Velvet Drapes for the Living Room

For many years I had curtains in my living room. They were never really what I wanted here and always felt a bit too formal for the room.

Family Room with Hunt Nature Themed Judges Paneling

 

Back in October, 2012 (wow, has it been that long!) I removed them because I decided I’d rather look at windows with just plantation shutters than look at curtains that I didn’t like and didn’t suit the room.

Family Room With Judges Paneling

 

After I removed the old curtains, I went on a search for drapes but quickly lost steam when I couldn’t find any I liked. In this photo I shared a few weeks ago, you can see the windows are still drape-less. I absolutely love plantation shutters for the privacy, sun control, insulation and beauty they add to a window/room. But I know drapes would add texture and soften the look of the shutters.

Christmas Decorating in Red and Green

 

Today I was near a Ballard Designs outlet so I stopped in. I didn’t have draperies on the mind but I always check to see what they have in. I was thrilled to discover they had their velvet drapes on sale for half price. They looked just like these below, only in a dark green color called, Sage.

I checked and they had four panels in the sage color. They were all super long at 108 inches but that was okay, I knew I could hem them. They were reduced from $169 down to 126.99, then half off making them $63.50 a panel.

I gathered up four panels in the sage color and took them up to the register. As I checked out, I asked the sales associate if they had anything wrong with them, were they all first quality? She assured me they were first quality, not damaged or seconds. I always like to check because some of the items for sale in the outlet are damaged.

Velvet Curtains

 

This evening I took them all out to start measuring them for hemming. Only one drape had come in its original packaging which was a plastic bag. The others were just folded up. When I started laying them out, something didn’t look right. One panel appeared to be a different shade of green. Umm, I wondered how that could be when I had verified they were all sage green before taking them up to the register.

Notice how 3 panels are lighter in the photo below and one is darker. I made sure I had them all turned in the same direction, you know how velvet can sometimes have a different look depending on which way it’s turned. They were all turned the same way. Rats!

Velvet Drapes

 

Notice how when I fold up the dark one and turn it a particular direction, it looks a lot like the others. I guess that’s why it looked the same in its package. The darker one is the one on the bottom right.

Sage Green Velvet Drapes

 

I think I know how this happened. Someone put an incorrect sticker on the darker panel. Notice on the back of the label that’s sewn into the darker curtain, it says, Sage.

Velvet Drapes1

 

It even says “sage” on the outside of the plastic bag.

Velvet Drapes4

 

But, when you turn the label over (the one that’s sewn into the panel) it says “Evergreen,” not sage. Either color would probably work in my living room but I need four matching panels.

Velvet Drapes2

 

I’m going back to Ballard Designs tomorrow and hopefully they will have another sage panel. If they don’t, I’ll have to return all four panels because I can’t have three sage panels and one evergreen panel hanging in the living room on these two windows.

Traditional Christmas Decor in Red and Green Living Room with Judges Paneling

 

I like the hanging mechanism for these draperies. They have these plastic loops on the back along the top.

Green Velvet Drapes

 

You hang them using drapery pins and clip rings as shown below.  Looks pretty easy!

Hanging Curtains with loops on back

Photo from Ballard Designs

 

I was thinking about going with a curtain rod similar to the one I used in the dining room. (See that post here: French Pleat Check Draperies)

Check Curtains Draperies with French Pleats and Grosgrain Trim

 

Keep your fingers crossed for me tomorrow, hope I can find another sage panel. Will keep you posted on how that works out.

Velvet Drapes

 

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Comments

  1. If you cant get all the same color I love JC Penny for all my curtains.

  2. Good luck, Susan. This is a good find if they do indeed have another one in sage. ‘-)

  3. Mary from Virginia says

    I hope you find the missing sage panel. They look like they will go beautifully in your living room.

    I am in the process of looking at upholstery fabric, and have a rug that is bossing me around, finding colors that won’t make me have to redecorate the whole room is making me tired!

    Looking forward to good news on the missing panel.

  4. I have the same sage green velvet draperies. I purchased mine from Country Curtains…and they are washable.

  5. Oh I so hope they have the right color when you return. I love velvet drapes and think they would look perfect in your room. Funny how you can look and look for something and than it pops up when not expecting it. Good luck tomorrow, will be anxiously waiting to hear if your successful or not!

    • Exactly! I try to not get my heart to set on one thing because it seems if it doesn’t work out, something better always comes along. Had that happen so many times!

  6. Think the velvet draperies would be lovely and wish you luck on finding the missing sage panel….or maybe you can find 3 of the evergreen. I agree either would work in this room. One question: why do you need to use the
    drapery hooks? Can’t you just slide the O-rings on the curtain rod and not
    have to use the hooks. I have always found them a huge pain but if needed
    here, I could manage my “distress” in favor of having found the perfect
    solution….Good Luck!

    • Thanks, Alyce! I think either color would work, too. These curtains are designed with those little sewn in loops for slipping the drapery pins through, then you are supposed to hang the drapery pins onto the loops. If a person didn’t use the drapery pins, they could use the ring clips alone, but they probably would hang as nicely. Also, the clips would leave permanent impressions in the velvet, I think.
      They may have also felt that velvet draperies are little too fancy for hanging with clips, which is to me, a bit more of a casual look. I’m really happy they designed them the way they did because I ended up doing something similar when I hung my curtains in the dining room…I used both drapery pins and the ring clips. Check out this page at their website: http://www.howtodecorate.com/2015/12/whats-the-best-way-to-hang-your-drapery/?utm_source=Ballard&utm_medium=SLI+banner&utm_campaign=drapery+hanging
      My favorite of all the designs they show on that page is the “hidden tabs” because you don’t have to use those rings at all. I don’t ever plan on opening or closing these drapes (or the ones in the dining room) and hidden tabs is perfect for that application. I’d be happy if these came with the hidden tabs, but they probably wouldn’t hang properly since they are velvet and pretty heavy.

      • Susan….thanks for taking the time to answer my question. I truly appreciate all the information you gave in response. And I totally
        agree that use of ring clips alone might alter how a fabric, like velvet especially might hang. Let us know how the story ends….sage, evergreen, or back to the drawing board.

  7. Hope you find the matching panel. Velvet is so warm and inviting for the winter months. When I was a child growing up in England velvet drapes were the norm, most homes did not have central heating and the velvet was necessary to keep out the drafts. They were even used in entry ways to stop wind coming into the house when opening the front door. Can’t wait to see
    your windows complete with new drapes.

    • Gwen, I was just thinking about that today. Back a few years ago, folks would not be caught with velvet draperies, yet the last few years they have been so popular. It’s so funny how things just go in and out of style. Do you think it’s a conspiracy to make us redo our homes and buy more stuff. lol Sometimes it is nice to make a change.

  8. Never give up. Perhaps another store still has them in stock if yours is out? Good Luck! Those velevet drapes look wonderfully luxurious.

  9. Hope it works out for you!!

  10. Fingers crossed!

    Big Texas Hugs,
    Susan and Bentley

  11. When I moved down from “my” mountain just about two years ago, I was horrified by the state of the Venetian blinds throughout the rental house that I was fortunate enough to find in a hurry. I don’t think they had been cleaned for at least ten years of tenants. I gave them a good wash by hand (no professional blind cleaner would touch them, they are so fragile) — it took days and was totally exhausting.

    The time finally came when I could not stand to look at those ragged things one more day. I went online and found some wonderful sheers for an unbelievable price. When the sheers arrived, I carefully took down the blinds and, with the help of The Container Store, put them in sturdy cardboard boxes which immediately went in the above-ground storage in the garage. I had found curtain rods at the same online store and matched them to the style and color of each room. It took several days and a hired handyman to install the rods, but the finished product is lovely. I did find that, for privacy, I needed double the number of sheers in most rooms; but that was a comparative cinch.

    Several months later, I began to get itchy about the naked sheers and hit the net again to look for really inexpensive curtains. Darned if that same store didn’t have some really cute ones that go with everything! I was able to get curtain rods that don’t need installation — the expandable ones that can be a pain to get just right, but that don’t require holes to be filled in if I should ever have to move again. I also fell in love with the only drapes the company had online at the time, and the price was so great that even if they weren’t right, I wouldn’t feel I would have to return them. There was no need to worry, though, as they are as pretty as any I saw anywhere else at much, MUCH, higher prices. I get compliments on them all the time and I truly enjoy sitting in my living room again.

    • Mary Anne, don’t you love it when you hit the jackpot and find just the thing you were looking for! It’s so exciting when that happens!

  12. Good luck Susan, do hope you are able to get the extra panel as for certain you could not make them for the price that you paid. That said; in event you are successful and plan to hem them may I suggest that you let them hang for a few days prior to doing so as they may stretch a bit (in this case more because of their weight than because of their weave). Also, as you stated they will be stationary, you might also want to ‘bandage’ them to set their fall/pleats. (Method: Divide the length in three and take 2″ to 3″ wide strips of fabric (any type will do) and ‘loosely bind” them for about a week. i.e.: About 6″ from the top hem, middle and about 6″ from the bottom hem.) -Brenda-

    • That’s so true…the fabric cost would be more than that. These are lined, too…nothing fancy about the lining but I am glad they are lined.
      Thanks for that bandaging idea and explaining how to do it. I love that idea!
      I was also thinking about that, how I need to let the wrinkles fall out first. They had a ton of wrinkles. Some were so bad on one panel, it almost looked like a dog or cat had run their claws through the velvet and damaged it.
      Last night I took that panel that look strange and I held it near the humidifier I have running in my office and within a minute or two, the wrinkles looked fine. I was relieved to see that! So I think they will be really pretty once all the wrinkles are out.
      I read online where one person was recommending hanging them in a bathroom and running the shower on hot to steam up the room.
      I have a clothes steamer so I may try that on the really bad wrinkles, although most are falling right out on their own.

      • Re the bandaging idea, you are more than welcome as it does make the world of difference as for steaming them, depending on the fabric content and if you have concerns that it might affect the ‘nap’ of the fabric, you can always try doing it from the wrong side . Plus I will add; even a small travel sized steamer should do the trick. -Brenda-

  13. Jane Franks says

    Hi Susan: I love the idea of velvet drapes. So opulent, yet informal in a way, too, and so cozy for the winter. Certainly hope you find another sage. Could you have your Ballard Designs outlet check one of their other stores? Good luck on your search!

    • They really are cozy for the winter. Maybe come spring, I’ll want to take them down for a spring/summer look…the way folks used to do before air conditioning came along. 🙂

  14. You may know they have two outlets in Atlanta. You can call and get them to check before you go and if not at the one you shop at, ask for the other locations phone number. I have purchased from them for several larger furniture items and they will call around the country for larger items too.
    For the big pieces in past years, they had them shipped to the Atlanta outlet where I picked them up and I did not have to pay shipping.

    Good luck.

  15. I think the velvet curtains would look awesome in your room. Hoping they have another sage hidden somewhere, or three more evergreen! Either will look great! I have been meaning to contact you to see if your remember the paint color and company for the red paint in your dining room! I also have a Venetian mirror, and I love the way the red makes the mirror pop! Also, is it semigloss or satin finish? Would love to do this to bring attention to my beautiful mirror, too! Thanks!

    • Thanks, Rose! It’s a Benjamin Moore color called Raspberry Truffle. I still love it and it still looks great. They make great paint!

      • Thanks so much for being so willing and prompt to reply to our questions! I appreciate the answer . . . It’s a beautiful color and I can hardly wait to buy it and get started painting!
        Thanks again

        • I just realized you ask if it was satin. I’ll check the can in the basment and let you know…just finishing up a post and I can go down there and check afterwards. 🙂

    • Hi Rose, I just looked at the can and here’s what it says:
      Benjamin Moore, Regal, Eggshell AquaVelvet
      Ultra Base 319 4B
      The color was one of their colors called Raspberry Truffle.
      Hopefully they still have the old formula and hopefully the base hasn’t changed a lot. If it has changed, hopefully they know how to adjust it to get the correct Raspberry Truffle color.
      I painted that room back before I began blogging so it was probably around 10 years ago. Not sure BM still has the AquaVelvet line, you know how paint changes. If you do go with that color, I’d be curious to know if they say they can mix it for you. I get comments a lot asking about that color, so I’d love to know.

  16. Hi Susan! Oh, I just hate your drapes are not all the same. I wish you the best of luck finding the sage. But like one of your readers said, the Evergreen would be pretty too if they had three panels of those. Hope you’re doing well. I haven’t popped in in some time. So much going on in my life right now. My little granddaughter has a rare illness and I fell before Christmas and broke my kneecap – so I’m down! Bummer! But I’m so glad I popped in today. Your living looked beautiful with your pretty tree. Hope you’re doing well.
    Be a sweetie,
    Shelia 😉

    • Oh my gosh, I didn’t know that. I’ll stop by your blog Shelia to see if you’ve posted about it. I’m so sorry to hear that. I surely hope they take care of it and stat! Off to visit your blog now.

  17. Everyone would have made the same mistake. So frustrating. If all else fails, you can make an outfit out of your “portieres” a la Scarlett O’Hara!

  18. Sounds like a shopping adventure to me!! franki p.s. I do luv “Ballards!”

  19. Susan, the velvet will look fabulous in your room, I hope you can find that panel!

  20. Love those curtains. I hope they find you another sage panel. I would keep the evergreen and make a dress a la Scarlet O’Hara~ just for funsies! Ooh, I know, cover some of your throw cushions in the evergreen!

  21. I love the color and I hope they have another sage panel! I can’t wait to see the transformation.

  22. Betty Marie says

    Sorry you have to go through this. I know how it makes me feel when I have had to go through the process all over again, Exhausted!

  23. If you are still looking, try Kohl’s online. I ordered my ceiling to floor living room panels from them. Love them.

  24. Sandy Park says

    Bummer! I hope they have just one more Sage panel for you. How disappointing for this to happen after you’ve search for so long. Good luck!

  25. You do know, that all sales are final there! I have tried that before! Good luck, Liz

    • Since it was their error in the way it was labeled, I was pretty sure I wouldn’t have a problem. I was thinking today, Liz…I don’t know why they don’t allow exchanges (within say 2 weeks or 30 days) or at least give store credits. That way they wouldn’t be out any money and I’m sure customers would love that. It’s better than being stuck with something that didn’t work out.

  26. Susan,
    Good Luck on getting the right color panels. I do hope that you are able to do so because i can not wait to see how they look hamging on your beautiful room..
    Thanks so much for stopping by!

    Hugs,
    Deb

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