These aren't your momma's drapes, oh wait, they kind of are. Pinch pleated drapes are timeless fashion statement and have been around for quite some time. You remember those long flowing curtains hanging in your living room or den that covered those large windows so prominent in houses built in the late 70's early 80's when you were growing up? You know, the ones that made the perfect hiding place during a quick game of hide-and-seek? More than likely, those were pinch pleated drapes. Simple, clean and stylish. These drapes made a statement, and they still can for you today.

Having a complete diversity of materials, privacy features and insulating traits will not only allow for you to have all that you require in a window treatment, but pinch pleat drapes will also add a traditional design aspect that will be sure to harmonize with basically any room’s interior decorations.

Pinch pleat drapes were originally designed to be used on large display type windows and sliding glass doors. Having drapes that were durable enough to stand up to the wear and tear and large enough to cover up so much space with the ability to contol the amount of light able to enter a room was and is still a premium. They were a very popular item to hang over sliding glass doors not only due to their size and performance, but also because of their ease of use.

But these pleated drapes are not just for large, open windows and sliding glass doors. In fact, they can also bring about a truly different and dramatic look and feel to a normal or slightly oversized window in a room or living area. If you have a room that has a wall with a single normal window and are trying to decide just how to decorate it, installing these drapes over a normal window can virtually change the complete complexion of that room, changing them from a wall with a window to a focal point of the room that has some very elegant design elements to it. These can really add some class and style to any window and wall.

There's no one right or wrong way to hang pinch pleat drapes. Actually, you have a couple of options to choose from. If you are hanging them from a pull cord curtain rod, you can use the traditional pin system by inserting the pins into the top of the pleats and putting the hook end of the pins into the appropriate connectors of the pulley curtain rod. If you don't want to have the cords, you can use a clip and ring system that would mount over a dowel type curtain rod. Although the drapes would only function over manual operation of you actually pulling them open and closed, the wooden dowel curtain rods will give you much more to deal with and stylize in terms of accesories. Just depends on how much you want to put into it to dress up your windows.

Another big concern for most people when trying to decorate their home windows with pinch pleat drapes is what all can you do with them after you hang them up? If you really want to achieve that designer, straight out of a magazine look for your drapes you could consider a couple more options:

1. Add class with a custom valance - A valance is just a short, decorative drapery that could be used as a curtain topper to conceal the top of the curtains and it's hardware. Draping these along the tops of pleated drapes could add some excellent thematic styles.

2. Add style with a decorative cornice - A cornice is typically the The cornice is the topmost piece of molding usually set along the top of a wall, but you can get them to fit over a window as well. Why would you hang a cornice over pinch pleat drapes? To hide all the hardware of course. They can get very decorative or quite simple, just depends on the style you select. And if you're handy, you could follow these instructions from Lowe's and make it yourself.

Typical pinch pleated drapes come with either a standard or no lining. But this is where the upgrades can start with these types of drapes. Most curtain type stores and manufacturers offer either one or all of these types of "upgrades" that follow for this classic drapery.

1. An Interlining. This is nothing more than another piece of fabric, typically flannel in nature that is sewn in between the actual lining and the drapery fabric. The interlining helps in two distinct ways. One, it gives the drapes a "fuller" body appearance. Two, it helps protect the drapery fabric from damage and fading caused from sunlight. It also helps out with insulation some but there are better options for that.

2. Thermal Lining. If you're looking to blockout those UV rays and add some extra insulation to a room to hopefully help alleviates some of those more costly electric bills, you might want to think about replacing that standard lining with a thermal lining. This would give you some excellent insulated pinch pleated drapes to hang on those larger windows that are more sun prone and still let in some sunlight.

3. Blackout Lining. This ones for all you vampires and cave dwellers out there. It does what it says and filters the light from entering a room by attempting to black it out. Not only that, it does afford for some UV and insulation protection as well.