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Decorating with Victorian Portieres

on August 19, 2010 – 3:42 am

Victorian portieres, or door curtains, are a centuries old design technique that is both decorative and functional. Heavy draperies of velvet or brocade were mounted over an open archway or doorway to keep out drafts. Remember Scarlett O’Hara describing her dream house to Rhett?

“And inside let’s have red wall paper and red velvet portieres over all the folding doors and oh, lots of expensive walnut furniture and grand thick carpets and–oh, Rhett, everybody will be pea green when they see our house!”

For old house owners today, replicating this Victorian house feature could be helpful in today’s economy in the cold winter months. For decorating in low ceiling rooms the appearance of an archway can be enhanced by adjusting the drapery pole on brackets fastened almost at the top and upon the outside of the door-frame. This adds to the length of the curtain and increases the appearance of height. Read about other styles of portieres and design tips here.

Victorian Christmas

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