Curtains, Linings & Poles
Choosing curtains for your home? It's not as easy as you think, wading through all those fabric books, endless choices to be made, it's a mine field I know. So where do you start? I'm sharing everything you need to know.
Obviously it will depend on the size of your window, personal taste and the look you're going for and of course budget, but if you get it right, you won't regret it. One thing I will say, a full length pair of curtains will always give that elegant touch. Let's dive in!
How To Select The Colour Of Your Curtains
If you've gone down the road of buying a new grey sofa, or painted your walls grey, you may be struggling with choosing colour for your curtains. Really there are many colours to complement the greys, more recently vivid blues and greens, soft coral pinks or rust reds will all go.
If you think of the grey as a neutral colour, this might help. But what stands the test of time, especially if you don't want something off the rail in the High Street. When choosing fabric colours I tend to stick to neutrals which can range from anything from taupe, fudge, truffle or golds and silvers . A neutral will always stand the test of time.
What Fabric should I Choose For My Curtains
It all comes down to personal taste, but at the end of the day you want something that will have a nice drape and will hang beautifully. Velvets are a luxurious option and come in lots of different price points and nothing like your gran had back in the day (not that there's anything wrong with that) but I always get a raised eyebrow when I mention velvet as it conjures up all sorts of images. If you are going for a lighter weight fabric like cotton, silk, faux silk etc., you will have to bear in mind that these fabrics will always hang better with an interlining. (a sort of blanket or wadding, more on that later).
Choose your fabric well, select fabrics that drape beautifully. The fabric doesn’t have to be expensive as long as they are made up properly and beautifully. Neutral colour fabrics with a texture or self pattern tend to look best in small rooms. Avoid loud patterns that will drown a small window and take over the room. You can go as bold as you like in scatter cushions and accessories. If you need help with choosing curtains for your living room, find out HERE>>
My Go To Fabrics For Timeless Curtains
I’m loving the velvets at the moment which are still going strong, they exude luxury. Some have a variety of metallic and lustrous finishes for a modern look and are so tactile you can’t help touching them. They also drape into folds beautifully when you choose a nice soft handle fabric. A linen or cotton with a polyester mix is also a good choice as it doesn’t crease the way linen does and of course comes in a vast range of tonal colours and textures. It is much lighter so I prefer to use an interlining when making up.
All You Need To Know About Linings For Your Curtains
Living room curtains don't usually need black out linings. A good quality cotton sateen lining hangs like a dream and of course, if you've ever had curtains made by HID you know we almost always use an interlining. An interlining is a blanket or wadding that is hand sewn into the curtains between the fabric and lining. This not only offers insulation but your curtains will look amazing. As we always say here, once you've had a pair of interlined curtains you never want to go back to a lined curtain.
What Curtain Heading To Choose
I don't want to bore you too much on this as I could go on and on. There are a few key questions to ask yourself before choosing.
How much light you want in the room?
If you want to keep as much light as possible, choose a heading that can easily stack back off the window. We don't really do bespoke eyelet headings any more, instead we use a wave heading or single cartridge pleat for easy stack back.
Do you want a modern or traditional look?
A wave curtain heading is a very modern look whereas a goblet heading is more formal and traditional.
I like to use a cartridge pleat for a non fussy look or a double pleat heading for something soft and dressy.
Curtains Poles For Your Living Room
Depending on how heavy your curtains are, you can choose any decorative pole that suits your style. I personally love a large 50-65mm diameter pole as it adds a luxury statement to your curtains. I’ve been using Walcot Poles quite a bit recently as I love their textured wrapped poles which come in many finishes for a modern look. Byron & Bryon offer a luxurious hand crafted range and beautiful finishes if you are looking for something special. There is a huge range of poles to suit every budget and as I always say, if the curtains are made to perfection they will hang beautifully regardless.
How High Do You Put The Pole Above The Window?
One of the easiest ways to create an elegant look especially when you don’t have a huge room to work with, is to think vertically. By hanging your curtains as close to the ceiling as possible you are immediately adding height and elegance to the room.
A note of caution, please don’t think it’s just a case of having a handy man (or your husband) to install a pole, how hard can it be right? I’ve been to too many of these and it never ends well, leave it to the professionals who actually do this for a living it doesn’t pay to try and save money by doing it yourself as it will never look right.
Should Curtains Touch The Floor
Yes! I know in a lot of rooms the radiators are positioned below the window and it’s very tempting to take your curtains to the sill or just below as you don’t want to block the heat. However, if your curtains are interlined this will keep heat in. Taking your curtains to the floor is undoubtedly the most elegant way to go.
A quick recap, decide which style of curtain will suit your window and fit in with your design aesthetic. If you are investing in bespoke curtains, choose something that won't date easily and are classic in style. Have them professionally styled and installed you won't regret it, it's much more than just putting a pole up on the wall.
