Window Treatment Glossary
N Through S

Non Directional Fabric
This is considered an all over pattern or non-directional. When you look at the fabric, the pattern has no upright or sideways pattern - the pattern is all over and at random repeat. No top, no bottom.

Non-Operative Drapery Panels
Stationary drape panels that are attached to either short individual rods, one large pole across the window, or attached to wood fixed to the wall with L-Brackets. These panels are for decoration purposes and do not open or close.

Odor Eliminating Fabrics
These are special fabrics that do not absorb odors from either indoor or outdoor elements like smoke, pets, etc. They are developed of non-absorbent materials like metal, glass, stone, etc.

Originality
This window treatment glossary term is self explanatory in that it is original in design and construction. It begins with a thought that is different from anyone else and becomes a reality as an original work of art - your own originality.

Over The Pole Open Swag
These are open swags, either formal or informal, that are open at the top to see through to the wall,window, etc. and are draped over a pole swag with peek-a-boo crescent shaped openings at the top. These window treatments are usually accompanied with cascades and/or jabots. Can be a stand alone treatment or used as a top treatment over drapery or panels. You will see many variations of this type of treatment throughout the Window Treatment Glossary.

Pattern Match
This is where random pattern repeats are matched vertically at the selvage edge to selvage edge so that pattern lines up horizontally at the leading edge of the fabric for the entire treatment to be uniform. Naps of fabric should be matched as well.

Playful Sensuous Sheers
These, in my opinion, are plentiful and free-flowing, over-developed in fullness, billowing soft sheers that give off endless sensuality and sexuality; usually in a soft gauzy fabric, sheer, sometimes opalescent; but an over-abundance of fabric folds that are hung with knots, ties, shirred, gathered, swagged, all natural folds and gathers making them playful and fun. This is a very personal and usually generalized addition to any window treatment glossary - as it is "feeling invoked".

Pre-Made Take-Home Draperies Outlet
These are the ready-made drapery you buy that are only a few sizes ready to hang and no customization done on these. Usually sold without lining, but sometimes they do have it. You can adjust the length by raising or lowering the drapery hardware that holds them. Many panels can be placed together on the same pole for extra width or sewn together to eliminate gaps. Usually sold very inexpensively because they are ready made draperies and not custom.

Puddle
A puddle is at the bottom of a drape or panel that is excess fabric that lays on the floor around the base of the window treatment and fanned or gathered to form a pool of fabricin a formal environment. This can be a very elegant addition to a otherwise simple window treatment. Puddles can be gathered like a balloon shade at the bottom for a very regal dramatic look, or just lay flat and swirled on the floor. Usually an additional 10-20 inches more fabric is needed to puddle.

Railroad fabric
This is when bolts of fabric are used "side to side" or used as the width of the bolt will actually become the length of the treatment. Used often to eliminate seams in sheers. Selvage edge becomes the hem. To railroad means to turn sideways to use.

Raw Materials
Raw materials can be anything nature made like cotton, linen, silk, stone, metal. They came from the earth and in their original finish - rough, raw, edgy, nubby, warm, and unfinished looking in nature but when worked with to form drapery and drapery accessories, portray the richest of any out there. Pure natural beauty..

Relax Factor
This is an where an allowance to the width is made for a particular treatment that has rings, pleats, or tabs that will cause a fabric to narrow from the finished width, so an allowance must be taken to compensate for that gap. This result is quite common with beginners and those who do not know until "after the occurrence" like on Austrian Shades that pull in from the sides, and sometimes roman shades will do that also. If the workroom had the expertise, this allowance would have been made to avoid that gap and the fabric would rest at the finished width.

Return
This is the projected depth from the face of the drapery treatment to the flat wall measurement; or if hardware is used, it is considered from the front or face of the drapery rod to the wall projection measurement. This is where the bracket is placed. Usually drapery is ordered with "returns" which has side panels projected from the face of the drape to the wall in order to hide the hardware and controls.

RTB - Rod Top and Bottom
Mostly used for french doors, but indicates a pocket at the top and bottom of the fabric where a rod slides through and fabric is gathered on the rod then stretched between the two rods and attached to the door frame. Sometimes this hourglass panels are used and tied in the middle to give it an "hourglass" shape. These pockets can either be clean or have a header that will create a ruffle when gathered on the rod. A common term found in the industry and especially in a window treatment glossary.

Satin
A tightly woven silk that has a lustrous finish that makes it shiny on the top while the underside stays a matte finish. There are cheaper versions in cotton and wool called sateen.

Scarf Window Treatment Idea
One of the easiest and most versatile window treatments, using a long piece of fabric draped over medallions or a decorative rod, or sconces can be used and the fabric pulled through to form an informal swag in the center and two side panels; short or long depending on how long the fabric is. Fabric is usually held in place with two-sided tape once positioned on the hardware. This treatment can stand alone or be a top treatment to underneath panels or drapery. There is little or no sewing on this fabric, as the selvage edge is used on both sides and the fabric chosen may or may not need to be hemmed at the ends.

Sconce
Drapery hardware term used to hold scarf valances and other treatments that are informal in nature. Similar to medallions except sconces have holes in them for fabric to pass through.They are mounted on the wall and the fabric is swagged or draped between two sconces. Can be made of wood, metal, or resin; usually decorative and bulky in nature.

Seamless
This term is used when talking about the width of fabric where it can be turned sideways and "railroaded" making an endless seamless width panel.

Self Lined
This is when the front fabric is also used as the back lining - or doubled. This is done many times with sheer fabric and sometimes on cascades when no contrasting fabric is desired.

Selvage Edge
Selvage edge is the outer edges of fabric (the horizontal edges) that come from the factory/mill that are special very strong and durably stitched to keep them from fraying. Often is the "white" edge with no pattern or color given to the fabric along the selvage edge. Usually considered the left and right sides of the fabric.

Shirring Tape
Shirring tape is used to make tops of treatments uniform and consistent in the distance between each pleat, gathers, etc.Often used for pencil pleats, goblet and cartridge pleats, and box and inverted box pleats. Just pull the "string" on the specific shirring tape and it will measure perfectly between pleats for exact placement.

Short Point
Short Point and Long Points are words used for the measurements of length on curved, tiered, or uneven window treatments to determine a short measurement and a long measurement. For instance, a swag valance with cascades would be measured in length at the longest point - that would be from the top to the bottom of the cascade. This would calculate as the "long point" length and the shortest measurement from the swags connecting to each other at the pole to the shortest drop of the swag, or the shortest length, would be called the "short point" length. See the Difference between Short Point and Long Point Here

Smocked Heading
A diagonal puckering to resemble the old fashioned smock frocks at the top of drapery, curtains, valances, and also used on decorative pillows and bedding ensembles. Similar to shirring except the pleating looks more like puckers and forms diamond shapes in the puckered fabric.

Stack Back
This is the amount of wall space or window space a drapery takes when opened to it's maximum, the pleated fabric that bunches at each side or one side is called the "stack back". Usually you will allow for this stack by adding that amount of width to the overall size of the drapery. This is common if you wish to have the full exposure of the window when drape is fully opened; otherwise, your viewing area will become smaller due to the stack back space taken up by using part of the window on each side.

Stationary Side Panels
Creates a tailored casual look that is immobile, or stationary, drapery treatment of panels on either or both sides of a window to frame it and decorate it but has little else use. Sometimes side stationary panels are used to block light gaps between blinds and shades and the window frame. Sometimes stationary side panels are accompanied by a top treatment of swags, valance, or cornice box.

Style
In my opinion, style simply means the patterns, textures, types, and designs of window treatments that appeal to you. In style or out of style, if you don't like it - it has no style. Your opinion is the only one that counts in your home.

Sunburst
A fabric treatment that is usually arched, semi-circle, or circled that fabric is shirred around the outside of a wood frame to form the shape then gathered in the center like a fan. The fabric is usually a sheer fabric so light can travel through it; however, if it is in a bedroom; some workrooms cover the back of the sunburst with black out lining to block the light from passing through. Very commonly used in arches and port holes to dress up the area and also filter the light.

Swag
A beautiful window treatment for above the window that drapes in crescent shapes in either an informal or formal manner with accompanying cascades and/or jabots, and can be used as a stand alone treatment or over drapery or drapery panels. Swags can either be open (peek-a-boo half circle at the top of the swag) or closed swags (that have fabric solid to the pole or wood base then the swag starts. There is no peek-a-boo area in a closed sway.

Swag Panel Drapery
This is free-form single panel (sometimes using bed sheets).This is a single width of fabric per side that is self-lined and flat like for draping. Usually there is puddling on the floor of the excess fabric and the free-form panels are bound to make casual swags then continue to casual gathered panels. Can use ties or knots. This is a common treatment for tall arched windows.

Swing Arm
A type of drapery rod specifically used for french doors and inward swinging windows. The rod is jointed at the base by a hinge so the french doors may be covered or uncovered by the swinging motion of the rod at the hinge. Usually finished in a sheer fabric, but must be finished on both sides of the fabric treatment due to both sides exposed with the swing.

More Window Treatment Glossary Terms:

A Through D Window Treatment Glossary
E Through H Window Treatment Glossary
I Through M Window Treatment Glossary
T Through Z Window Treatment Glossary


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