Chosen correctly, curtains can prove the crowning glory in a room’s interior decor scheme. But, conversely, the wrong colour, fabric, pattern, length or hanging style could also prove disastrous. Here we outline a brief guide to choosing fabrics, length and, essentially, curtain styles.

As far as the latter is concerned you’re spoiled for choice really. Eyelet and tab top (which require curtain poles) are amongst the most popular ways to hang curtains today. But then, in terms of drape, there is single pleat, inverted pleat, pencil pleat, triple pleat etc. As for colour, there is a reason why many interior designers choose neutral shades – because they’re less likely to fade; certainly, bright colours will fade far faster than their white or grey contemporaries.

  • As for colour, there is a reason why many interior designers choose neutral shades – because they’re less likely to fade; certainly, bright colours will fade far faster than their white or grey contemporaries.

Materials that hang well in curtain form include silk, faux silk, velvet and linen. Faux silk is the longest-lasting while velvet is the warmest. It’s always a good idea to have curtains lined in order to preserve their longevity and provide them with a feeling of fullness.

When it comes to length, the modern take is to have your curtains flush with the floor (rather than pooling). Meanwhile, we promised you six different curtain styles and here they are:

 

Eyelet

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Also known as grommets; this is the most contemporary style for modern curtains (but not for bedrooms since the eyelets don’t work well with black-out blinds). If you’re having the curtains custom-made then you can have the eyelets any size you like. Off-the-shelf versions tend to have eyelets around the same size of 40 mm.  Check out these ideas for your window coverings.

Tab top

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Like the eyelet style this works with poles only and involves evenly spaced tabs along the top of the curtains. You’ll find the average tab in shop-bought curtains measures around 7cm x 10cm. This is a decorative rather than functional style since moving the tabs can prove awkward.

 

Pencil pleat

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Contemporary and elegant, this simple style works consists of long, tight folds from the top of the curtain and works well in most rooms. The typical pleat measures around three inches deep.  Other pleat curtains are available from our shop or online.

Goblet pleat

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A more traditional and formal curtain hanging style which looks great in a Victorian, Georgian or other homes with a high ceiling. The top of the curtain has a cylindrical cuff that resembles a wine glass while the pleat itself is filled with interlining. The style also involves a draped hem on the floor and a tieback or piece of rope to pull the fabric back from the window.

Pinch Pleat

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This involves groups of three pleats which sit at the top of the curtain. They’re kept together at the base of the pleats by means of a stitch and allow to fan out. This is an elegant and simple style which continues to be popular today. This design will bring warmth to any room.

Rod Pocket

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The curtain rod fits through a casing sewn at the top of the curtain fabric, allowing it to gather together slightly. This is a casual look and again, decorative, rather than functional due to the difficulty of sliding the curtain along the railing.  These light drapes bring bold colour to a room, whilst letting in plenty of light.