As we head into one of our busiest times of the year, we wanted to share with you our ultimate guide to choosing fabrics for your next window dressing project. There are lots of different fabrics to choose from, the right fabric choice for your room will be in part down to your personal preference, but also in part when you consider what you want the window dressing to do. We work with some of the best British-based fabric houses to provide our clients with a wide range of fabric options. In our latest blog, we wanted to explore this in a little more detail, here is what our Head Designer Sarah had to say.
The Different Fabric Options
Curtains can help transform the look of any room. Before you choose which fabric you want, it is a good idea to think about what you want the window dressing to do. There are many fabric choices available such as different fabric types, patterns, sizes and colours. Do you want light and floaty voiles or luxurious, thicker textures? The light floaty look won’t give blackout or heat insulation.
These days most fabric designs are available on lots of different backcloths eg: velvet, cotton, silk, hessian and even some recycled fabrics, as fabric houses have discovered how to print patterns onto a variety of fabrics. It used to be that if you wanted silk you had to buy pure silk, which has a maximum life span of about five years, if you are lucky. Now there are silk-look-alike fabric options which are made of synthetic fabrics, look great and last longer. Also, consider how you want your curtains to stack when they are drawn. If you want them to stack tightly, you are better off not using a thicker fabric as it takes up quite a lot of space on the wall. Alternatively, if you do want that luxurious look then you will need to accept that it will take up space, and plan your interior design accordingly.
Another element to consider is the type of fabric you use. Recently we have seen clients use upholstery fabrics for curtains, these kind of fabrics are designed to be hardwearing but in some cases are not suitable for curtains or blinds as they will not have the same movement and drape. Most fabrics will indicate what they are suitable for but if in doubt please ask.
Some clients order fabrics online from the US that claim to be suitable for furnishing use, but when they arrive they are best suited for making clothing. It is worth investing in fabrics from a UK-based company so that if there are any challenges, they can easily be returned. We don’t tend to work with fabrics purchased online because often the backcloth is not suitable, and the fabric pattern repeat requires so much more material to match and align that it becomes cost-prohibitive.
When thinking about your next window dressing project it is worth keeping an open mind. We get a lot of clients saying they do not like floral fabrics, which is possibly a perception from the 1980s style prints, but yet when we start to explore this a little further often there are some great choices out there. There are some very subtle floral print options that provide a sweeping colour and can add softness to your room design. With so many choices available, it is not unheard of for us to take some floral design print options to a client and they end up quite liking them when they thought they really wouldn’t.
A final note on fabric choices. If you like the look of a light-coloured fabric, perhaps for a bedroom design but want the room to have an element of blackout, this can be achieved by using a lining. You don’t need to have dark-coloured fabrics to achieve a blackout, the lining will provide this. Linings are now available in a variety of different colours to match any design. We have some favourites and colours we like, we tend to use pale ivory, for example, because it is not stark like white or too creamy, but there are many to choose from.
The Different Hardware Options
Once you have chosen your curtain fabric it is then worth considering how you will hang your curtains. The two options really are either via a pole or track.
If you are going to use a pole, there are only three places to attach it to the wall, in the middle and at either end. If you have a particularly large window then that may not be enough fixing points as it will not be strong enough to keep it in place. There are passover brackets or rings that we can use but they can sometimes be awkward.
If you want a pole but have a large expanse to cover a better solution is to use a Silent Gliss Metropole. They are a popular choice for being able to cover bigger distances, up to 4/ 5 m if needed, they enable you to spread the weight and create a stylish, elegant look. They look like curtain poles, especially when the curtains are open, but have the functionality of a curtain track inside. There are other brands available but Silent Gliss without a doubt does the best job.
Tracks can be a more cost-effective way of hanging your curtains but we don’t tend to recommend using plastic tracks. We find that the plastic tracks become brittle and the runners snap over time. If you are investing in your curtains it is worth investing in the track as well. It also does not take long for the plastic runner to start to stick so every time you close your curtains, they judder, putting pressure on the fabric and stitching on the curtains. You won’t notice curtains that run smoothly, but curtains that stick will be something that will drive you crazy. Always go for a metal track and if you can put runners in (pendulum slides) it is much better.
If you are going to buy a curtain pole, please ensure you get one to fit the width of the space. Don’t go for an extendable pole, it is better to buy a slightly longer one and cut it down. Please also ensure that the pole is thick enough to do the job and support the curtain weight. As always please do take advice and reach out if we can help.
Things to Consider
We see all sorts of interesting approaches to hanging window dressings during our client visits. With this in mind we wanted to share some things to consider:
- Think about what you want the curtains to do before you start to look for the fabric.
- Make sure the fabric pattern is aligned and consistent on curtains and soft furnishings.
- Buy your fabric from quality suppliers, if there is a problem it can easily be returned.
- Don’t close your mind off to certain fabric designs, it is worth exploring all options.
- Make sure the hardware compliments the fabric and room design. It is worth paying for better quality and something that does the job well.
- Choose the right pole for the job and fabric weight.
- Put lining in your curtains, it will make them last much longer.
If you are still looking for some inspiration, in our blog last month we were excited to share the autumn/ winter 24 collections and trends we are seeing this season. There are lots of choices out there at the moment. Click HERE to read our last blog where we explore this further.
In Summary
We hope you have found the ultimate guide to choosing fabrics for your window dressing project useful and has given you a steer on where to start. If you are keen to refresh your window dressing and want them fitted in time for the festive season, now is the perfect time to start the conversation. As we enter one of our busiest times of year we need to ensure we give our production house plenty of time to create beautiful window dressings. Our deadline for ordering window dressings to be delivered and fitted by Christmas is w/c 14 October. So, please get in touch to arrange your FREE design consultation.
