How Drapes Make a Difference in a Home

By Keri Foy

Same as how accessories pull together an outfit, fabrics put the finishing touch on a home.


"It's like the jewels for a woman's evening gown," says Vanessa Yates, co-owner, with her mother Marybeth Crouch, of Draped in Style, a window treatment design firm in Louisville's Norton Commons. "I love specifically what we do in interior design. It just completes a home." If you're looking at ways to feel more at ease in your home, take some cues from this mother-daughter design team. "One of our clients said that her job as a doctor was very stressful,” Vanessa says. “When she comes home, this house makes her happy, and that makes her a better doctor."

How fabrics help
"Fabrics add a lot of warmth to your home," Marybeth says. "Living beautifully means feeling happy in the space you're in and to love looking at it every day." "My home is my recharge environment," Vanessa adds. "When you feel settled in your home, it's like going out with a brand new outfit. Hair done, nails done, and makeup on. You feel put together, and walk with confidence."
Fabric can tie the entire space together to evoke that sense of confidence.

"We marry aesthetics with functionality," Vanessa says. "If you have a dog and a toddler, we're probably not going to recommend floor length drapes."

Photos by Melissa Donald 

How to incorporate fabrics
According to the pair, clients are changing from heavy, dark fabrics for drapes to a more neutral palette that uses texture to richen the space. "We're moving away from the reds and golds to neutrals," Vanessa says. "There for a while it was totally neutral. Now, we're adding more color but still keeping it very neutral."

The two steer clear of trends unless it's for throw pillows, which are easy and cheap to cover. "Just like the fleur de lis went out of style, the quatrefoil will, too." What won't ever go out of style? Floor length drapes.

Myth: custom fabrics are for rich people.
If dollar signs pop in your head when you think of custom drapes and fabrics, Marybeth assures that Draped in Style has something for every budget. "There's always going to be a more expensive option and a less expensive option, but we have the customer service and our process is so simple," Marybeth says.


Tight budget?
Invest in the rooms you're in the most — the kitchen, the living room, and your master bedroom. To save money, "You can buy ready-mades for the kids’ rooms," Vanessa says.
She suggests that when you purchase ready-made curtains, hang the rod much higher than your window. "Get it off the trim. Adding height gives height to your room," Vanessa says. She advises purchasing curtains that are 108 and 120 inches.

Don't forget the flowers
In addition, both ladies think fresh flowers are a must for your home. "You just look at them and feel happier," Marybeth says.