I've been looking at what i can do for the curtains, and despite there being quite a lack of stuff on the internet about czechoslovakian curtains (shockingly) there are a couple of books in the library on european interiors etc. so I've scanned a couple of images in, and will get cracking on going and finding some fabrics at the weekend....
This first image is from a french chateau, but i like the simple style of the curtains here, they use the same fabric for the actual drapes and for the covering over the railing. the fabric is identical to the wallpaper, and i feel this looks a bit TOO renaissance-y and a little too high class for the set we are creating, so i might tone my designs down a bit and make them slightly blander and plainer than our wallpaper.
this picture is from a new york apartment belonging to the Rothschild family. the designer found a segment of the wallpaper in a nobles nursery and so recreated the decor on a large scale. they even have wallpaper on the ceiling. this is not how i imagine Gregors room to be, it is obviously too feminine and frilly, and of too old a time period. however, they have pleated railing covers with tassels on, an interesting direction to look in.
I chose to scan in this picture because I like how many layers of curtain there are, and also you can see how the rings are attached which will be helpful when I actually come to make the curtains. pieces of ribbon have been sewn on along the top, and tied in bows connecting the metal rings to the fabric. this is a simple and cheap way of construction, one which i would imagine a family like Gregor's could have used.
I chose this image as their way of keeping the curtains back is to loop it over back on itself, which forms unusual little half curtain that look purely decorative. although this wouldn't really work for either of the two rooms, that fabric would look good in Gregor's room as it matches the wallpaper.
i also need to think about tie backs for each room.
this is a good design for the living room, it is simple and open and has a fresh feel to it, this is how id imagine the living room would look like; quite feminine and neutral. it would open up the room to as it is a light colour. this in turn shows the huge contrast with Gregors room.
this picture really jumped out at me because of the railing, it follows the art nouveau swirly kind of style and that might be worth looking into, as opposed to normal straight railings. obviously it wouldn't have the eagles head on it, but if there was a fancy-ish looking railing, e could get away with having more basic curtains and drapes as it would balance it out.
