Pelmetted

When I asked my carpenter Gregor to make a pelmet for the Gentleman's Dressing Room, he replied "What's that?". Rather incredulously, I did my best to explain. "It's a long thin box-like structure that sits over the top of curtains to hide the track and hooks. There is a top, a front and sides.".

Naturally, I started to worry about the end result given Gregor had no notion of what he was actually going to be making, so today I checked up regularly on progress. I needn't have worried: Gregor is a natural at installing curtain rails; hanging curtains and building pelmets.

I asked my boss today if he knew what a pelmet was - he didn't!  Given my boss is a wow at general knowledge, Gregor can breathe easy. When I was growing up, my father made pelmets for our house so this perhaps explains my penchant, my enlightenment and indeed my intolerance of the unsheathed curtain rail and the exposed curtain pole.

The first picture was taken this morning after the plywood pelmet framework was completed.

under-lying pelmet structure installed

The second picture was taken after the fabric pelmet was tacked on top. 

over-lying fabric pelmet installed

Believe-it-or-not, the red velvet curtains were an auction item and needed no adjustment what-so-ever! The lot of 7 red velvet curtains and 2 red velvet pelmets was obtained for £60. Even the pelmet needed only a 2 foot section taken out the middle to fit the bay window. Perhaps the only clue to betray Gregor as a carpenter rather than a milliner, is the pair of wood screws used to secure the fabric at the join. Gorilla Glue was also used so I am presuming/praying the screws are temporary.