How to buy perfect curtains
Our curtain guide
Clients looking for a new
pair of curtains typically ask:
* Have I chosen the right fabric?
* What heading shall I have?
* Will I keep all the light coming through the window?
* Will they be the right length?
The 3 Golden Rules
There are three key areas where we can help you in obtaining perfect curtains that ‘dress up’ your window.
1. The Fabric & Trim
How it will hang and what scale the pattern is and colour
2. The Curtain’s Design & Style
For example, how a traditional fabric can be made to look more contemporary with a trim or modern heading and vice versa.
3. Quality of Making
Curtain making is a hand-made art and there is a great deal of difference between an average and an exceptional curtain finish.
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1. The fabric & trim
The most important thing is to see and feel the fabric in person. Samples of our fabrics can be ordered online.
Equally important is trying to understand what fabric will work best to bring out what you are trying to achieve.
A light and fresh look, something dramatic, warm and inviting?
Do you want to use layering, with a second curtain or blind behind? A second curtain can be used as the functional draw curtain for statement dress curtains, or can be sheer fabric, when you would like a little softening of light or some privacy.
How does the fabric tie into the rest of the room’s design scheme?
When using multiple fabrics in a room there are several key things to consider:
Trying to make fabrics ‘coordinate’ can be the spell of a dull and contrived scheme. Using lots of small patterns have the risk of clashing. A large pattern against a small pattern allows each fabric to be seen clearly.
A curtain fabric will change the light in the room, particularly when partially closed. A weight of material will affect how the curtain hangs and feels. Linens are a good choice because they feel relaxed, wool has an elegant straight down hanging. Velvets are cosy.
2. The Curtain’s Design & Style
When it comes to the design of a curtain, you have the obvious challenge of proportions. Sometimes the windows are not very well placed (asymmetric) or they are bay windows or don’t have much room to place the pole or curtains.
We typically employ the following rules:
* Hang the curtains as high as possible, up to the cornice.
* Tall and slender is good. We often hang the curtain over the pole for extra height
* We have the curtains come fully off the window when open, usually 30- 40 cm to each side of the window, to retain maximum light
* Normally we allow for a 4cm break. This is a very small amount of fabric that drops on the floor, causing an elegant drapery (right)
Then you have the heading. The heading choice has a direct impact on how the curtain and fabric will look and feel. Here are several of the most important:
Goblet Pleat
A traditional and dramatic look. In this case a cream button has been added to each pleat.
Double French Pleat
The timeless classic. You cannot go wrong.
Gathered
Great for a relaxed look.
Tailored pleat
Contemporary and elegant.
Inverted pleat
A cross between the inverted and cartridge pleat. Very simple and modern.
3. Quality of making handmade curtains
It is essential that a curtains are hand-made. The quality of finish hand stitching provides is very visible in the way a curtain feels and hangs. It looks tailored to your home. There are several special instructions that we instruct that make our curtains better than others:
* Firstly, we choose the right amount of fullness to the proportions and style you’d like to achieve. This includes using the right lining and a good interlining.
* We almost always ensure there is a deep leading edge hem to our curtains, where the face fabric wraps around to the back. this ensures you always touch the main fabric and not the lining.
* The trims are hand sewn with discrete threads
Then, when the curtains are ready, there is the installation and dressing. Normally you will have already fitted the curtain pole in advance, so the curtains can be hung as soon as they are ready. Your curtain fitter will attend to hang the curtains, and they will steam them and fold them into neat pleats. These are then left for several days to hang into the curtains.
Ready for unveiling.
