How to Choose the Perfect Curtains for Your Home

Enjoy a flawless fit with our made-to-measure curtains. Our team will guide you through every step of the process, helping you find the perfect solution for your home—whatever the shape or size of your windows.

In the meantime, explore our handy curtain guide, where we walk you through different header styles and their benefits.

What header types are available?

1. Eyelet (or ring top) headings are a modern, popular curtain style featuring metal rings punched into the top of the fabric, designed for easy sliding on a curtain pole. They produce consistent, large, straight vertical pleats and are best suited for modern interiors, such as living rooms and bedrooms.

Key Features and Benefits:

• Easy Operation: They slide easily along poles, making them ideal for everyday use.
• Contemporary Look: Creates clean, large, consistent pleats.
• Simple Assembly: Requires less fabric than pleated styles and is easy to install.
• Versatile: Fits most rooms but works best with metal poles to prevent wood from denting or catching.

Considerations and Limitations:

• No Tracks: Only suitable for curtain poles, not tracks.
• Space Limitations: Not recommended for bay windows as they cannot move past brackets easily.
• Lighting: Light can filter in over the top of the pole, making them less ideal for maximum blackout needs

2. Pencil pleat heading

A pencil pleat heading is a classic curtain style characterized by a neat row of tightly gathered folds at the top that resemble a line of pencils. It is created by pulling three or four parallel cords through a heading tape stitched to the back of the curtain. This style is highly versatile, as it can be used with both curtain tracks and decorative poles, and it allows you to adjust the curtain width exactly to your window.

Key Features and Benefits:

• Adjustability: Unlike sewn-in pleats, pencil pleats can be gathered more or less tightly to achieve the desired fullness, making them ideal for awkward window sizes.
• Hardware Compatibility: They are the "go-to" for complex setups like bay windows because they glide seamlessly on tracks that can be bent to follow the room's contour.

3. Pinch pleat heading

A pinch pleat heading is a classic, tailored curtain style where fabric is permanently gathered and stitched into uniform groups—or "pinches"—at the top. This creates structured, elegant folds that flow consistently to the floor, offering a much more formal and polished look than adjustable styles like pencil pleat.

Common Styles:

The style is defined by the number of "fingers" (folds) in each pinch:

• Single Pinch Pleat: Features one-fold per group. It is a modern, minimalist option that uses less fabric and stacks back very efficiently.
• Double Pinch Pleat: The most popular "go-to" choice. It uses two folds per pinch, bridging the gap between traditional and contemporary design.
• Triple Pinch Pleat (French Pleat): The quintessential luxury style with three folds per pinch. It offers maximum fullness and is ideal for formal dining or living rooms.

Key Features and Benefits:

 Fullness: Pinch pleats typically require a fabric ratio of 2:1 to 2.5:1 (e.g., 20–25 inches of fabric for every 10 inches of window) to maintain their rich shape.

• Hardware: They are hung using adjustable pin hooks inserted into the back of each pleat. This allows them to be used on both decorative poles and functional tracks.
• Stack Back: These curtains stack back very neatly when open, making them excellent for windows with limited wall space on the sides.
• Fabric Weight: While versatile, they work best with medium-to-heavyweight fabrics. Very lightweight sheers may lack the structure needed to hold the pleats effectively

4. Wave heading

A wave heading is a contemporary curtain style that creates smooth, continuous S-shaped folds from the top to the bottom of the fabric. Unlike traditional pleats that use gathers or bunches, wave curtains hang directly below a specialized track, offering a clean, architectural look.

Key Features and Benefits:

• Minimalist Aesthetic: Provides a sleek, modern alternative to traditional pencil or pinch pleats.
• Compact Stack Back: When open, the curtains fold into a very slim stack, which maximizes natural light and is ideal for large, glazed areas like bi-fold doors.
• Uniform Appearance: The folds are kept evenly spaced by a specialized glider-cord system within the track, ensuring the waves remain perfect whether the curtains are open or closed.
• Space Efficient: Because half the fabric sits in front of the track and half behind, it requires less space than many traditional style.

Technical Components:

To achieve this look, you typically need a specific set of hardware:

1. Wave Heading Tape: A special flat tape sewn to the top of the fabric that dictates the folding structure.
2. Wave Glider-Cord: Gliders inside the curtain track that are connected by a cord at fixed intervals (usually 60mm or 80mm) to maintain the wave shape.
3. Compatible Track: While some poles work, a dedicated wave curtain track is often required to support the glider-cord

Choosing Between 60mm and 80mm:

The spacing between gliders determines the depth of the wave

• 80mm Spacing: Creates deeper, more pronounced waves. It is the most common choice for standard or heavier fabrics.
• 60mm Spacing: Results in smaller, shallower waves. This is often preferred for smaller recesses or lighter fabrics like voiles.

4. What lining is best for my curtains?

LINING

We can offer a range of linings to give you the most suitable finish to your fabric and suit your individual requirements.  Lining your curtain will allow your curtains to hang better, protect your fabric from fading as well as furniture and carpets, keep the warmth in and light out where required.

THERMAL CURTAIN LINING FABRIC:

Our Thermal Curtain Lining Fabrics are heavier than standard curtain lining and this means it adds more body and gives a fuller appearance to your curtain. Also, this thermal Lining is a simple way to make your home feel warmer without touching the thermostat.

5. What different ways can I style my curtains?

Styling curtains involves a mix of choosing the right hardware, header style, length, and layering techniques to match your desired aesthetic, whether modern, traditional, or bohemian.

Here are the different ways to style your curtains:

1. Header Styles (How They Hang)

• Pinch Pleat: A formal, tailored look where fabric is stitched at the top. Popular options include double or triple pinch pleats, often used in master bedrooms and living rooms.
• Pencil Pleat: Tight, narrow, and structured pleats that provide a classic look, versatile enough for most rooms.
• Eyelet/Grommet: A modern, casual option with large rings that allow the curtain to glide easily.
• Wave/Ripple Fold: A contemporary style where the curtain hangs in a continuous S-shape. This requires a specialized track.
• Tab Top/Tie Top: Fabric loops or ties at the top for a relaxed, casual, or boho-chic look, often used with lightweight or sheer materials.

6. Where do curtains look best?

Curtains look best when hung as high as possible—ideally 4–6 inches above the window frame or near the ceiling—and extended 6–12 inches wider than the window on each side to maximize light and create the illusion of larger, taller spaces. They should touch the floor, or hover just above it, to provide a clean, elegant, and modern look.

7. What accessories can I choose?

Poles and tracks:

Choosing between curtain poles and tracks depends on your curtain type and the look you want. Curtain poles are decorative and best for eyelet or tab-top curtains, while curtain tracks offer a more minimal look and are ideal for heavy curtains or bay windows where smooth gliding is key.

View Curtains