If you want to beautify your home, then installing drapery over your windows is a great way to add elegance and color to a drab room.  Drapes are not only beautiful, but they can add privacy to bedroom and living room spaces, and they can also block out the sun on warm days.  The right type of drapes can actually keep you warm in the winter too.  Look for the following traits when you buy your drapery to stay warm.

Thick Fabrics

During the winter months, heat is lost from your home in a variety of ways.  Your windows are one of the main areas where warm air leaks out of your house.  In fact, between 12% and 30% of your heat will be lost through your windows.  This occurs, because the warm air will flow towards colder spaces in the house.  A small amount of cold air will be present around windows and frames and the heat will find the cold areas and then flow right out of the house.  This process is called convection.

Convection is a natural process.  You can stop the flow of hot air though, as long as you create a vapor barrier across your windows.  The barrier will keep your heat from coming into contact with the cold air around the windows.  Vapor barriers can be created by adding drapery, but fabrics should be thick and tight to reduce air flow.

Good Fabric Choices

When choosing a fabric for your draperies, consider picking out fabrics with a tight weave.  Weaves are created by interlacing yarns or threads across the surface of the fabric.  Cotton is often used to create tight weaves, and some thicker options include denim, velvet, and corduroy.  If you want a more solid and simple look, then look for drapes made out of gabardine, broadcloth, canvas, twill, drill, and damask weaves.  

Once the tight woven fabric is chosen, make sure the fabric is thick.  You can simply inspect the fabric or you can ask about thicknesses when purchasing drapes.  Simple terms like thin, lightweight, medium, thick, and extra thick may be used or the fabric may be measured in terms of mass or weight.  Generally, thicker fabrics are heavier and more massive.

Dark Colors

You will likely have a wide range of drapery colors to choose from, but you should pick dark blue, green, black, red, or purple window coverings if you have the option.  When dark colored drapes are added to the windows, the fabrics will absorb the sun rays that come through the window glass.  The fabric then heats up and some of the warmth will transfer to cooler air within the room.  Also, the heat will move to the space between the window and the drapery to insulate the area.

If you do not like dark drapery or if you feel that dark colors make your house appear smaller, then you can buy light drapes.  If you do this, consider buying black curtains to set behind the drapes to pull in sunlight.  Also, make sure that drapes sit as tight against your windows as possible.  This will create a physical barrier across the glass to prevent heat loss.  Purchase a plain drapery rod and one-half to one-inch hangers or hooks to keep the drapes close to the windows.

If you want to add ornamentation to your home, then a nice set of drapes can be a great choice.  If you live in a cold weather area, then these drapes should be chosen carefully so that heat is not lost through your windows.  Make sure to consider the material type and thickness as well as the color to retain home heat.