Tab Top Curtains
Curtains. Everyone has them, though most don’t give a second thought to their purpose or even the reason we would be considering them right now, as we are. The facts we know: curtains keep the sun out (or in some cases, let it in without letting roving eyes look in simultaneously). They keep us warm (or cool, depending upon the time of the year). Yet as with everything else, there are variations. Let’s talk about tab top curtains.
Tab top curtains are drapes with little ruffles at the top of the curtain material. This little ruffle, or frill as some call it, something unique. The idea caters to the school of thought that less is more, or in this case, that the most minor change in a product makes for interest and, almost as if by magic, a new product.
Tab top curtains are not new, it should be noted. They’ve popped up through the years on and off and in and out of fashion. However, they’ve never seemed to stay in vogue for very long. One of the reasons for this may simply be that, by design, they don’t hold the minds of we humans for long enough.
Another thought is that they might be seen as just non-tacky enough to make a comeback from time to time, yet kitschy enough that success is entirely fleeting. Such ephemeral notions have not stopped tens of thousands of housewives, however, from going out and purchasing tab top curtains for their home.
The effect is always the same when someone buys these curtains: guests at a home ooh and ahh over the new purchase and often wish that they too had such curtains. They go out, purchase and hang these curtains, and the trend starts all over again. For awhile, and then people grow tired, all too quickly, and the curtains are either thrown away, given away, or saved. ‘Cause you never know about that rainy day when frills will come back into popularity.
We won’t hold our collective breaths on this, but merely have to say that every fashion -whether for the body or for the home, has its place, and its time.
on August 14th, 2008 at 6:39 am
This is a strange article, since “tab-top” curtains are “not” frilly, nor do they have any little ruffles at the top. The “tab-top” is made from separate sections of material that are spaced several inches apart from one another (at the top of the curtain)… These curtains can lend to being “boring”, but simple… The creative mind can do very lovely and unique things with them if they are creative enough to sew themselves and add embellishments…..The tabs themselves could be made out of a companion fabric or even beautiful wide ribbon. One could add classic buttons at each tab or anything else that is creative and unique. Another idea would be to discretely pin a small floral arrangement on each tab for interest. These are only a sampling of creative ideas to add interest to tab-top curtains.
Personally, I have “created” my own patterns and designs for each window in my home without using “store-bought” draperies. My interior designer has been very impressed with my choices, and the windows all take on a beauty of their own. Some bring focus to the window. Others subtly blend in with the decor without being “showy”.
Sometimes simple is better depending on the decor of the room they are used in. Ones own taste will determine how they will “dress” their windows.