Drapery, Curtains, Window Treatments or What!

I've moved many times over my interior design career. I recently moved from the warm sunny state of Tennessee to the beyond cold but beautiful state of Michigan (record setting cold and snow just for me this season!). I've lived in Mississippi, Missouri and England. Each place I've lived there are always words that are called something different in each place that does not have the same meaning in other places. For instance if you wanted a cold carbonated drink - here in Michigan they say Pop! Down south we'd say we want a coke - that can mean even a Dr. Pepper or any other brand -we'd just let you know which one. In England they called it a Fizzy. And in Missouri it was a Soda and sometimes you hear people calling it a Soda Pop. Each area has it's own words for it. 

Recently, I went into a design studio and was talking to the owner. She was showing me around her very awesome studio.  When we went by the sheers she said here are the drapery fabrics. I got curious and asked what do you call the fabrics in these other books she said window treatments or curtains. I was a bit surprised. I began to wonder if this was a regional thing or if it's what you've been taught in design school to call them. I would have called what she said were drapery fabrics -sheers and the other books drapery fabrics.  So I did a bit of research.

I came across this website on the subject :
http://www.drapesmadeeasy.com/drapery-curtains.html

They say "Floor length drapes supported by a rod or pole are called either drapes or curtains depending on where you live."  They mention that in the Midwest and South you'll probably call them drapes but in other areas you'll probably call them curtains.  Also, there is a North American way of looking at it and a European way. North American usually say drapery are made of heavier fabric and drape to the floor, while curtains are lighter weigh and can be short or long. The European style which is anything that is made of fabric and hangs from a rod or pole whether it's heavy or light weight is called a curtain. So you see it goes back to where you live and what you were taught to call them. Some resolve this by calling it window treatments which can cover everything including blinds and shutters, valances and drapery curtains etc. So I'm not sure what I'll call them on my new journey here in the Holland Michigan area. They instantly know I'm from the south so I think they'll forgive me if I call them the wrong thing. But of course as a designer I'll want to make sure we mean the same thing! 

Here are a couple of drapes or curtains from a couple of my clients homes (Sorry the color is not so good). I do love fabric treatments very much. I think they make a room more finished looking and give it a warmer cozier feel. So my advise is to add some fabric to your windows (even a bit of trim too) and make your windows beautiful.

Even here there are differences. In many cities soft window treatments are known as draperies or drapery. In the Midwest and South you'll probably refer to them as drapes, while in other areas you'll call them curtains. - See more at: http://www.drapesmadeeasy.com/drapery-curtains.html#sthash.BZmlH0pX.dpuf