Faucets

French curtains (19 photos): beautiful design and window decoration. French curtains: types, materials, examples in various colors, styles, design, marquise decor Curtains in the living room French style

French curtains appeared during the reign of King Louis XIV, but their popularity has not fallen so far. A possible explanation for this is the unique solemnity of curtains, which is so necessary in respectable restaurants, famous theaters, famous concert halls and other institutions. Sometimes they decorate home windows. Sometimes they are called French blinds, as well as "marquise". Consider the history of French curtains and answer the question, how to make a French curtain with your own hands? Step by step master class on tailoring "marquises" will be given below.

Who exactly created these curtains is unknown. But very quickly the curtains became represent wealth and luxury. Their second name - "marquise" - means the noble title of Europe.

To sew such a curtain, you need to take a fabric cloth, sew a braid on it vertically, insert cords and make scallops. The design is simple, but the finished product is a real masterpiece. The resulting waves look very luxurious and resemble the decoration of royal palaces.

Do not confuse French curtains with Austrian ones. They differ in the number of waves: the French ones all consist of waves, while the Austrian waves frame only the bottom of the canvas.

Varieties

french blinds may vary in length. They are long, short or medium length. Curtains are also divided into:

stationary;
lifting.

Stationary closes the window completely and does not rise up. Such products made from lightweight materials They do a great job of blocking the sun's rays.

Roller curtains have a latch that regulates their length and number of waves. They can be turned into a lambrequin.

Any type of French curtains do not expand in width.

To create beautiful folds, light fabrics are taken that respond well to the creation of draperies. In the old days, batiste and silk fabrics were used to sew such curtains. Later they began to sew from tulle fabrics. Nowadays, organza is used.

Polyester is also used. It contributes to the creation of a beautiful structure, and it is easy to care for it. Polyester curtains are hung in public places, where they perform not only a decorative function, but also protect against ultraviolet rays.

For interiors in which it is necessary to emphasize respectability, velvet is used. This fabric forms attractive folds and creates the atmosphere of an ancient castle.

In general, stretchy fabrics are suitable for sewing French blinds, which easily form soft waves. Their main purpose is to form original festoons.

When choosing a fabric for sewing French curtains with your own hands, you should consider:

soft French fabric for curtains forms attractive waves;
hard material forms folds;
transparent fabrics are taken to the kitchen, ideal option will become organza;
plain fabric looks good, but do not be afraid of a modest floral pattern;
colored materials will give the space a romantic touch.

Application

French curtains create an atmosphere of celebration and special solemnity. Therefore, they are most often used in living rooms. But curtains can also add charm to other rooms in the house, whether it be a kitchen or a bedroom. The main thing is that this detail is combined with the overall style of the room.

For use in the kitchen, curtains are sewn from synthetic fabrics with a pattern; these can be small or large flowers. As a material for curtains on a drawstring with your own hands, you can also take cotton, linen, cambric.

If the canvases are complemented with ruffles and frills, they will perfectly fit into country style. Curtains can be decorated with fringe, tassels, shiny threads.

Picking up material for curtains, you should proceed from the style of the room. In any case, French blinds can add luxury to any room. They are hung in rooms decorated in baroque, empire, classic styles.

Self-tailoring

It is not necessary to buy French curtains in the store. You can sew them yourself with your own hands. It will take only a few hours to sew the "marquise".

How to sew French curtains with your own hands? We offer a step-by-step master class on sewing French curtains:

measure the dimensions of the window;
we multiply the resulting width value by one and a half, and the number indicating the length must be multiplied by two. The result obtained will indicate how much fabric we need. Don't forget to make seam allowances.
we carry out decatization, for this we expose the fabric to a damp-thermal effect. A similar procedure is required to prevent shrinkage of the fabric in the future. To do this, the fabric is soaked in warm water, squeezed out, allowed to dry and ironed;
we hem the edges of the product;
we outline the drawstrings at regular intervals and sew on the reverse side of the braid for French curtains 3 cm wide. It can also be strips of fabric;
we thread cords into the side seams and strips of braid. We form drawstrings. We fasten the cords on top. Leave the bottom ends free. The height of the curtain is adjustable with a cord threaded into the drawstring;
weights are hung on the lower edge of the product so that the curtain maintains strict verticality.

So, the do-it-yourself "marquise" curtain is ready!

We looked at how to sew a French curtain with our own hands, step-by-step instruction above.

How to care for curtains?

Main disadvantage French curtains are accumulation of dust in their folds. A vacuum cleaner will help to deal with it. Spots that appear can be removed with a damp cloth.

Curtains made of organza or tulle are machine washed on a delicate cycle. Velvet products are dry-cleaned.

These curtains, also called awnings, are distinguished by beautiful uniform folds (scallops) along the entire length of the canvas. Their homeland is France, where they appeared in the XVIII century. Awnings were sewn exclusively from expensive fabrics and were used to decorate windows in the houses of nobles.

The principle of operation of French curtains is a special cord lifting mechanism that holds the canvas in a certain shape.

Many people confuse awnings with Austrian curtains. A distinctive feature of the former is that they have folds (scallops) along the entire length of the panel, and Austrian curtains - only along the bottom edge.

Marquis classification

There are French curtains:

workers- they are used in new types of cornices and are regulated by means of a lifting mechanism controlled by a remote control;
Decorative- canvases, which are controlled exclusively by hand.

Applications

Initially, awnings were used to curtain windows in rooms for celebrations - banquet halls, palaces, theaters, restaurants. But they can also be used in conditions ordinary apartment, at home. These curtains, due to their splendor, are perfect for decorating windows in the living room, bedroom. In the hall, the French curtain will become the main accent of the interior; against its background, ordinary furniture will seem expensive and refined.

French curtains will add romanticism and elegance to the interior of the bedroom. All this thanks to the soft folds that carry the charm of France. Even in the children's room, awnings will be appropriate. Made of thin material, they will give the room lightness. You can decorate them with bows, butterflies, decorative elements that will be of interest to the child.

Advice: for a nursery, it is better to choose French curtains up to the windowsill, so the child will not touch them during the game.

The classic design of the kitchen is complemented by elegant awnings. They will turn any meal into an important feast. The length of the curtain should also be small so that the product does not interfere with cooking and cleaning.

French curtains in the office will be appropriate. They emphasize the formality of the situation and the importance of the conversation.

The effect produced by French curtains will depend on the type and texture of the material used for their tailoring, as well as the conformity of the design of the product with the dimensions and style of the room. Considering that the awnings were originally intended to give the room a solemn look, they will look good in rooms with big windows and high ceilings.

This window drapery will give the interior sophistication, nobility, solemnity, and even some pomposity. It will adequately frame the awnings and give the interior a finished look with a lambrequin, or classic curtains.

Production of French curtains, materials

Awnings are sewn from light fabrics - silk, cambric, organza, veils. Classic French curtains are made of dense silk, pleasant to the touch. It can be smooth, or have a damask pattern. This texture of the canvas allows you to form beautiful, smooth folds from it.

From synthetic materials polyester is used for sewing awnings. In terms of performance, it is superior to silk, but is more practical and cheaper.

Design features

The width of the finished curtain panel corresponds to the length of the cornice, or slightly exceeds it (for the formation of assemblies). When sewing a product with your own hands, it is necessary to make allowances for the formation of scallops along the height of the fabric (this indicator exceeds the size of the finished product by 1.5-2.5 times).

Material calculation

To form the drapery, special rings and gathering braid are used. Its length is calculated by the formula: l=h*f+h. Where h is the height of the cut of the canvas, f is the number of scallops.

Features of cutting fabric

Before starting to draw up a sketch, it is necessary to take measurements of the window opening. Next, you need to determine the width of the product. To do this, the length of the cornice board (width of the window opening + 5 cm) is multiplied by 2 and 10 cm is added to the resulting figure (allowances for two hem seams. This calculation formula allows you to make small assemblies along the width of the fabric. If you do not need them, then the width of the panel must correspond to the length of the cornice + 4 cm is added to the processing of the curtains from the sides.

To calculate the length of the curtain, the formula is used: h (desired product height) * 2 + 2 cm (for the design of the top seam) + 5 cm (for the bottom hem).

In order for the curtain to look beautiful, not sag and not be too tight, it is necessary to determine the optimal number of scallops. A table will help in this, in which the number of warehouses is calculated depending on the width of the curtain panel.

The optimal distance between the scallops is 50-60 cm. But narrower folds can be formed - about 30 cm wide. The vertical distance between them should be in the range of 12-24 cm.

Advice: so that the French curtain does not rise when there is a draft, or when a window is opened, special weights are sewn to its lower edge.

After cutting, you will get a rectangular piece of fabric. On the back side of the panel, the location of the scallops is marked. To do this, outline the vertical and horizontal lines along which the gathering braid will be sewn. After that, the curtain is turned inside out. The braid is preliminarily fixed on the cloth with pins so that its lower end coincides with the edge of the awning. On the sides of the product, the braid is placed close to the side edge.

The lower edge of the braid is tucked 2.5 cm, having previously ironed and pulled out the cords from it to tighten the folds. When processing the sides, the edge is cut off and processed with a seam "in the hem".

Next, proceed to the formation of the top of the curtain. The curtain tape is applied to the fabric 4 cm from the front side and stitched together. The product is turned inside out, and stitched again along this first line, and then pass along the bottom edge of the tape. This stage of sewing curtains can be final. After this, the cords of the tape are pulled together, forming folds.

On a note: on the upper edge, you can make a small scallop (0.5-1 cm), which will cover the hooks. But for this, at the cutting stage, double the height of the scallop should be laid.

If the awning is lifting, the locations of the rings are marked on the cloth. Their bottom row should be located at a height of 5 cm from the lower edge of the awning, and the top row - 12 cm. Sew on the rings in 4 stitches with a double thread, securing the part double knot. The formation of folds begins only after sewing on all the rings. The braid threads are pulled together neatly, making uniform folds. The width of the upper border is adjusted in size to the cornice board. The ends of the threads are tied as close as possible to the cloth and cut off.

Next, proceed to fitting the cornice board with a finishing cloth. To do this, the tape is cut to the width of the finished curtain. That part of it, where the hooks are located, is nailed to the front edge of the eaves board with small carnations. The second side is sewn to the braid located along the upper edge of the awning. The curtain is attached to hooks driven into the board, carefully aligning the panel.

The cords are threaded into the rings, starting from the bottom edge of the product. Each ring is secured with a knot at the bottom. At the top, all ends of the cords are passed through the hooks of the cornice board and the curtains are brought out to one side. Then they are pulled together, evenly placing the folds over the entire panel of the awning. Fasten the scallops with ribbons.

After installing the cornice board with the awning over the window, the ribbons are removed and the curtain is lowered. The connected ends of the cords are tied in a knot so that it is located behind the last hook. Then they are threaded through the handle to raise the awning and another knot is tied at a distance of 46 cm from the first. Next, the ends of the cords are cut off, fasteners are installed, around which the cord is wrapped to fix the curtain in the desired position.

Ways to combine awnings with other types of window framing

French curtains go well with:

curtains;
Lambrequins;
Fringed;
Golden threads (muslin);
glass beads;
Kantami.

A win-win option is a combination of awnings with classic curtains. Scallops framed by a lambrequin also look beautiful.

Advice: various decorations, accessories - decorative cords, fringe, beads will complement the folded fabric. They will give the product individuality and originality.

Awning Care

French curtains are unpretentious in care - it is enough to periodically clean them with a vacuum cleaner. Awnings made of synthetic fabric can be washed. Ironing of the product is done in a wet state. But if these curtains are made of natural material, it is not recommended to wash them yourself - the folds may lose their shape.

Proper care will keep your French blinds in top condition and extend their lifespan by several years.

Video: Luxurious French curtains

French curtains are a classic of the genre. They are perfect for any interior, in the living room or bedroom.

A huge selection of ready-made French curtains with different interpretations. But it is always interesting to do something with your own hands, to contribute to the design of the room.

In this article we will tell you where to start sewing curtains and how to make real French curtains.

Choosing a fabric

The most difficult thing is to choose a fabric from such a large variety. The main thing in French curtains is that weave was fed to drapery. It could be dense fabric, airy, light, here it is already selected for the style of the room.

Each fabric has its own properties, they must be taken into account when sewing French curtains:

With a high density of fabric, falling waves can be made;
Lush folds are made with a light fabric;
If French curtains are designed for the kitchen, then a light translucent fabric would be appropriate here;
Fabrics with patterns for this type of curtains must be selected carefully, do not forget that folds will be made where the pattern may be lost;
A fabric with bright colors will create a special atmosphere, if plain curtains, then diluted with a light pattern, not catchy.

Many people prefer the classics. As a rule, satin, silk or tulle fabric is chosen for French curtains. A standard choice that you can't go wrong with.

We take measurements for tailoring curtains

If you have decided on the view, then now you have to measure the window and the cornice in order to know how many meters of fabric you need.

Do not forget that a sufficient amount of fabric is spent on drapery (a factor of 1.8 across the width of the fabric), consider this as well.

Measure the cornice initially and add another 5 centimeters to this calculation for the seams. Leave the rest of the material for assembly.

Double the resulting length of the curtain and add another 3 centimeters from the top and 5 from the bottom for seams to this amount. Thus, we got a complete calculation of the necessary fabric for the future creation of French curtains.

Detailed sewing scheme - pattern

Without a pattern, it will be difficult to understand the technology of sewing curtains. One calculation is not enough. Therefore, you need to follow the drawing and certain actions.

And so we'll figure out how to sew French curtains with our own hands.

In order to get a truly design creation without visible self-delivery, we follow the following rules:
Let's do the decathing. What is it that many will ask? Decating your image processing the fabric so that the curtains do not shrink in the future. Before sewing, soak the fabric in warm water and leave for 15 minutes, then wring it out well and let dry.
Let's start processing from the bottom and top. Straighten the fabric and fold the fabric 1.5 cm from all sides, fasten and hem.
Important! From the bottom, the bend is made by 2 cm.
We make notes for the wings with the help of a regular ruler, make sure that the gaps are equal. Drawstrings are made from pieces of fabric. For an example of a sketch, see the photo of French curtains.
Sew the fabric along the marked line, the width of the fabric should be 3 cm, the hem is done in inside from the side.
Do not forget that the curtain is regulated by a cord in the top, which must be threaded into the backstage.

In this way, curtains are formed that, in the future, will decorate your room, and the work done by your own hands will cause pride and respect for your relatives.

French curtains in the interior can be made in different styles: Baroque, Empire. It all depends on the design of the room and your wishes.

Photo design of French curtains

Even during the reign of Louis XIV, French curtains were in vogue, but even today they do not lose their place in any interior.

These curtains are used by many luxurious establishments, theater houses and even wedding palaces. AT home interior they also have a special place.

Today, history does not tell which of the designers was the first to create this masterpiece. It is because of the luxury and wealth that the second name of the French curtains is “marquise”.

To sew a French curtain, you only need a not very large fabric flap and sew a braid vertically along it, thread all the cords and collect the material into the so-called scallops. From such a simple patch, you can make a magnificent decoration in the room, which will not only cover the window, but also stylishly decorate your home.

If such ready-made French curtains are hung in the bedroom, then it will look like royal chambers.

Many people get confused between the difference between Austrian and French curtains. They differ in that the Austrian has only a wavy bottom, and the French wavy completely.

Looking at the curtains in general, you can understand that they differ in length. Divided into types: stationary and lifting.

The stationary view of the French curtain completely occupies the entire window, and is a tulle. Therefore, they are made from fabrics that let in daylight. Such fabrics are light and light colors.

If we consider a lifting curtain, then they differ from a stationary one only in that they have a latch that regulates the length of the entire curtain, as well as the number of folds on it.

The right choice of fabric

To create a large volume of curtains, you need to use the lightest fabrics when sewing. Under the reign of Louis XIV, designers used different silks or cambric.

Later, in Russian Empire tulles were used. But new productions began to use the option of curtains with organza. Also do not manage and polyester. This option has an excellent structure, practical, and easy to care for. You can find polyester curtains in different rooms.

They not only decorate the window, but also protect from ultraviolet radiation. The velvet design of the French curtains is relevant in the interior, creating a fabulous atmosphere.

To make beautiful French curtains, you need to take elastic materials, because after assembling them, they will give a lot of volume.

French curtains in the interior are a great luxury, and they look very beautiful and festive. They are mainly used as decoration for the room, as the quality of the material requires special attention. French curtains will also add aristocratic and sophisticated look to the hall or living room.

If desired, these curtains can be used in your bedroom, and a short version in the kitchen. But for the bedroom the best choice will become tulle. haze of pink or blue color makes the room even more romantic.

An interesting fact is that curtains of this type will add luxury next to a modest sofa or armchair. Pour into the design of expensive furniture.

DIY French curtains

You don't have to spend a lot of money to buy different models curtains, as you can sew them with your own hands, and decorate the kitchen with them. The first thing to do is measure the window. Multiply the width by 1.5, the length by 2. This is how we find out how much fabric is needed.

After you have decided on the choice of fabric, you need to hem the sides of the seams, as well as the bottom. Next, you need to mark the strips of fabric, the width of which is 3 cm. Thread and fix the cords and strips from above. Fasten to the cornice with a wide ribbon or wide loops.

How to care

Dust accumulates on the scallops and this is main problem. But a simple vacuum cleaner can solve this problem. Stains on the curtains are removed with a simple washcloth, moistened with a solution of soap.