Drapery & Window Covering Blog

Drapery Design and Documentation

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Design

In the book by Erik Larson: The Devil in the White City, there is a quote by the famous architect Daniel Burnham (pictured to the left) where he offers a more forceful point then the original often quoted statement of "Form Follows Function". To emphasize his argument on the design of the 1892 Chicago World's Fair he demanded that "Function Dictates Form".

This is so true when it comes to commercial drapery design and window coverings. Where as in residential treatments, many times function is overlooked in exchange for form or design. In commercial applications the treatment must function successfully over and over again depending upon its tasks. Even before form or style is considered, function must be determined. The A/D will identify in consultation with the client the function requirements of the window coverings by addressing such needs as: light control, privacy issues, stack-backs, mechanisms, mounting and then finally style selections.

Documentation

After the design decisions are completed they must be documented in the specifications so all parties can understand them. These parties are: The A/D, the Client, the General Contractor and the Drapery Consultant. This entails providing the information necessary to fabricate the finished product in the form of clear specifications and detailed drawings. Included would be the type of construction of the treatment, the hardware and control mechanisms, the structural pockets and stack-backs, the desired fullness, the lining selections, installation instructions and care and maintenance information.