Velvet has been used throughout history to provide a dramatic effect in rooms around the world. It is a luxurious material that is considered to be amongst the finest that you can get. The texture of velvet lends itself to rich dark colours such as burgundies, royal reds and deep purples. It was used prolifically centuries ago amongst royalty to seignify their wealth and status, and has continued to be looked upon as a regal material.
From a functional standpoint, velvet is a very heavy material to be used on curtains, which carries with it pros and cons. The weight of the curtain means that it falls well as a velvet curtain, and gives a sense of intimacy. On the other hand, it means that it can be an effort to open and close them. If you have curtains that need to be opened and closed on a regular basis, or in a house that is inhabited by an elderly person, velvet may not be as good an option.
Velvet is manufactured by weaving material together, usually on a specific type of loom that will weave two or more pieces of material. The best velvet is woven from silk, but this is top of the range material that will cost you a fortune, especially when you need large lengths for items such as curtains. You can also get a great quality velvet from cheaper materials such as cotton and polyester, that will still cost you a fair amount, but won’t break the bank like silk can.
Apart from the luxuriousness that this material provides your room, there are other benefits to velvet curtains. Because the material is so thick, it will make a great blackout curtain, literally blocking out all light from your room quite effectively. Another benefit of it’s thick texture is that it will dampen sound, making it a great barrier against your room and a busy street outside.
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Velvet is not traditionally used in kitchens and bathrooms. Usually you will find this material used in lounge rooms and bedrooms, which offer themselves more to an intimate feeling of warmth and comfort. An average bedroom can be turned into something grand quite simply by hanging velvet curtains. Do keep in mind, though, that this material, being so dark and heavy, will make your room appear smaller than it actually is. So, if you have a small bedroom or living room to begin with, velvet may not be the right solution for your windows.
Traditionally, velvet curtains were (and still are in places) used in movie theatres, and when the movie begins, the big red velvet curtains are drawn back to reveal the big screen. As a result, many people now use this same style in their home theaters, in an effort to mimick the atmosphere created in the big cinemas, and to great effect. As mentioned above, they do a great job of blocking out light and dampening sound, which makes them absolutely perfect in these situations.
One of the most striking characteristics of velevt is the way the light plays off them. Because of the way the fabric is woven together, you get all these different shades of light and dark (with the possible exception of black velvet curtains), making them a great focal point in your room. In fact, if there’s one thing I would warn you about, it is that these curtains have the ability of taking the focus away from other items in your room. This should be kept in mind for rooms that already have a a main feature, such as a large painting or a feature wall.