready made drapes are consistently the same length, and if your floor isn’t evenly flat it may look as though the drapery is too short in spots.  When you have uneven floors, a professional installer can measure in a way that will account for uneven floors.  Hanging ready-made drapes on uneven floors will look like the drapery is uneven.

With Custom Drapery through Slipcover Plus Upholstery & Window Treatments, you will have an endless choice of fabrics.  You can choose the color, style, texture and print of the fabric, and get a fabric that cleans up the way you would want it to.  You can choose fabrics with different thicknesses and durability, and decide on the type of lining that works best for you.  Light filtering lining will provide screening of strong light, while allowing some light to get through so the room is not dark.  You can also get room darkening lining that will basically not let any light through.  Room darkening lining is good for bedrooms if people prefer to sleep without the light coming in to wake them up.  Custom drapes can be made with an array of linings, usually in a white or off white, that performs well, keeps the fabric from fading, and helps to create a smooth texture that drapes well. 

Most ready-made draperies have a very limited selection of lining, and if you want a blackout lining it is common for it to be a very dark color that feels rubbery and doesn’t look good from the street when you are looking at the window from outside. It always looks better to have a consistent look from the outside – preferably in a light color.

One of the joys of custom drapery is the huge plethora of styles – ranging from very contemporary (such as ripplefold – which has evenly spaced curves across the front and hangs on a rod designed to keep the spacing even) or French Pleats (which have a two finger pleat with a very simple and tidy look – and goes great with both contemporary and traditional styles).  There are styles for every type of décor – and it is difficult to buy those off the rack.

One of the most important things to do if you want your drapery to look good and function well is to get the right type of rod.  Drapery rods and curtain rods are not all the same.  The rods you get at the department store usually do not have the weight capacity to hold heavier drapes, and if you get an adjustable rod it sometimes bends in the area where the two sides come together if you are close to the end of the size limit.  There is also commonly a difference in the circumference of the rod from one side to the other in adjustable rods. 

Custom drapery rods are available in a wide array of finishes with many choices of operation.  You can get wand closure, continuous cord closure, or motorization with a remote control. Motorized drapery can be battery operated with a remote control or hardwired.  It is also possible to control them with your mobile phone.



One of the nicest choices when you get custom drapery rods through Slipcover Plus Upholstery & Window Treatments is the huge selection of finials that go at the end of your drapery rod.  If you want a dramatic look, we have plenty of options that stand out and look strikingly good!  You can also opt for something cleaner lined and contemporary, letting the drapes be the star of the show!  French return rods are very popular.  It gives a clean lined look where the rod curves back toward the wall at each end – without any finials.  We can offer you a French Return Rod with rings and wand closure or we can make them as traverse rods with either a split draw (opening in the middle) or a one way draw.  We also have ceiling mounted rods that blend in and offer a long line for your draperies that makes the ceiling look taller.

Looking for a top treatment for your draperies?  We have that covered as well!  We offer a huge choice of custom cornices and valances from very contemporary to very traditional and everything in-between!  When we come to your home for a consultation, we can help you layer your window treatments in ways that make sense and look great without being overdone.  We can help you integrate window treatment styles and fabrics with the existing décor in your room in a way that feels pleasing to your heart and your eyes!