Curtain Tiebacks or Holdbacks - Traditional and Contemporary Approaches Part 2

A Contemporary Twist

A more contemporary approach is to use a less structured tieback in a contrast fabric to the

main curtains. This gives a more relaxed, less formal feel.

Soft, feminine and informal - a piece of the curtain fabric with a contrast pink ruffle. This tieback is easy to use on a daily basis.

Using Hardware Holdbacks

Using hardware holdbacks can be a lovely and dramatic statement.

The pairing of the holdbacks and the finials in this scheme adds elegance to the overall look. Although the hardware is not large and imposing the window treatment as a whole is very dramatic with the silk lining and the grand sweeping drape of the curtains.

This pole shaped holdback has very clean, modern lines but it is softened with the use of the luxurious silk and the soft drape of the curtain.

Ombres are a lovely choice. They are very easy to use on a daily basis as the curtain is just placed behind the “arms”. There is huge selection of styles available on the market from which to choose and often are found in ranges thus enabling curtain poles, brackets and finials to all match with the ombre.

Clip Holdbacks

Easy to use Clip Holdbacks are quite effective. They don’t need any installation and are usually quite reasonably priced.

They are available in a range of sizes to suit the curtain they are intended to hold back. This one is quite large since the curtain is full and a lot of fabric is being gathered into it.

This is another example of a clip holdback with a bright sunflower as the feature.

Increasingly more modern forms of tiebacks are becoming popular.

The coffee coloured curtain in this photo has been wrapped with a contrast colour of the same fabric and knotted at the bottom. This curtain is intended as a dress curtain not a traversing one sothe tieback is an integral part of the design.

This is another example of a knot being used but here the knot is actually the tieback. Again this is just a dress curtain -

there is a pair of traversing curtains behind.

Tiebacks may be very simple affairs.

This tieback is just a very simple piece of cord - colour matched to the curtain of course.

Here a piece of the curtain fabric has been sewn into a rectangular strip which is tied around the curtain. The striped fabric makes this quite effective.

Similarly, in this example a strip of the curtain fabric has been made into a long band but this time it has been gathered which gives the rather frilly effect. Wrapping the tie around the curtain twice adds extra substance to a light weight curtain.

This is a very simple band of curtain fabric which has been wrapped around the curtain to draw the curtain back from the window to allow the stunning view to take centre stage. Placing thevertical strip horizontally across the curtain gives the curtain a real “waist”.

Nothing could be more simple than this. A lovely satin ribbon tied beautifully around a pair of light curtains. The smiley face says it all!

Another option is to use a range of different materials and textures.

Here very large bright red twisted cord has been paired with a textured blue curtain. The effect is very contemporary and stunning.

For this window treatments leather has been used to make the tiebacks and tab top headings. Much about this window treatment is unusual but the overall scheme works.

Then there is the practical tieback or holdback.

Using the holdback bar on this dormer window prevents the curtain from hanging loosely away from the window. The curtain is not intended to be drawn but just to add some privacy. Note how the sheer helps to draw the eye away from the radiator but will not affect the heat flow into the room.

And finally, there is the “Just Beautiful”

A handmade flower to use as a tieback. In this example the colour of the flower and the curtains tone beautifully but the flower really stands out against the sheer linen curtains. In practical terms though this is probably not one to be handled every day.

Curtain Tiebacks or Holdbacks - Traditional and Contemporary Approaches

Part 1

Why Use Tiebacks?

Using tiebacks on curtains provide several different uses and offer the ability to solve design difficulties which sometimes crop up.

Aesthetics:

Tiebacks may be used to dress the curtains so that they frame a window and the view beyond. They allow the curtains to fall in a soft drape which is sometimes more pleasing than the curtains falling in a straight, vertical line.

Practicality:

Using tiebacks can increase the light from a window when the curtains are open as they hold the curtains away from the glazing.

Tiebacks can help to control the drape of curtains which will help the curtains hang neatly.

Tiebacks can also contain the curtains to keep them away from any activity in the room.

Tieback for Dress Curtains or Daily Use

Tiebacks which are used on dress curtains may be a little more time consuming to install and to dress the curtain properly. However, since the curtains will not be traversing on a daily basis this job need only be done once and then the curtains be left to hang beautifully. On the other hand, if the curtains are intended to traverse you may wish to select something which is quite quick and easy to use.

Available Tiebacks

The soft furnishing market today offers an enormous selection of tieback and holdbacks. This is a discussion of a few, but in reality if you can imagine it then you can use it as a tieback!

You could use tiebacks to create a design theme - for example string together shells or use a pair of large shells in a seaside house, use horseshoes for an equestrian theme or use old garden tools in a conservatory or garden room.

Tiebacks offer designers the ability to make each window treatment unique and interesting.

Traditional Tiebacks

Traditionally tiebacks have been made from the same fabric as the curtain. These look very smart and tailored.

This tieback has a very clean, simple line which is neatly

finished with a piped edge.

Being the same fabric as the curtains they can be quite understated or they can be embellished so that they become a significant design feature.

The multi coloured tassels used here add style and sophistication to the tieback as well as drawing in the colourful fabric of the right hand curtain.

A traditional ambiance is also achieved with the use of cord tiebacks; these range from those that have clean, simple lines to those which are very ornate.

This multi coloured cord tieback beautifully picks up the colours in the curtain and in the tasseled leading edge. The tieback also holds the curtain so that the design feature of the contrast lining is able to be admired

to be continued....