Why Custom Draperies Are Making a Comeback in Maine Homes

For a while, draperies felt a little old-fashioned. Many homeowners swapped them for bare windows, cheap blinds, or nothing at all. But walk through a well-designed home today and you’ll notice something: fabric is back.

Custom draperies are showing up in living rooms, bedrooms, and dining rooms across Maine, and for good reasons. They solve real problems, they look beautiful, and they do something no other window treatment can do quite as well.

1. They Make a Room Feel Finished

Think of a room with painted walls, furniture, and a rug, but bare windows. Something feels unfinished. Draperies add the final layer of color, texture, and softness that pulls everything together.

They also change how a room feels in proportion. Hanging panels higher and wider than the window frame can make ceilings feel taller and windows feel larger, a trick designers have used for generations.

2. They Add Warmth in Maine Winters

Maine’s long cold season is a natural fit for heavy, lined fabric. Draperies add an insulating layer that helps cut drafts and makes the area near a window more comfortable. They work especially well in older homes with tall windows, as we explain in our post on draperies in old New England homes.

For even better results, layer them over cellular shades. The shade handles insulation close to the glass, and the drapery adds a second barrier and a polished look.

3. They Offer Flexible Light Control

Draperies are easy to adjust throughout the day:

• Sheer panels let in soft, diffused daylight while adding gentle privacy.
• Light-filtering panels soften sunlight without darkening the room.
• Blackout-lined panels block nearly all light for bedrooms and media rooms.
• Layered pairs, such as sheers behind heavier side panels, give you every option from one window.

4. They Quiet a Room

Soft fabric absorbs sound. In rooms with hard floors, large windows, and high ceilings, draperies can help soften echo and reduce outside noise, a quiet benefit you notice after they’re installed.

5. They Bring Color, Pattern, and Personality

Fabric is the one place where you can add real character without repainting or replacing furniture. Today’s custom options include:

• Natural linens and linen blends for relaxed, coastal, and farmhouse looks
• Rich velvets for warmth and depth in living rooms and bedrooms
• Bold patterns and stripes for a statement window
• Soft neutrals and textures for a calm, modern feel
• Classic prints for traditional and historic homes

6. They Work With Almost Any Style

Draperies aren’t limited to one look. The same product category can be traditional or modern depending on the fabric, heading style, and hardware.

Heading styles (the way the top of the panel is gathered) shape the whole feel:

• Pinch pleat: Tailored and traditional
• Grommet: Casual and modern, with smooth, wave-like folds
• Rod pocket: Simple and relaxed
• Tab top: Casual and cottage-style
• Ripplefold: Clean, uniform waves that suit contemporary rooms

7. They Pair Beautifully With Other Treatments

Draperies aren’t an all-or-nothing choice. They partner well with:

• Roman shades or roller shades for daytime function and nighttime privacy
• Blinds for adjustable light control behind fabric panels
• Shutters for a layered, high-end look
• Motorized tracks for opening and closing by remote or schedule

What “Custom” Really Means

The difference between store-bought curtains and custom draperies shows up in the details:

• Exact sizing. Panels made for your window’s width and height hang properly, with no awkward puddling or short hems.
• Fabric choice. Hundreds of options instead of whatever the store happens to stock.
• Quality construction. Proper lining, weights, and stitching help draperies hang smoothly and last for years.
• Tailored fullness. Enough fabric to look rich when closed and fall in soft folds.
• Matched hardware. Rods and tracks chosen to suit your trim, ceilings, and style.

Tips for Choosing Draperies

1. Hang them high and wide. Mount the rod closer to the ceiling and extend it beyond the window frame to make the window look larger and let more light in when open.
2. Choose length deliberately. Floor-skimming panels look tailored. Slightly puddled panels look romantic. Panels that are too short look unfinished.
3. Think about lining. Add blackout lining for bedrooms and thermal lining for cold rooms.
4. Pick fabric for the room. Sun-exposed rooms need fade-resistant fabrics. Kitchens need easy-care options.
5. Plan for cleaning. Some fabrics need professional cleaning. Choose with your lifestyle in mind.
6. Consider cord safety. If you have little ones, see our child safety services.

Experience You Can Count On

Custom draperies reward careful measuring and thoughtful design, and that’s where experience matters. Phillip McKinnis, owner and operator of Blinds by Design, brings three decades of experience to every project, working alongside his son in our family-owned business. That depth of experience shows in the details: how a panel hangs, how a fabric performs in your light, and how the finished room comes together.

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See Fabrics in Your Own Home

Fabric looks different in a catalog than it does at your window. Blinds by Design brings our mobile showroom directly to you, so you can see and feel real samples against your own walls and light. We’ll measure, recommend options by room, and handle the installation. We work with trusted brands including Hunter Douglas, Graber, Norman, Levolor, and Bali.

Request a free consultation today, or call (207) 501-2800. We proudly serve Portland, South Portland, Scarborough, Brunswick, Augusta, and surrounding communities. Browse our project gallery for ideas, and read what neighbors are saying in our customer reviews.