Treatment Styles
Banding
Banding is a versatile and popular method of adding color and interest to almost any kind of base treatment.
Build-ups
A build up is an add-on used when combining two or more different styles. These can also be thought of as the combination of two different types of treatments, such as the blending of a cornice and a swag.
Button / Similar Items
This category of add-on encompasses the addition of (usually small) singular decorative items such as buttons, decorative nail heads, tassels, miscellaneous hardware, and covered poles and finials. These can be applied to almost any sort of base treatment as a design detail to add those special little custom touches.
Caps
They are used to hide the ends of the dust cap board anywhere they are exposed and need to be covered. They are also used in some cases on traditional swags if there is no cascade, or they might be used to hide the head rail or hardware of under treatments.
Cascades
Cascades can be added to cornices, toppers, and rod pocket valances. They are also an almost required add-on item for open or traditional swag to complete unit.
Contrast
Contrast is usually added to box pleated treatment styles to add color, dimension and interest to those styles which can appear quite flat on their own. Contrast can be found on box pleated toppers, fabric shades, and even draperies and bed skirts.
Facing
Facings is like banding except the facing strips are added to the back side of the item instead of the front. The facing can be made from the same fabric as the one that appears on the treatment’s face, or it can be made from a contrasting fabric to add dimension and interest to the treatment.
Fringe
All treatment categories, and many add-on items can have fringe added. There are many types of fringes from very simple ones to the very ornate.
Inlays and Overlays
Inlays and overlays will be added to a cornice. Patchwork overlays which are also in this add-on category can be added to cornices but are sometimes found on other base treatments as well. Overlays are done to create a raised effect on an item while inlays are used to create a sunken, or keyhole effect on a cornice design.
Jabots
These are most typically added to swags, toppers, and cornices. Jabots are a folded or gathered decorative piece which is used to fill spaces, cover seams, or simply add decorative effects to a treatment. Jabots can include tie shapes and cone shapes, and may be rounded on the bottom or pointed.
Panels
They are panels which are mounted onto the same board, dust cap, or pole, as the main treatment. Panels can be used on traditional swags, open swags, toppers, and cornices. Most of the time these are one width panels that are used instead of a cascade when a floor length stationary swag treatment is required and a layered treatment would be inappropriate.
Pelmets
Pelmets are added to cornices, rod pocket panels, rod pocket valances, shades, and toppers. They are always flat pieces of fabric which can be straight or shaped. They are used to add color and interest to a treatment or to incorporate additional fabrics or colors into a treatment scheme.
Petticoats or Flounces
A flounce/petticoat can be added to cornices, draperies, rod pocket panels, and toppers. They require fullness be added in width and can be straight along the bottom or shaped.
Pre-Cording
Pre-Cording is cording which is pre-manufactured with a fabric or tape lip or made without lip. Every treatment category can have a pre-cording added if desired.
Pre-Trim
Flat Pre-Trims are flat trims such as braid, decorative trim, flat or gimp which must be applied flat to a treatment similar to banding.
Rosettes / Knots / Bows
These items are individually made and added to almost any kind of base treatment. There are many different styles of rosettes, knots, and bows.
Ruffles
Ruffles can be added to almost every treatment category. There are two basic types of ruffles, the shirred or gathered type, and the pleated type.
Swags
A swag is specified as an add-on item for several different treatments such as draperies, toppers, cornices, and occasionally bed skirts or they can be ordered and installed by themselves as a stand-alone treatment with the addition of tabs or ties. This type of swag will always be made as one individual swag unit.
Tabs
This add-on item is a required for tab draperies. There are many different styles of tabs that can be added, therefore choosing a tab style separate from the base treatment is necessary. By choosing the tab style separately, some confusion can be eliminated with respect to how the tabs are to be made.
Tiebacks
Tiebacks are primarily added to draperies and rod pocket panels. There are many different styles and many different add-on items can be added to tiebacks as well. Tiebacks are mainly intended to be used to hold back side panels in a fixed position.
Ties
This add-on item can be added to several different base styles, and these too can be ordered in multiples of various lengths to create a stand-alone treatment. Choosing a tie style is a requirement for some toppers such as the pull-ups and roll-ups.
Welts
Every treatment category can use welt cording, which is also sometimes called piping or cording. Fabric can be shirred onto the cord to create a soft ruffled effect or the cord can be wrapped without a lip, then twisted, braided, knotted, or draped over items to incorporate multiple colors or add interesting effects.