Drape / drapery
|
Drapery refers to pieces of cloth or textiles that hang in specific positions mainly for decoration. The drape of a material merely describes the way that material falls, folds or hangs.
In buildings it normally refers to textiles that hang around a window reveal or bed for example. Drapery is also used to describe loose clothing and how if falls over the human form. It was an important element of early artworks, such as shawls, head scarfs and loin cloths that featured heavily from the Greek to the Renaissance periods, particularly in sculptural pieces.
Today the term drapery or drapes might be used instead of curtains, however drapery specifically refers to the act of falling and folding whereas a curtain refers to the material and its function. The early curtains of the Egyptians in around 3100 B.C, made of animal hides to hang in doorways, were more akin to drapery as they hung in a fixed position, rather than being moveable as with curtains. The specific styles of pleat in different types of curtains, such as pencil, pinch or globlet pleats might be more readily referred to as drapery, because the focus of these is the fall or drape of the fabric.
Window scarves or valances are also forms of drapery.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
Featured articles and news
A case study and a warning to would-be developers
Creating four dwellings for people to come home to... after half a century of doing this job, why, oh why, is it so difficult?
Reform of the fire engineering profession
Fire Engineers Advisory Panel: Authoritative Statement, reactions and next steps.
Restoration and renewal of the Palace of Westminster
A complex project of cultural significance from full decant to EMI, opportunities and a potential a way forward.
Apprenticeships and the responsibility we share
Perspectives from the CIOB President as National Apprentice Week comes to a close.
The first line of defence against rain, wind and snow.
Building Safety recap January, 2026
What we missed at the end of last year, and at the start of this...
National Apprenticeship Week 2026, 9-15 Feb
Shining a light on the positive impacts for businesses, their apprentices and the wider economy alike.
Applications and benefits of acoustic flooring
From commercial to retail.
From solid to sprung and ribbed to raised.
Strengthening industry collaboration in Hong Kong
Hong Kong Institute of Construction and The Chartered Institute of Building sign Memorandum of Understanding.
A detailed description from the experts at Cornish Lime.
IHBC planning for growth with corporate plan development
Grow with the Institute by volunteering and CP25 consultation.
Connecting ambition and action for designers and specifiers.
Electrical skills gap deepens as apprenticeship starts fall despite surging demand says ECA.
Built environment bodies deepen joint action on EDI
B.E.Inclusive initiative agree next phase of joint equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) action plan.
Recognising culture as key to sustainable economic growth
Creative UK Provocation paper: Culture as Growth Infrastructure.
Futurebuild and UK Construction Week London Unite
Creating the UK’s Built Environment Super Event and over 25 other key partnerships.
Welsh and Scottish 2026 elections
Manifestos for the built environment for upcoming same May day elections.
Advancing BIM education with a competency framework
“We don’t need people who can just draw in 3D. We need people who can think in data.”