Pleated curtains in the design of a modern apartment

Recommendation points

• Pleated curtains device
• Advantages and disadvantages of pleated curtains
• Varieties of pleated curtains and features of their use
• Paper and fabric curtains
• Horizontal and vertical models
• Day-night pleated curtains
• Pleated curtains in the interior: room design options
• Tips for choosing pleated curtains

Window decoration is an important component of room design, therefore, the choice of curtains must be approached with all seriousness. The article will focus on functional and sophisticated pleated blinds, their varieties and application features in the interior of apartments.

Pleated curtains device

Pleated curtains were invented in Germany in the second half of the 20th century. Externally, pleated curtains resemble familiar blinds – an elegant, laconic shape and a segmented structure, so a cloth made of corrugated fabric or paper came to replace plastic or aluminum slats.

Pleated blinds are more versatile than blinds and Roman curtain systems. With their help, you can decorate windows of any shape: rectangular, round, triangular, arched and others..

Pleated curtains have a fairly simple and straightforward design. The canvas is attached to a special profile on which a lifting mechanism is installed. The length of the curtain is adjustable through a drum and a chain (cord). The curtain can be completely rolled up, and a package consisting of even dense folds can be positioned below or above the window – depending on the design of the room and the model of the curtain.

You can choose one of the most convenient mounting methods. If you need to cover the window completely, then the pleated cornice is installed above the window opening or even on the ceiling. Sometimes the fasteners are mounted on the window frame using special brackets.

The pleated blind can be operated manually or remotely. Manual control is performed using:

• access handles – suitable for inclined or vertical windows, which are easy to reach with your hand;
• cord or chain – the lifting mechanism simultaneously lowers or raises both edges of the curtain;
• extension cord – adjustment of curtains on ceiling or dormer windows that cannot be reached by hand.

The most convenient and modern way is electrical control. The electric drive is located on the product cornice. Signal can be supplied from a wall switch or from a remote control.

Advantages and disadvantages of pleated curtains

The use of pleated curtains has a number of indisputable advantages..

Functionality. Pleated curtains are indispensable for decorating windows of complex configuration and sun protection of inclined, attic rooms or winter gardens with ceiling windows.

Versatility. The variety of colors and shapes of the canvas allows the use of pleated curtains when decorating the interior of commercial, office and residential buildings.

Decorativeness. Any drawing or pattern can be applied to the canvas. Pleated curtains will harmoniously fit into the strict interior of the study or fill the bedroom with comfort.

Ease of installation. You can install the fastening mechanism or completely make pleated curtains yourself, without the help of specialists.

note.Pleated curtains create an unobtrusive, diffused light in the room, adjusting the intensity and direction of lighting.

Varieties of pleated curtains and features of their use

Paper and fabric curtains

Depending on the material of manufacture, there are two types of pleated curtains: paper and fabric.

Paper curtains are a temporary construction, poorly resistant to mechanical damage. The canvas can transmit daylight or be made of opaque blackout paper. If damaged, the paper blinds cannot be repaired or cleaned and must be replaced with new ones. Pleated paper curtains are the most affordable and easy to make yourself.

Fabric curtains are a durable and reliable way to decorate a window. These curtains are resistant to damage and sunlight. Manufacturers treat the canvas with antistatic impregnation, which prevents fading and repels dust. If dirty, the fabric curtains can be washed in soapy water and dried when folded.

The fabric base can have a different structure. Most often, polyester or combined fabrics with the addition of silk thread are used for the manufacture of curtains..

Horizontal and vertical models

The direction of pleats in pleats can be horizontal or vertical. This parameter should be considered when choosing pleated curtains..

Horizontal pleated blinds are suitable for decorating a rectangular, narrow room with high ceilings. Vertical folds visually lengthen the room and raise the ceiling, so these curtains are best used in a wide room.

note.By combining curtains with vertical and horizontal folds, you can change the geometry of the room perception.

Day-night pleated curtains

Day-night pleated curtains consist of two types of fabric of different density: opaque (polyester) and translucent (organza). The window can be closed alternately with one or the other canvas, or two at the same time. This design allows you to adjust the lighting mode depending on the time of day..

During the day, the “day-night” curtains can be turned into a light curtain that lets in sunlight, and in the evening – into a thick curtain, which will create the necessary atmosphere for relaxation. Such curtains are convenient to use in an apartment whose windows “look” to the east.

Pleated curtains in the interior: room design options

Pleated curtains fit organically into any interior and look good in combination with other types of curtains or as a separate decorative element.

For a children’s room, decorated in a nautical style, soft blue pleated curtains are suitable. The “day-night” system is very convenient and allows you to create optimal conditions for a child’s daytime sleep.

Plisse plain curtains can be decorated with light curtains with cheerful images.

For curtains in the bedroom, you can use pleated fabrics of various shades, with patterns and plain colors. Curtains are selected in one tone with the textile filling of the bedroom or act as a contrasting element of the interior.

It is better to choose pleated curtains in the living room, the height of which can be adjusted along the bottom and top edges. Living rooms are usually filled with a variety of functional and decorative furnishings. Based on this, it is better to select plain curtains so that there is no feeling of oversaturation of space..

Pleated curtains are convenient to use in the kitchen. Bright curtains will look beautiful in the kitchen of calm and light colors.

For the kitchen, you need to choose a curtain with adjustable window closing level. This curtain will protect your eyes from the bright rays of the sun and will not make the room dark..

Manufacturing technology of pleated textile curtains with water-repellent treatment allows you to decorate the bathroom with such curtains.

Restrained, laconic pleated curtains will emphasize the style of the office and will not distract from the work process with colorful patterns.

Tips for choosing pleated curtains

Here are some practical recommendations for choosing pleated curtains for interior decoration of an apartment:

1. For tilted windows, it is better to choose curtains with a tensioning system and side guides. This will help to avoid sagging and gaps in the curtain..
2. Free-hanging pleated curtains are suitable for the design of vertical sashes.
3. To decorate multi-section windows of irregular shape, it is necessary to choose a curtain with a fixed mount. Such a curtain completely covers part of the window and is not adjustable..
4. A south-facing window should be decorated with a canvas with a special metallized coating or mother-of-pearl coating. The curtain will reflect the sun and the room will not overheat even on the hottest day.
5. When choosing curtains for the kitchen or nursery, you should choose a less flammable material. It is better to prefer pleated paper curtains to fabric models that have undergone special processing and do not support combustion.
6. The choice of the width of the folds directly depends on the size of the window. Pleated pleats with pleats of 10 mm are suitable for small windows, 20 mm for standard apartment windows, and for window systems with dimensions of 4.5×4.5 m and more, curtains with a fold of 50 mm should be selected.
7. In a room where dark tones prevail, it is necessary to select light curtains, and pleated curtains of a contrasting shade will add brightness to a light room.
8. You can buy “smart curtains”, which are programmed at the request of the owner. For example, with the onset of dusk, the curtains close, and with the first rays of the sun, they open.

Table. Comparative characteristics of pleated curtains of foreign and domestic manufacturers

Company	Sunrise	Redi shade	Velux	Vidella	“Kiev Rolet Service”
Starna manufacturer	Russia	USA	Denmark	Poland	Germany
Curtain type	tension, free hanging, fixed, day-night	free hanging	free hanging, tension	free hanging, tension	tension
Manufacturing material	polyester (sunscreen)	paper	polyester	polyester	polyester translucent
Installation method	ceiling, wall, in the window opening	into the window opening	into the window opening	into the window opening	into the window opening
Control	mechanical or electric	mechanical	mechanical	mechanical	mechanical or electric
Cost, 1 m2/ y. e.	manual control: 50-120; motorized curtain: 220-380	five	70	20-30	thirty

You can create an exquisite interior in an apartment without expensive and pretentious accessories. Simple things can look no less elegant and unusual, and the best proof of this is pleated curtains..