Stylish Window Treatments for Spring: Lambrequins

Have you ever heard of a Lambrequin? The chances that you haven't! Their origin lies in a piece of cloth which was used to cover the back of a knight's helmet in Medieval times. It's also know or referred to a short piece of rigid cloth window treatment.

Basically a Lambrequin is a decorative pelmet that is made to fit into the top half of a window and rather than just being a piece of fabric the Lambrequin's fabric is glued or stapled over MDF (similar to a headboard). Usually there are no curtains or blinds used with them so theoretically you can only use this style of window dressing in rooms which don't have a privacy issue such as hallways. However modern styles mean you could use them in conjunction with a roller blinds or curtains. As Lambrequin are neat and tidy they are ideal for windows which are hard to reach or where voluminous curtains would swamp the room or area.

You can make your own Lambrequins relatively simply buy using curtain fabrics and designing yourself a template. Don't forget that the fabric will be stretched so be wary of pattern distortions, fraying etc. A medium weight fabric is ideal.

Another tip – don't get carried away making intricate designs on your first attempt, also make sure that the size of the Lambrequin balances with the size of your window.

There's plenty of interior design ideas for dressing your windows this Spring – let your windows make a real statement in your home.

Image: Design du Monde.blogspot