Voile curtain fabric is very light and airy.
Voile is derived from a French word that means ‘veil’, and voile curtains are sheer, beautiful, and delicate.
Voile is a fabric made from plain cotton, though the cotton is sometimes mixed with polyester or linen to modify its properties. It can also be woven out of wool, rayon, silk, or acetate, though this is far less common.
Voile fabric is used to make clothes as well as window treatments. When it is used to make a curtain, the result can easily be mistaken for a net curtain, except that it’s available in a much wider range of colors. Voile can also be used to make mosquito nets, so it is common in hot, humid countries.
Because the fabric is so light, it dries quickly after laundry, which is a huge advantage over other curtains. The fabric is also easy to use when making curtains. It has a good drape, and it gathers easily. It holds dye well, and it’s easy to stitch.
Curtains made from voile let a lot of light into the room, so they are a good way to maintain privacy during the day without affecting visibility, but they are inappropriate for use at night. They can, however, be combined with heavy drapes to boost the privacy factor. This is common in villas and summer houses.
Voile curtains are made using a special heading tape. Regular tape is not advisable, because it would show through the curtain and look unattractive. Similarly when you are hanging your curtains it is a good idea to use a crystal clear curtain rod (made of clear plastic) so that the ugly fiberglass rod does not show through the thin curtain.
Voile window treatments are a good way to separate sections of a room, because they are both attractive and colorful. In hot countries, voile drapes are commonly used in doorways. They keep prying eyes from peeping into the house, but they still allow free circulation of air, which reduces oppressive atmospheric heat.
Voile draperies can also be laid as a canopy around a four post bed. In this case, they double as mosquito nets, and can be treated with insecticides for extra protection.
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