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Portière: a  curtain  hung  in  a  doorway,  either  to  replace  the  door  or  for  decoration.

I visited my friend Duncan last week at his parent’s house in Cold Spring Harbor, Long Island:

I learned this word from Duncan’s mother, Elizabeth Watson, an architectural historian.  She has a these good examples of simple, utilitarian portière in her own house:

This architectural term  comes from the French word for door, porte.  Common in wealthier households during the Victorian era (according to Wikipedia,)  curtains are still a great way to create privacy, mitigate drafts, hide a messy closet,  subdivide a space, or create a cozy nook.   Its much more affordable to put up a curtain than install any sort of door, and it is especially appropriate if you need a temporary or quick solution, or if you get excited about fabrics or a splash of color.

Here is a fancier example of Portière from the National Gallery in Washington DC:

I also found this drapery design blog with all sorts of examples of portière.

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