Draperies to Dog Beds: The Many Types of Soft Furnishings
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Our houses are sturdy, with strong foundations, protective walls and windows, and durable flooring. This hard outer shell is necessary, but it is naturally comfortless. We don’t just survive in our houses; we live in them, so furnishing them with things that bring softness, beauty, and comfort is a must if you want to feel at home in your space.
“Soft furnishings” is an inclusive expression representing the many functional and decorative pieces that add dimension, style, and practicality to your home. For example, the draperies you pull back every morning, the table linens you dine on every evening, and the pillows and bedding you sleep on every night.
The Pinched Pleat offers an array of custom and semi-custom soft furnishings in every size, style, and type you can imagine. As seasoned experts in window treatments and soft furnishings, we don’t just stitch together projects — we listen, suggest, and design before fabricating to ensure everything we create for you is truly one of a kind.
Continue reading for a comprehensive overview of our custom and semi-custom soft furnishings, including draperies, Roman shades, top treatments, bedding and linens, and pillows and cushions.
Draperies
Draperies are created with pairs of drape panels that are often floor-length. They are made from heavier fabrics and other high-quality materials and are lined to insulate and block light effectively.
Reminder
Curtains and drapes are not the same thing. Drapes are often thicker, longer, better-lined, and have a pleated heading. This means that drapes are fuller with more dimension, offer better coverage, block light more effectively, and feel and look more distinguished. Curtains can still be useful and may be a good choice for your kitchen, mudroom, or a child’s bedroom.
When ordering custom drapes, there are few limits on style, fabric type, and size. The Pinched Pleat puts the decisions in the hands of your style professionals: you! We’re here to offer expert suggestions and create designs as you make your choices on:
Length and width.
Choose your fabric type, color, and pattern.
Lining - including unlined, privacy lining, and blackout lining.
Heading style - including double pinch pleat, double Euro pleat, triple pinch pleat, triple Euro pleat, inverted box pleat, soft sold, ripplefold, or any other style you can dream up. Head to our drapery options blog post for examples of these heading styles.
Roman Shades
The Roman shade is a window treatment option offering light, privacy, and temperature control. Traditional Roman shades are made from a panel of fabric that can be drawn up or down. Depending on the shade’s style, the fabric may fold or pleat when drawn up and become flat or relax into softer folds when down.
Roman shades are suitable for any room but are most popular in kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms, and home offices. These window treatments are a great choice for windows situated in tight or awkward places, as they often take up less space than draperies.
The Pinched Pleat’s Roman shades are designed and hand-made to your specifications and preferences. You can control every detail, including:
Length and width.
Fabric type, color, and pattern.
Lining - including unlined, privacy lining, and blackout lining.
Methods of operation - including cordless and motorized.
Roman shade styles - including flat, ribbed, relaxed, and hobbled. Our Roman shades blog post provides examples of these shade styles.
Top Treatments
Top treatments are made from draped fabric or an upholstered wood frame affixed to the top of your window. They can complement drapes, Roman shades, roller shades, and blinds or be the show's star and stand alone. Top treatments add an extra dash of personality to a room while elegantly hiding hardware and providing added light control.
There are many top treatments—soft and billowy, structured and sturdy, stretching down the sides of your window, or merely acting as the crown on top. Read on to learn about the top treatments you can choose when working with The Pinched Pleat!
Take your pick from one of the following types of top treatments:
Valances: Fabric valances traditionally cover the uppermost part of your window. Valances come in any fabric and can be designed with simple, soft folds, intricate pleat styles, or unique hem shapes. Though they make a perfect partner to draperies, valances are also popular stand-alone treatments.
Faux Roman Shades: This unique valance resembles a Roman shade in the up position. These faux shades are not functional like traditional Roman shades but mimic different styles, such as flat fold, hobbled, and relaxed.
Pelmets: Pelmets are pieces of wood upholstered in fabric placed at the crown of your window to cover curtain tracks, rods, and other hardware. This top treatment also helps with temperature and light control because it acts as a solid border at the top of the window. You can play with different shapes and fabrics to match any style.
Lambrequins: Lambrequins are pieces of wood upholstered in fabric placed at the crown of your window. They are distinct from pelmets in that they extend farther down the sides of the window, sometimes even to the floor! These treatments effectively block drafts and control light and are often paired with drapes and shades.
Swags and Jabots: A swag is a fabric hanging from two points to create a curve covering a window's top. You can have a single swag or several distinct or layered swags. Jabots accompany swags and extend the treatment to the window's sides with pleated fabric tails that create a cascading effect.
Look at our top treatments blog post for examples of top treatments.
Bedding and Linens
No collection of soft furnishings would be complete without bedding and linens. Few things are more important than texture when it comes to furnishings you will be touching day in and day out. Thankfully, when you order bedding, table linens, and shower curtains with The Pinched Pleat, you’ll get the final say on fabric texture and much more.
Custom linens have many benefits:
Custom bedding puts you in control of your sleep. We offer made-to-fit sheets, pillowcases, duvet covers, bed runners, bed skirts, and accent pillows in any fabric you choose. You control fabric color, pattern, and, most importantly, type and texture — for example, soft cotton, smooth silk, light linen, warm flannel, and many more.
Custom table linens can be an everyday staple or a holiday centerpiece. We offer tablecloths, table runners, table skirts, placemats, and napkins in a nearly unlimited collection of fabric types, textures, colors, and patterns. We get exact measurements, so your linens will be sized perfectly for your dining tables, side tables, consoles, and coffee tables.
Custom shower curtains turn bleak bathrooms into personalized private havens. We offer lined and unlined shower curtains in your choice of fabric type, texture, color, and pattern. We can also work with various attachment styles, including rings, hooks, or grommets. Your custom shower curtain will fit your space no matter how unusual the measurements or awkward the rod placement.
Check out our bedding and linens blog post for more details.
Pillows and Cushions
Pillows and cushions exist in the space where creativity and comfort meet. The Pinched Pleat can provide soft furnishings you can enjoy looking at and lounging on.
We offer the following types of floor pillows and cushions:
Throw Pillows: Spruce up any couch, chair, bench, or bed with custom throw pillows. You can choose your fabric type, color, texture, dimensions, and shape, including square, round, bolster, and lumbar options.
Bench Cushions: We design and fabricate custom cushions for your standalone benches and window seats along bay windows, bow windows, and French windows in any size.
French Mattresses: French mattresses are a thicker alternative to cushions for window seats and benches. With tufted or dimpled tops and rolled edges, these mattresses offer plush perfection for day beds.
Floor Pillows: Custom floor pillows can act as a seating staple in your living spaces and are easy to store away when needed. We offer a substantial collection of fabric options, and you can customize your floor pillow size and shape.
Dog Beds: Dogs are VIPs in many family units, and comfy dog beds are a must. Getting a custom dog bed means you don’t have to compromise on the harmony of your home’s decor.
Read our pillows and cushions blog post for more information on these cozy soft furnishings.
Style Your Home With Soft Furnishings
When your home feels a little stiff, it could be a sign that it’s time to explore the softer side of home decor.
Your windows might wish for draperies, Roman shades, top treatments, or a flattering combination. Your benches, couches, and chairs might beg for comforting pillows and cushions. Your mattress might rejoice at receiving custom bedding, your shower a transformative curtain, and your table some beautiful linens.
You're in the right place if you’re searching for one-of-a-kind soft furnishings. The Pinched Pleat was founded on whimsical creativity and disciplined, meticulous work. Our philosophy means we keep our heads in the clouds to brainstorm the best designs for your style, but our feet are planted firmly on the ground to provide support and guidance from first contact to the finished project. Set up a complimentary initial consultation or e-mail us to discuss your soft furnishing needs.
