Ripple fold drapery in Los Angeles.
Soft, even waves of fabric on a slim track: the clean, architectural heading for contemporary houses, sliding doors and walls of glass.
What is ripple fold drapery?
Ripple fold is a drapery heading in which the fabric falls in one continuous, even wave from end to end. There are no stitched pleats. The panel is fixed by snaps to carriers that are linked at a set distance inside the track, and it is that spacing which forms the wave and keeps it uniform whether the drapery is open or closed.
The effect is calm and modern. The fabric appears to hang directly from the ceiling, the folds are identical front and back, and the whole run looks as considered from the garden as it does from the room.
Why it suits modern Los Angeles houses.
The contemporary houses of Bel Air, Trousdale Estates in Beverly Hills, the Hollywood Hills and Malibu have long uninterrupted spans of glass and very little wall beside them. Ripple fold answers both conditions. It stacks back more compactly than a pinch pleat, so less of the view is lost when the drapery is open, and its track is slim enough to be recessed into the ceiling and forgotten.
Fullness, fabric and track.
The depth of the wave is set by the fullness chosen, and a fuller setting gives a richer, deeper fold. Fabrics with a soft hand and some weight form the best waves: linen and linen blends, wool sheers and fine performance weaves. Very stiff cloths resist the curve. Tracks may be surface fixed, ceiling fixed or recessed, and can be curved to follow a bay or bent around a corner so that one panel travels the whole way.
Ripple fold is also the heading best suited to motorized drapery, since the track and the motor are designed together. It works equally well for sheer drapery and for lined and blackout drapery.
From selection to installation.
Consultation
We begin with the room itself: how it is used, where the light falls through the day and what you would like the windows to do.
Selection
Fabrics, materials, finishes and hardware are chosen together, so the treatment suits both the architecture and the furnishings.
Measure and Make
Every opening is measured precisely and each treatment is made to that measure, never adapted from a stock size.
Installation
Our installers fit and adjust every treatment, so it hangs true, operates smoothly and is finished properly.
Ripple Fold Drapery: common questions.
Is ripple fold drapery better than pinch pleat?
Neither is better. Ripple fold is clean and contemporary and stacks compactly. Pinch pleat is tailored and traditional and holds its folds more formally. The architecture of the room usually makes the choice for you.
Can ripple fold drapery be hung on a decorative rod?
Ripple fold needs a track, because the carriers that form the wave run inside it. There are, however, decorative tracks made to resemble a rod for rooms where the hardware should be seen.
Does ripple fold work for blackout drapery?
Yes, with care. The wave leaves a little space at the top, so for a bedroom we fix the track to the ceiling or recess it, and return the ends of the panels to the wall.
Ripple Fold Drapery: further reading.
Performance Drapery Fabrics: How the Synthetics Stand Up to the Sun
Performance drapery fabrics for Los Angeles homes: how polyester, acrylic, olefin, nylon, viscose and acetate stand up to sun, sea air and wear.
Wool, Linen, Cotton and Silk: Natural Fiber Drapery in Los Angeles
A guide to natural fiber drapery for Beverly Hills and Los Angeles homes: how wool, linen, cotton and silk hang, age and stand up to the California sun.
Protecting Art, Floors and Furniture From the California Sun
The light that makes Los Angeles so beautiful is also hard on everything it touches. How window treatments protect what you have collected.
Transform your space with custom solutions
Tell us about your windows and the way you live with them. We will guide you from selection to installation.
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