Curtains are a huge investment if you decide to buy them ready-made, and the situation is the same even if you make them yourself. Assess your windows carefully, and make sure that you select the right kind of fabric for them. We know how difficult this task is, but we are here to help you out. In this article, Gharpedia eases your task by highlighting the points to keep in mind before buying curtain fabrics and poles. But before diving into it, let us have a quick overview of the importance of covering windows.
Pros Of Dressing Windows
Dressing windows is practical as well as decorative. Curtains and blinds offer privacy, cut out unwanted light, reduce outside noise, and conserve heat. As they are the source of natural light in a room, windows are often a focal point and deserve a treatment that will display them at their best. However, providing the wrong window treatment can burn a hole in your pocket, along with taking away the room’s appeal. So, always keep in mind the buying tips for curtain fabrics and poles before spending on them.
Guide for Buying Curtain Fabrics and Poles
How to Pick the Right Fabric for Curtains
When buying curtain fabrics and poles for windows, bear in mind how the fabric hangs from poles and/or tracks, how it drapes, whether its colour is likely to fade in sunlight, and if it is home washable. Buy linings with the same washing instructions as the curtain fabric, and remember to buy extra fabric if it is likely to shrink.
Consider the environment of room before buying curtain fabric. A bathroom window should have water proof pvc blinds or roller shades, so that it can resist moisture and simultaneously provide privacy.
Other rooms may just need a curtain or blind that can be drawn at night. A heavyweight, lined curtain is advisable in a bedroom that gets the early morning sun as shown in the image.
An important point to keep in mind here is that the window treatment must fit in with the other furnishings and décor in the room. Patterned wall-coverings, flooring, and upholstery need a plain area to rest the eye. Alternatively, if the walls and other furnishings are plain, boldly patterned curtains or blinds can add interest to the room.
A kitchen window above a sink is prone to splashes of water or steam, so choose a hard-wearing fabric such as a nylon or a polyester as they are resistant to shrinking, fading and mildew. A blind is often a better option because it can fit smoothly against the window, and you can roll it up when not needed.
Fabrics that are specially treated to inhibit the growth of mildew and mould are ideal for well-insulated kitchens and bathrooms that have a lot of steam.
Drapes and swags require soft, pliable fabrics, whereas formal curtains and blinds need a heavier fabric to hang vertically. Stiff fabrics hold a pleat well and are a good choice for Roman blinds.
Firm fabrics with a close weave are excellent for roller blinds. Spray-on fabric stiffener can make many types of fabrics suitable for making such blinds; ready-stiffened fabrics are also available.
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Selecting Curtain Poles, Rods, Tracks and Finials
In general, a curtain track is discreet and hidden from view when the curtains are closed, but a curtain pole is always visible; therefore, you need to make it fit in with the decorative scheme of your room.
Curtain Poles and Rods
Curtain poles are available in different thicknesses of wood and metal. There are metal poles that are adjustable or extendable, while you can bend others to fit the shape of a bay window.
You can thread lightweight curtains, such as those made from sheer fabrics and café curtains, onto metal or plastic curtain rods. These are usually expandable and do not need fixing. You can extend them to fit within a window recess. You can hang sheer fabrics from a length of sprung, plastic-covered wire that has screw eyes screwed into the ends. You simply hook them onto screw hooks fixed within a recess. Also check –
Tracks
One can fix curtain tracks on brackets to the wall, window frame, or ceiling. Though there are affordable plastic ones available, more expensive metal tracks are available to hang large, heavy curtains that need extra support. Tracks can have a pelmet or valance in front to hide them. Some tracks are bendable to fit within a bay window. Tracks are also available in two halves so that a pair of curtains can overlap. Corded tracks allow you to open and close the curtains by pulling a cord.
Finials
Finials are the decorative ends that slot onto or into the ends of curtain poles. You can secure most of them to the pole by tightening a small screw. There is a large range available nowadays, made from metal, wood, plastic, pottery, glass, and Perspex. If you don’t find exactly what you want in the shops, you can even model your own finials from clay or papier-mâché and paint them to match your décor.
On a concluding note, when buying curtain fabrics and poles, consider things like the type of room, the purpose of the window covering, the decorative scheme of the room, and your budget.
Curtain poles and finials (decorative ends) play a significant role in the aesthetics of a room because they are always visible. If you want something more discreet, choose a curtain track.
After having the right curtains, all you need to do is maintain them. Check out the below link and add life to your curtains.
9 Tips on Care and Maintenance of Curtains
Author Bio
Huta Raval – An English Literature and Journalism Topper, Huta Raval has graduated from the L D Arts College, Ahmedabad. Post serving for 23 years in the NBFC and Public Library Sectors her desire for ‘writing the unwritten’ brought her to the creative field of content writing. Her clientele comprises of NGOs, Blogging Platforms, Newspapers, Academic Institutions, et al.
