How to Choose Fabric for Drapery
Hand, weight, weave, and aging behavior matter more than pattern or color in luxury custom drapery.
Fabric selection is the last drapery decision the studio makes, and the easiest one to get wrong by starting too early. A great fabric in the wrong specification will read worse than a competent fabric in the right one.
Hand, weight, weave, and how the fabric ages in light and air all matter more than the color you see in the showroom.
Specify the room first
Sun exposure, room use, privacy, and acoustic requirements determine the category of fabric long before color does.
Hand and weight first
Belgian linen, Italian wool, performance velvet — the fabric must feel correct for the room before color is considered.
Aging behavior matters
Will the fabric look better or worse in five years? Some fabric ages into the room; some ages out of it.
Questions homeowners ask us
- Can I supply my own fabric?
- Yes — if it meets the studio's quality threshold for hand, weight, and finishing.
- Is performance fabric always worse than natural fiber?
- No. The best European performance sheers are indistinguishable from natural linen in the room.