Holdbacks & Tiebacks
If you want to be able to pull curtains to the side for more light or for a swoopy, formal look, ties or curtain holdbacks are the answer.
Let’s look at the differences:
Curtain Holdbacks
Curtain holdbacks are always a nice addition to window decor and are available in many colours and shapes to fit your window decorating needs. Holdbacks are generally suited to more formal rooms with more formal curtains. Holdbacks used with very thin or single panel types of curtains may detract from your drapes.
Holdbacks come in two basic types: hook and post. The hook-style holdback tends to be slightly more casual than the post type.
Hook-style holdbacks are shaped like a hook and the curtain gathers directly into the holdback when it is open. Hook-style holdbacks work well for light to medium-thick curtains. Heavier, lined curtains can be thicker, and some hook holdbacks will be too small to hold the opened curtain.
Post-style holdbacks come straight out from the wall and usually have a large medallion or decorative element. Heavier drapes are more appropriate for post or stem-type holdbacks. Post-style holdbacks can be used with the addition of tiebacks.
Do I Need Curtain Tiebacks?
Tiebacks are a nice way to showcase a view or get maximum light into a room. They not only hold the curtain out of the way but can also provide an artistic element to the window, framing it with gentle curves of material. Practicality may dictate the type of holdback you use as there must be room on either or both sides of the window. At their most basic, tiebacks are material that you wind around your drapery or curtain and then loop over a hook, curved metal bracket or peg (known as a rosette) on the wall about two-thirds of the way down the window. You can match the room and the rod for style and finish or make a bold contrast with both colour and form.
There are simple fabric tiebacks and fancy ropes with tassels for a grander effect. For a more casual effect, you can tie a curtain in the centre of a window with matching fabric or a wide ribbon.