When you decide to use designer drapery fabric for that special knock-out look in your home or apartment, think about color as your first design element. Too often gorgeous designer drapery fabrics don't work because the color combinations of your wall, your furniture, or your accessories aren't complemented by your drapes. Take a color wheel and see where the major elements in the room fall. Do they have more of a blue base or yellow base? Ugly combinations are expensive mistakes. Get a super large cutting of designer drapery fabric before you start and tack it to the walls with small pins. Live with the swatch for a few days and note how the color changes during the day and during the evenings, when you are using artificial lights. If your room is too light, designer drapery fabrics in an subtle color can add visual interest. And yes, white is a color. If you use white, other things will stand out, such as your artwork and plants and any other accents in your room. Adding white in an unusual texture or sheen can add drama or soften the room, depending on the pattern. Our "Designer Drapery Fabrics Resources" section has ideas and also a calculator to help with your measuring!

Next, think about the "look" of the designer drapery fabrics. Are your rooms rustic or country? Many country homes favor the shades of yellow, blue, and brown. If those are the colors in your rooms, add complementary colors or whites with a warm base (yellow base) and hang the designer drapery fabrics on wooden rods. Some speciality stores carry curtain rods that resemble logs or twigs. A swag or drape at the top of the windows can add visual interest. Are your rooms romantic or traditional? Many romantic or traditional color schemes are based on a blue base to give the rooms a serene or classic look. Traditional hidden rods or ones with made of brass make a nice finishing touch.