What to consider .......

Here are a a few things you may wish to consider initially:

CURTAINS

Your Style - do you like a traditional or modern and contemporary look?

- do you have a colour scheme in mind?

The Room - which direction does the room face, warm and sunny south or cooler north-facing?

- is it draughty? Do you need extra insulation?

- if it's a bedroom, do you need to keep the light out and require privacy?

Fabric - hand and hand with your overall style, what type of fabric do you like?

- Does it need to match, compliment or be a contrast with anything in the room?

Track or pole -

Length - sill-length - accurate measuring is required for this length to ensure that the curtains effectively block out the light and hang well

- below sill length - you may opt for this length if you have a radiator below the window(s)

- floor-length - looks good in many rooms and adds a touch of opulence. You may want the curtains to skim the floor or pool at the bottom.

- how much space do you have on either side of the window(s)?

Heading - there are many different headings for curtains from a simple pencil pleat to a more sophisticated hand-made heading.

Trimmings - do you want to 'jazz up' your curtains by adding a trim or boarder on the bottom of the curtains, across the top or sides or even have the curtains made in several different fabrics? Do have a look at our Trimmings page for some lovely examples of beading, braids and tiebacks.

Tiebacks/Holdbacks - these will add the finishing touches and keep the curtains off the windows.

Tips

* Put up your curtain track or pole before measuring.

* To exclude light and draughts, we recommend that each curtain overlaps your window by 15cm in the middle.

* The width measurement should be the length of the track or pole (between the finials) not the window.

BLINDS

Size of Window - is your window small with very little space on either side?

- is our window in a deep recess with no room for a pole or track?

- do you want an easy yet practical and functional window dressing?

- if you answer "yes" to any of the above a blind (Roman or roller) would be ideal.

Roller Blind - this type of blind is stylish yet practical and comes in a variety of colours, ranging from sheers (voiles) to blackout blinds, with shaped and trimmed hems, beads or eyelets and you can even add a pull or pole to complete the look. Fabric swatches available - please ask.

Roman Blind - this type of blind is elegant and stylish and can be trimmed, have a co-ordinated border, lined with blackout and shaped. It can be operated with a traditional cleat and acorn or headrail and chain. Almost any fabric can be used to make a Roman blind.