Different Curtain Styles for Different Home Designs

The basic role of curtains has shifted over the years. They are still used in part for their original purposes, privacy, insulation, soundproofing and light control. However, with the advances made in glazing technology, these functions are no longer so important and all window coverings have taken on a more decorative role.

Although the words are often used interchangeably, there is a distinct difference between curtains and drapes. Drapes tend to be more formal, floor length affairs, with a heavy lining, that can be opened and closed with a pull cord. Curtains are their less formal relatives, often made from a lighter fabric, with or without lining. They are generally suspended by hooks, rings or even tab tops from a pole, and are opened and closed by hand. While drapes are usually stand alone, curtains can be used with blinds or shades, and in this case are sometimes tied back permanently to the window edge and never closed at all.

If you are choosing curtains as part of your home design project, you should consider three basic types. Panels are the simplest and most often used, being basic panels of material, hemmed top and bottom, gathered at the top to produce soft folds, and hung by hooks or rings from a pole.

Café curtains are an alternative style, hung from the centre of the window on a wire or cord, leaving the upper part of the window exposed. As well as decoration, this style provides privacy for people sitting near the window, whilst letting in light at the same time. These can generally be found in kitchens and breakfast rooms.

Tiered curtains are the third option. These are hung in such a way that a base panel covers the bottom half of a window, and a top panel, protruding further from the wall, covers the top half and overlaps the base panel. This is a decorative feature, rather than having a practical use, although you could tie back the upper panels to let in light, while maintaining some privacy.

You should consider the most appropriate length for your curtains. Some can sit just above the window sill, giving the impression of fitting neatly into the window space. These are ideal when you have a radiator under the window, so you don't lose all the heat up through the window behind the curtain. If you want your curtains to rest just below the window ledge, be sure your curtain pole is mounted far enough from the wall to ensure that curtain can hang freely and does not touch the window sill. Floor length curtains should finish just before the floor so they don't drag. If they touch the floor they will become dirty very quickly and may be stood on and ripped.

Finally you should determine if you need your curtains lined or not. Lining can add considerable expense you your curtains, but it is worthwhile if you need the extra privacy, insulation or soundproofing that lined curtains can provide. You can also buy interlined curtains, with a third panel of insulation fabric between the curtain itself and the main lining. Lining can also make your curtains hang better if they are made from a lightweight material.

Being very excited about blinds and window coverings, Kenneth Morris was authoring quite a few detailed papers on the subject. His observations on blinds and curtains [http://www.curtains-drapes-coverings.com/curtains.html] are published on his web publications .

Vintage Kitchens of the 1930s, 1940s, 1950s

1930s: The Steam-lined -Depression Era "Modern Kitchen"

By the 1930's, the kitchen was being transformed from the old fashioned kitchen to the "Streamlined-Modern Kitchen" with time saving features, better organization and much improved ventilation. The "all-electric kitchen" was promoted in popular magazines with numerous advertisements showing newly designed small and major appliances. Mixers were the homemakers dream now designed with numerous attachments that could sift flour, mix dough, grate cheese, squeeze lemons, whip potatoes, shred, slice and chop vegetables and even sharpen knives. "Depression Green" was the "in" color used on the wooden handles of kitchen utensils, on kitchen cabinets and tables and on kitchen wares. Often accessories were cream and green replacing the white and black look of the previous decades.

Other popular color combinations in the 1930s were Gray and Red or Crimson, Silver and Green, Pearl Pink and Blue, as well as the use of checkered patterns on textiles. Kitchen wares such as canisters and Bread boxes tended to be softly painted with perhaps a simple decal.

In 1935 the National Modernization Bureau was established to promote modernization throughout the country. Manufacturers competed for better designed appliances and kitchen accessories. Color began to enter the kitchens of the thirties and articles in magazines featured decorating tips on color schemes and how to incorporate the kitchen into the rest of the home. Kitchens were no longer work stations but gaining as much attention as the rest of the home. Small and large appliances were available in color and Sears and Montgomery Ward featured colorful kitchen wares and "japanned" accessories such as canister sets, range sets, cake savers, bread boxes and waste baskets.

1940s: The Postwar Colorful Era

The Post War kitchen of the 1940's began to become family gathering places and now tables and chairs made of chrome bases with enamel, linoleum or plastic tops could be added to a more spacious kitchen which replaced the smaller work centered earlier kitchens. Separate formal dining rooms were being replaced by kitchens that could accommodate the family and guests. The kitchen was becoming a very inviting space and primary colors dominated the interior décor palette. Magazines advertised products for your "Gay Modern Kitchen". Combinations of red, green and yellow or red and black were popular as well as brightly colored tablecloths, textiles and curtains. Flowers, fruits and Dutch motif were in vogue and found on shelving paper, trim, decals and kitchenwares. Appliances continued to be produced with streamlined designs, rounded corners and smaller proportions. The combination washer/dishwasher was introduced as well as the garbage disposal and freezers for home use.

1950s: The Atomic Era-Pastel Color-Space Age

Dramatic changes would occur in the kitchens of the 1950's as space age, atomic era designs and materials entered the scene. The fifties kitchen featured plastics, pastel colors such turquoise or aqua, pink and yellow (cottage colors), Formica and chrome kitchen table and chair sets matched formica kitchen counters and were easy to keep clean with messy little ones. After the war there was more time for leisure promoting kitchenware's and accessories for picnics, barbecues, parties and the home bar.

The introduction of color T.V. in the 1950s brought full color into America's living rooms where homemakers could now see all the exciting products and appliances available to them. Following World War II, there was a new generation of plastics and time for "gracious living" and entertaining. Kitchens and homes saw the transition from glass, ceramic and tin products to numerous types of plastics which made casual living easier. Melmac and Melamine dishes, Lustro-ware and Tupperware storage accessories and "thermowall" for picnics were a huge success. Vinyl was used for tablecloths, chair covers and furniture and bark cloth with boomerang and abstract shapes was popular. Tablecloths and dishcloths continued to be brightly colored and souvenir textiles were added to the home with tropical, Southwestern and Mexicana themes. Poodles, roosters and designs with kitchen utensils, tea pots and coffee pots decorated potholders, appliance covers and linens. Appliances were built-in and came in fifties colors such as turquoise, soft yellow, pink and copper.

C. Dianne Zweig is the author of Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s and Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes. She is also the Editor of Iantiqueonline.com an actively growing internet based resource community for people who buy, sell or collect antiques, collectibles and art. You can find Dianne’s fabulous retro and vintage kitchen, home and cottage collectibles at The Collinsville Antiques Company of New Hartford, CT, a 22,000 feet antique emporium with an in-house retro café.

If you would like to contact Dianne, email her at Dianne@CDianneZweig.com or visit her website at http://www.cdiannezweig.com/

Dianne is a member of:
The American Society of Journalists and Authors
The Authors Guild, Inc.

Sunny Beach in Bulgaria

Bulgaria has two tourism beacons for summer sun on its Black Sea coastline; these are Sunny Beach and Golden Sands.

Sunny Beach is the better known of the two tourist destinations and has been serving as a beach resort with summer sun since its creation in the late 1950's through to the end of the 1960's. The resort is located in the county (Oblast in Bulgarian) of Varna not far from the city of Varna and Varna Airport.

Today this huge and sprawling tourist town is a sun seekers heaven with over eight hundred hotels boasting over three hundred thousand hotel rooms, over one hundred and thirty restaurants, bars, clubs and cafes.

Another great reason for holiday makers to visit Sunny Beach is the prices, the prices in the resort may be higher than elsewhere in Bulgaria but they are still amongst the lowest prices holiday places in Europe. Sunny Beach is a place where your money stretches further meaning you can enjoy your holiday more with less cash in your pocket.

On top of all these great places to visit and the low prices Sunny Beach lives up to its name with miles of golden beaches and a beautiful blue sea lapping up to its shores. Along with the sea and sand there is the sun, with temperature reaching into the forty plus centigrade bracket you are sure of a sun filled holiday.

Being in the Mediterranean its not hard to see why the temperatures reach to the levels they do, yet until the turn of the year 2000 this great beach resort was a hidden gem that no one knew about.

The reason why Sunny Beach was hidden from the world was because Bulgaria was under the Iron curtain of communism run from the former USSR. In 1991 Bulgaria broke from the clutches of communism and has since developed on a big scale to now be a thriving country in the European Union that sees thousands of holiday maker's visits every year.

The author of this article is the owner of Bear Sole Travel. Bear Sole Travel offers the best in cheap holidays from flights to hotels and more.

Outstanding Curtains For Bay Windows

Most people are confused when they have to consider different types and means of decorating a bay window in their homes. However, before beginning to do so, it is very important to first consider and analyze the particular bay window in question and what kind of value it adds to a home. These bay windows are nothing but recessed windows that have sections. However, these windows could be considered also as any other large window, just with an addition of angle windows on both sides.

Most of these windows are made to overlook a beautiful view, in this case with appropriate light control, it is best to have them uncovered. Nevertheless, in most cases these windows do not overlook any beautiful view or neither do they provide the required privacy to the homeowner. This is when one thinks of making use of curtains for bay windows.

Each of these window normally defines its surrounding and circumstances, depending on which curtains are chosen, following are a few discussed.

If your bay window happens to have unique features or has eye catching frames, it is considered wise to make use of the cafe curtains, these are normally mounted in the inside.

When these window happens to be closely spaced then one could simple make use of very simple looking shades of the curtains. When planned appropriate and in advance, curtains in concern could look aesthetic even when the blinds are either up or down.

Sometimes, the task of being able to find the exact curtains for these windows is easy, it is also as difficult finding the exact kind of custom curtains for the bay window of your house. It is very necessary to be able to figure out the correct treatment required or the curtains as many people spend a fortune on just finding the correct bay window curtains for their home.

An individual should be able to analyze his surround or even the design of these window so that finding the right kind of curtains is not a difficult task. Many of the curtains help in making the bay window all the more unique and a class apart from the rest of your home. It is equally important to have a close check on the features so that one can judge the requirements of the curtains which could sit perfectly.

One could opt for roman shades of curtains as they help in giving a unique traditional touch to the room. Other options of curtains would be rings or rod pockets. Both these options of curtains require you to make use of a rod.

Finding the right kind of curtains as important to make a room complete. Therefore, one could look for appropriate curtains online or at different stores specializing in the same.

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