Linen Drapery Editor

Mara Levin

Mara is the voice behind our linen drapery coverage. Her articles cover slub texture and weight, lining choices that decide whether a panel survives morning sun, pinch pleat and inverted box header behavior, and the price math behind every Liz Linen, Patti Linen and made-to-order panel before you commit. If you want to understand why a panel reads designer-grade in one room and synthetic in another, Mara's articles are where to start.
368 articles 10 specialties

Do Thermal Curtains Really Work? The Honest Answer with Data

Do Thermal Curtains Really Work?

Thermal Performance Primer ยท Independent Data HEAT LOSS REDUCTION 10 to 25% DOE and Berkeley Lab range on medium-to-heavy drapes, sealed and dropped GSM THRESHOLD 250 gsm below this weight the effect collapses to 3 to 5 percent ROOM DELTA NEAR WINDOW +2 to 3 F measured temperature rise on a well-executed install Yes, thermal … Read more

Categories FAQ

Should Curtains Match the Bedding? (2026 Designer Answer)

Should Curtains Match the Bedding?

The Whole Answer, in Three Lanes Lane 1 ๐ŸŽฏ Match Curtain = same color as the duvet cover. When it works: monochromatic percale white on Snow White 1908-0 curtains, nothing else reliably. Lane 2 ๐ŸชŸ Coordinate Curtain = same undertone family, one to two values lighter. When it works: 8 bedrooms out of 10. The … Read more

Categories FAQ

Should Curtains Match the Couch? The Designer Rule (2026)

Should Curtains Match the Couch?

Owners land on this question for three reasons. They just bought the couch and the curtains are the last piece of the room. They inherited the couch from a previous apartment (or a previous owner) and now every curtain color they try looks slightly off. Or they’re redecorating around an anchor couch that isn’t moving, … Read more

Categories FAQ