Curtains can add the perfect finishing touch to any room, beautifully framing your windows and complementing your decor. After more than 4 decades supplying customers across Wales with delightful new additions to their windows, we know a thing or two about getting curtains right. Below, we’ve collected some tips on making sure you pick the right curtains for your home and your windows and measure up right for the perfect finish.
Hang Out
Before you can measure for your curtains, you need to decide how to hang them.
First off you’ll need to choose between using a curtain track or curtain pole. Curtain tracks are designed to be unobtrusive, hidden behind your curtains for the pattern and style can speak for themselves. Curtain poles are designed to provide an attractive complement to your curtains, and so will be visible when the curtains are hung.
For the best fit, your track or pole should be 15-20cm above your window and should stretch 15-20cm wider than the window on each side.
Secondly, you’ll need to decide where the curtains will stop. If you’re hanging floor-length curtains, for example, to maximize the drama of the fabric, and to add height to your window, interior designers recommend adding 2-3 inches to your measurements to create puddling where the curtains fall. For a more modern look, we’d recommend 1-1 1/2 inches of extra length.
If your curtains have a window sill, you’ll need to decide if you’d like the curtains to fall to the sill, or past it. For curtains that line up perfectly with your sill, we suggest measuring 1/2 an inch above the window sill, and if you want them to fall below, we recommend adding 6 inches of length.
Pick Your Pleats
Our wide range of curtains come in a number of styles; eyelet, pencil pleat, and double or triple pinch pleat.
Each of these styles will flatter your window in a different way, but each needs consideration when measuring your window.
Eyelet curtains create a modern hanging style that flatter all fabrics but can only be used with curtain poles. To create an attractive gathered look when the curtains are closed – you can double your length measurement to create a flattering look.
Pencil pleat curtains suit any track or hanging type. The folds in these curtains are placed close together for a neat, full style, doubling your length measurements with these can also create attractive gathering when the curtains are closed.
Double and Triple pinch pleat curtains create a luxurious tailored look and are well suited to elegant, opulent fabrics. These curtains suit any hanging type. The fullness of these curtains means you will not need to double your length measurement to achieve an attractive gather when the curtain is closed.
Measure Up
You’ll need to adapt your measurements depending on what style or hanging method you’ve chosen.
For tracks, measure the height from the top of the track and measure the length of the track all the way across.
For poles, measure the length of the pole excluding any finials on the ends.
To get the correct drop, measure from the eye (the small metal ring at the bottom of each curtain ring) to ensure your curtain pole doesn’t get covered by the top of your curtains. For eyelet designs that slide straight on to the pole, measure from the very top of the curtain pole.
To make sure your curtains overlap when closed (to fully block out the light) add an extra inch to your width measurement.
Remember to add the right amount of inches for your desired hanging style – and always measure 3 times, so you can be sure your results are correct!
Don’t Panic!
If you’re not confident measuring for yourself – don’t worry. We offer an at home consultation service where our friendly curtains experts will help you find the perfect fit.
Get in touch with our friendly team today.