TRADE · PROCESS · 75 YEARS ON THE BENCH
What actually drives custom drapery lead times.
'How long for the drapery?' is the question every drapery project starts with. The honest answer depends on six things, only one of which is the workshop's bench schedule. Fabric arrival is usually the longest input; interlining and weight tape add bench time; pleat style and height add fabrication labor; hardware lead time runs in parallel. We publish 4-6 weeks as the standard residential drapery lead time, but the real-world range for a specific project spans 3 weeks to 14 weeks depending on these inputs. Here is the breakdown.
I. FABRIC LEAD TIME
The biggest variable. 1 week to 16 weeks.
Fabric is the longest lead-time input on most drapery projects. In-stock yardage from a trade rep ships in 1-2 weeks (Sunbrella, basic Kravet performance, Maharam contract lines). Standard collection patterns from Schumacher, Brunschwig & Fils, Lee Jofa typically ship in 3-6 weeks when in stock; 6-10 weeks when back-ordered. Archival prints from Pierre Frey, Lee Jofa Cowtan & Tout, or Schumacher heritage collections sometimes run 10-16 weeks for special-order yardage. Specifying fabric is a project-timeline decision as much as an aesthetic one; we discuss alternatives when the designer's preferred fabric runs long.
II. INTERLINING + LINING
Interlined drapery adds 4-7 days of bench labor.
Interlining (a soft cotton or wool layer between the face fabric and lining) gives drapery the body and weight that defines high-end residential and country-house work. Pinch-pleat drapery with three-pass construction (face fabric, interlining, lining) takes substantially more bench labor than two-pass (face fabric, lining only) — typically 4-7 additional days on a 4-pair project. Black-out lining adds similar labor. For thermal performance, double-interlined or triple-interlined construction is available — adds another 3-5 days. The lining decision affects both lead time and the final appearance.
III. PLEAT STYLE
French pleat: standard. Goblet: longer. Smocked: longest.
Pleat fabrication labor varies. Pinch-pleat (3-finger French pleat) is the standard — a workshop benchmark, no significant time premium. Goblet pleat (a tubular, stuffed pleat for formal rooms) adds 1-2 days bench time per pair because each goblet is hand-stuffed and shaped. Smocked pleat (hand-gathered, hand-stitched pattern) adds 3-5 days per pair because the smocking is entirely hand-work. Ripple-fold (track-based) is the fastest construction — 1-2 days less than pinch-pleat — but is a contemporary look that doesn't suit all rooms. The designer's pleat choice is a fabrication-labor decision.
IV. HEIGHT + DROP
Standard drop 84-108 inches. Tall windows add labor.
Standard residential drapery for windows up to about 9 feet (108 inches) fabricates on the bench at standard pace. Tall drapery (12-18 foot drops for double-height living rooms, foyers, ballroom-foyer applications) adds substantial labor — interlining must be hand-tacked at intervals to prevent sagging, weight tape sewn into the hem, on-site install requires lift equipment or ladder coordination. A 14-foot pinch-pleat drapery pair takes roughly twice the bench time of an 8-foot pair. We measure on-site and quote against the specific dimensions.
V. HARDWARE
Lead time runs in parallel. Custom orders: 4-10 weeks.
Drapery hardware (rods, finials, brackets, rings, motorization) runs on its own lead time, parallel to fabric and fabrication. Stock hardware from major lines (Restoration Hardware, Pottery Barn, Anthropologie, basic Hunter Douglas) ships in 1-2 weeks. Custom hardware (forged iron rods from boutique hardware makers, branded designer hardware, motorized systems) runs 4-10 weeks. Motorized drapery systems (Lutron, Somfy, Crestron) add hardware-and-electrician coordination on top of mechanical lead time. We coordinate hardware procurement against the fabric timeline so they arrive within the same week.
VI. ON-SITE INSTALL
Final stage. Coordinated with the install address.
Once fabric is in, drapery is fabricated, and hardware is on hand, on-site install is the final stage. Standard residential install (4-6 windows, single-room or single-floor) runs 1 day with a 2-person team. Multi-room install (12-20+ windows across multiple floors) runs 2-3 days. Tall-window install with lift equipment requires lift coordination (rented and scheduled separately). We schedule install with the designer or the end-client; the window-treatment install is typically the final design step before a room photographs or goes live.
VII. REALISTIC TIMELINES BY SPEC
Five typical projects, five typical timelines.
Performance fabric + pinch-pleat + stock hardware (family-room window treatment, basic spec): 3-5 weeks total. Standard collection fabric + pinch-pleat with lining + standard hardware (residential living-room or dining): 5-7 weeks total. Standard fabric + interlined pinch-pleat + custom-iron hardware (formal living room, country-house aesthetic): 7-10 weeks total. Archival fabric + goblet pleat + interlined + custom hardware (formal dining or library): 10-14 weeks total. Motorized double-height drapery with archival fabric: 12-16 weeks. The published 4-6 weeks reflects the median residential project; outliers run shorter and longer for clear reasons.
Frequently asked
Can lead times be compressed for a fixed deadline?
Sometimes — by spec choice. Specifying in-stock fabric instead of special-order, choosing pinch-pleat over goblet pleat, choosing stock hardware over custom — these compress the timeline reliably. Compressing fabrication labor on the bench (e.g., skipping interlining for an interlined-look drapery) usually compromises the result and we don't recommend it. The conversation at scope-discussion stage is about which trade-offs make sense for the project.
What's the longest drapery project you've run?
A formal dining room with archival Pierre Frey toile (special-order yardage, 14-week lead time), goblet pleats with hand-tacked interlining, custom-forged iron rods from a boutique hardware maker, motorized lift system. Total project 16 weeks from contract to install. The fabric and hardware drove the timeline; bench fabrication was on-pace. Worth-it on the right project.
What if my fabric arrives short?
We flag immediately in the condition report (typically within 1-2 business days of fabric arrival). The designer reorders from the trade rep; the project schedule holds against the new arrival date. We document the shortage with photographs for the trade-rep insurance claim. Catching the shortage early saves weeks vs discovering it mid-fabrication.
Can drapery be installed before the rest of the room is finished?
Sometimes. Hardware can be installed during the construction phase; drapery itself is the last design-element installed because it's vulnerable to dust and construction damage. We typically schedule install for the final week before the room photographs or the client moves in.
Motorized drapery — what's the lead-time impact?
Substantial. Motorized systems (Lutron, Somfy, Crestron) add 4-8 weeks of lead time for the hardware plus electrician coordination. The motor and tracks are ordered from the manufacturer, programmed for the specific window dimensions and the home's control system, and installed on-site by both our installers and a low-voltage electrician. Total project for motorized double-height drapery runs 12-16 weeks reliably.
Is rush production possible if I'm willing to pay?
Rarely worth it. Fabric and hardware lead times are upstream of us; we cannot compress what the fabric rep takes to ship. Bench fabrication can be expedited modestly for reserved-capacity trade accounts but at risk of compromising matched-pattern alignment or interlining hand-tacking. The cleaner answer is fabric and pleat spec selected against the deadline; we can usually get a 3-5 week project done on a tight schedule when the spec supports it.
