Portiere curtains

Photo: Hoi Ning Wong © 2014 Houzz

A PORTIERE is a curtain that hangs in a doorway rather than a window. It is a graceful solution where a door would take up too much space or block passage and was often used in small Arts & Crafts bungalows.

The perfect green curtain

A PORTIERE is a curtain that hangs in a doorway rather than a window. It is a graceful solution where a door would take up too much space or block passage and was often used in small Arts & Crafts bungalows.

One of the many highlights of my book tour was visiting my sweet friend, Dottebob Andes, in her chic Philadelphia-area home. Prior to my visit, I was aware that Dottebob and I had a lot in common, especially our shared love of "the classics". (That would be classic décor, not classic literature- although perhaps we have similar taste in books, too.) Like me, Dottebob, who is a well-regarded decorator, has an appreciation for bright colors (especially blue and coral), prints, Chinoiserie, and…

Why I installed a portiere, or doorway curtain in our 100 year old house, and how form follows function.

Practically, this drapery hung in doorways to stop drafts (and dampens sound) between rooms—but portieres also offer a romantic, inviting transition by softening doorways. Most were frequently made from tapestry to match the wall hangings and give some decorative cohesion to the room, but portieres might also be made of strung beads, tassels and decorative cording, even seashells (for your beach bungalow). They remain an appropriate accent for the Arts & Crafts home today.

Banish those pesky draughts with our clever portieres that allow a curtain to be hung over a door without getting in the way of the door opening and closing. A portiere is designed with a swivel bracket that attaches to the door frame (or adjoining wall) at one end, and a support bracket attached to the back of the door at the other, so that the attached rod can move with the door.

Heavy wool portieres with patinated bronze hardware in a stone manor house. www.GISSLER.com

Southern Living Idea House

Practically, this drapery hung in doorways to stop drafts (and dampens sound) between rooms—but portieres also offer a romantic, inviting transition by softening doorways. Most were frequently made from tapestry to match the wall hangings and give some decorative cohesion to the room, but portieres might also be made of strung beads, tassels and decorative cording, even seashells (for your beach bungalow). They remain an appropriate accent for the Arts & Crafts home today.

Anyone looking for a natural way to warm up their home this winter might want to take a tip from the Victorian era. A portière–a hanging curtain placed over a door or entranceway–is an elegant way to stop drafts and keep warm air contained in a room. While they were probably the most popular more than 100 years ago, we’ve found a few examples of portières styled in a more modern way.

Reprinted from In With the New: Classic Decor from A to Z by Jennifer Boles, Potter House, New York, 2013 Photo by Erica George Dines

We have numerous examples of Rope and Tassel Portieres we have designed for Victorian era homes. View photos on our website and contact us for more information.

A portiere is a hanging curtain placed over the doorless entrance to a room. It's name is derived from the French word for door, porte. The portiere, (rhymes with affair), or door drapery, was a common practice known to have been in use in Europe in the 4th century. The portiere was first used in castles to ward off the drafts between rooms. The practice of using them reached England by way of France and they became quite common in wealthier households during the Victorian era where heavy…

It’s only when there’s a howling gale that we really turn our attention to making our doorways cosier and more private. So what are your...

Jeanne d'Arc Living MAGAZINE MAY #5 2017 *Vintage/French/Style* | eBay

Custom order your Ball and Chain Fretwork Portiere for your Victorian era doorway by calling or emailing us in our Northern California office.