I will let a pro chime in - but my experience is that most custom curtains are carefully lined and may have hem weights so they fall beautifully - I feel like they also use more fabric (width) to get the lovely fullness - many "ready to hang" curtains aren't lined and are skimpy when it comes to width so I feel like that's why they almost always look pretty anemic

I would never try to match a picture. Photoshop, high end fabric, expensive drapery hardware, and probably a lot more factors

Timely question, as I'm right in the middle of adding pleater tape to some rod pocket drapes. I think the best look is pinch pleated (there are various types) drapes hung by hooks onto rings or a traverse rod. You also need to train the pleats by stacking them together and either steaming or tying something around them. I worked for a custom drapery shop part time when I was first home with my kids, so do remember that. If my sewing machine hadn't jammed up on me I would be done with these drapes and show you a photo!

To clarify:

Curtain panels and drapes are different animals.

For the BEST look, both require enough fullness for both the window, and their purpose.

Designers use custom craftsmanship, no matter if a sheer, or lined panel, or drapes.

The custom - individual or a large workroom, has the necessary TABLE SIZE, to align grain, to roll out, make cuts. It is generally slightly padded, covered in canvas to avoid slip, can be walked around, and is WIDER, than any standard 54 inch width fabric

No matter folks like sheers? The best look at a window is lined. Linings are cut, then face fabric, Hems are created prior to header of any size or type of pleat or grommet. Designers pretty much eschew grommet ( too ready made a look )

At install? Curtains return to the WALL. No pro would install and allow a view behind a curtain and bracket. This can also be done via use of a "return rod" made for that purpose.

Rod, ring size is appropriate to the fabric, and stye desired......

FULLNESS? This is to some degree preference

but......should relate to the width of the window and the fabric selection. A sheer unlined needs far more width or will hang as skimpy strings.

Silk? Must be lined or will rot in sun, and the same rule applies as to fullness.

Hard to zoom in close: ) but the look of fuller can be enhanced by hanging TWO pleats on a single ring/both below

The panels are NOT "dressed" nor steamed into strict effect of a drape..they billow.

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Same thing here ( 2 short pleats on ONE ring )..... single width panel pair on a 42 wide window. Shades are disguising a too LOW in the wall placement, and a very unfortunate amount of header.

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In both cases? Panels touch the floor and have a slight "break", not to be confused with a dust catching messy puddle, nor a half inch up( ugh )

luxury essentially ruined lol

You see no support bracket.....window is not that wide. When you go wider? Yes, a support in the middle will be necessary.

Privacy and light control are BEST treated separately ( jmho )

So............I don't do drapes to pull closed. Ever and for NOBODY : )

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I have window treatment fullness and substantial fabric with a lining. And good rod placement. In my experience, that's the easy part.

The question in my OP was about how to accomplish the symmetry and crisp look of the window treatments in the inspiration photo.

Per Teeda's comment, it seems that the header and having a traverse rod to help the fabric hold shape is a big part of the look. And I suspect the weights, mentioned by La La Girl help hold certain fabrics in place.

Any tips or suggestions about obtaining crisp window treatments with symmetrical folds are appreciated.

Pretty sure drapery weights are involved.

I doubt you need weights. I know nobody who uses them anymore.

Your Question " symmetry.......of what? Crisp?

Both of these are the install, the installer. Assuming the panel is reasonably well constructed? Yes.

And to my point? My installer can make Bed Bath Beyond ready to go look like five times the ticket price.

What IS your fabric? Cotton, linen polyester, polyester linen blend, 100% linen? All will hang and react differently. Because if your curtain is too heavy for the rod, if your curtain fabric is stiff, or bordering an upholstery weight? that matters too.

Are your hems capturing the lining? Or both loose hem. ( better ) . We have no way of knowing any and all. The point is success is many factors, besides just do this: )

We have two-story curtains in our great room, and the designer used rings and clips in the pinch pleats to attach to the rod. The hems are also weighted, and he steamed all the curtains on the rod after they were installed. They are a light linen fabric, but they hang as well as the heavy draperies we previously had there.

I wonder, why are curtain weights manufactured and sold if 'nobody' uses them?

So deegw, heres where I am so far. These are very nice lined panels I got from Country Curtains before they closed. I had them hanging from ring clips but wanted a neater look. I sewed pleater tape to the existing rod pocket headers. Inserted pleater hooks and hung them from the rings. I am training the pleats with clothes pins right now. Have to make some adjustments on the sides. So its a work in progress. A seamstress could easily add the pleater tape, and some of the dry clean shops around me will press in pleats. Of course one could also go the full custom treatment. I’d rather spend that money on a really nice vacation!

Don't press in the pleats. and I doubt you need the clothes pins, either : )

You will also get a more professional look, if you cut the ring clips OFF, use a drapery pin, and hook the PIN onto the ring. Just be sure to line up the top of the pin, with the top of the panel.

Will result in a neater by far appearance. Even a un pleated header looks better with no clip

And please don't press. Over time they will hang into shape. They are panels.....not "drapes"

Thank you Jan. I am using hooks not clips. I just put them up there temporarily to see how the length, etc. was. The ring with the clip you see is not staying. I do not plan to press them, may steam them though.

All the custom curtains I have had made through an interior designer, fabricated in Atlanta ga, have been lined with a good quality lining and interlined with baby flannel and the hems weighted, with additional weights at the corners. Custom curtain panels are always weighted, IME. Even the lined curtain panels I purchased from Ballard Designs for the sunroom of this house have weighted corners.

Check out HalfPriceDrapes.com for semi-custom options.

https://www.halfpricedrapes.com/custom-curtains-drapes.html

Panel fullness and the depth of the pleat all add to the perfect appearance. I like drapery weights if the fabric is not heavy enough. A lined and interlined drapery panel is high end and worth it IMO

After I made my drapes, I would always adjust the folds and use clip clothes pins on the bottom of the bottom hem only to hold them together. Then I'd carefully create the folds in the panels by hand and once I got them lined up properly, I'd tie them near the bottom and part way up and leave them tied up for several days for the folds to set. Once I undid them, the folds would continue to hang that way.

We are building new and the architect drew the windows to go from wall to wall. I asked for a curtain return to the walls of 18" he had no idea what I was asking.

I have to admit that I do like a really nicely hung pleated drape or panels. I have mine custom done and never cheapen out on the amt of fabric needed.

I nice crisp heading on the panels and perfectly spaced hooks, rings or what ever you are using to hang them then everytime you use them and leave them open they need a bit of tweaking no easy answer.

Is that a typo? there is NO such thing as an 18 " return, unless you had nine layers of privacy under a curtain panel : )

LOVE ombre. Seems to be a simple DIY type of process although I'd probably mess it up.

That's not a "return" . That is wall space beyond a window width. "Stack" space. ...beyond window width with casing or trim of any sort.

Worked in custom drapery for many years and we used to fold the panels flat on a table then using the salvaged end cut off we would tie the panels down the length in about 4 places but not too tight to crease them. Once hung we would steam them and let dry overnight before removing the ties. They hung beautifully.

For the pleats to be symetrical, they need to be trained (see Annie’s video). A natural fabric (cotton, linen etc) with substancial lining will train much neater than a poly blend fabric. FWIW, I rarely use weights unless there is a heat vent located at the bottom of the panel that can create billowing. Can you post a picture of the problem area?

Well done teeda!

The curtains in that video look pretty bad. There's no real return, there's a pleat on the end that goes nowhere, and I don't think they look particularly attractive or professionally done.

My drapes don't look as good as I might prefer - I got them off the shelf from Bed Bath and Beyond - but weights might help (But I don't use any). Also knowing that these don't look BAD, either, and that they serve their purposes - sun shade to the south, viewer roadside shade to the north. Just had spent a LOT on building the house, and at some point I may well replace with fancier ones. (I did get lined ones - for the intense sun out south, I wanted them to do their duty.)

And, TBH, I don't care if my drapes end up being as fancy as those fluffed up and photoshopped for Designer Mags.

Haven't dealt with draperies and curtains so much but will make what I think is a pragmatice suggestion. Iron them before you install.

ratherbesewing, I haven't put them up yet. They are an older pair I'd like to re-use but after reading this thread I realize that the header is wrong for the look I'm trying to achieve. I purchased them from Country Curtains, this pair from Vermont Country Store is very similar.

https://www.vermontcountrystore.com/soft-tweed-lined-rod-pocket-curtains/product/81037

The curtains in magazines have been scupulously positioned and secured, then the person backed away, slowly slowly, holding their breath, so as not to produce any air movement that might disturb them.

I had custom linen (blend I think) with no lining and French pleat and they obviously don’t go all the way across the window. I had them lift them slightly above the floor because I was worried they would move on the rod too easily and I wouldn’t be able to adjust them. 8 years later they still look great although they don’t use short rods anymore, but I’m okay with that.

To train my drapes (which I make myself) I hang them up, open the drapes all the way over to the side. Then I staple strips of paper (about 3-4” wide) around the pleats after I’ve got them hanging how I want them, in about 5 places down the length of the drapes and leave them there for 4-5 days. I always line my curtains and use weights (or slip a coin into the bottom corners). I also use buckram (encased) at the top to give some stability before they are pleated. . The curtains are ironed throughout the process, but the pleats are not ironed (after they’ve been pleated). I use a pleat calculator to determine how many pleats I need. I always use 2 1/2 x the width of the window for fabric fullness. I use the long hooks (2 1/2”? ..it’s been a while) which gives structure to the pleat heading (but it depends on how ”deep” your header is). I also make them so they overlap in the middle, which requires a special overlap type of “ring” - can’t remember the name.

Your drapes look nice !

@bpath you're right about the photos in magazines being staged to show the rooms in the very best light. However, professionally crafted window treatments will look good for years to come. Unless of course you allow them to be abused (kids, pets, etc.). They may not look absolutely perfect, but if they're well made, they will look a lot better than off-the-rack curtains.

Rod pocket casings will never look perfectly pleated, mainly because there are no pleats.

Yes, rod pockets are a casual look. Pleated drapes have a lot more structure and are considered more formal. Apples vs. Apple Charlotte 😀

your curtains look perfect.

My mom and I made drapes for my living room. Key was properly measuring to ensure the pattern matched perfectly at the top, lining with high quality material, hand stitching the sides. Yep hand stitching that entire length with a blind hem (my machine does it but it’s nothing like hand done). Then using a triple fold hem for the weight after the drapes had hung for 48 hours in situ to see precisely where the finished edge should be. The drapes took us a couple of days to complete.

Check this video

how to hang drapes. It helped me.

Some people also don't realize that you have to hang one ring outside the bracket to achieve that curtain return. Their rods arent quite long enough to manage a ring between the bracket and finial, and that’s one factor that can make curtain panels look less than professional.