Curtains & Blinds : what to expect from our made to measure service!
Bespoke, hand-made, curtains and blinds are a true luxury and wonderful investment!
With proper care and attention they can last for decades, and they provide excellent thermal and sound insulating properties. They fit perfectly and you have the freedom to design every aspect of its style, including: the type of heading pleats, the choice of lining (plain, coloured or in a complementary decorative fabric), their length, and the addition of decorative trimmings and details. Traditional Curtains, are heavy, and either skim the floor by 1 cm, or “puddle” in generous folds, depending on the look you want to achieve. The drape is beautiful as they are made of three layers – the top fabric is padded by a layer of interlining, and backed by lining fabric which can be black-out or not, according to your preference. They are also weighted at the hem so that they hang beautifully.
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Roman blinds are also lined and interlined and can be customised to fit the room and your style. Our Roman blinds are supplied with tracks that meet UK child safety regulations, as do any curtain tracks and poles supplied by us.
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Attention to detail in pattern positioning and “pleating to pattern” are our specialty… there are very few fabrics where we have not been able to achieve this! It takes more time in curtain design and planning but the result is truly harmonious. If you go into a room that feels “wrong”, check out the drapes – the way the pattern falls is often the problem.
If you live in or around London, and want to order any soft furnishings from us, the first step is to book a 20-minute, free zoom consultation via our website.
During this call you can show us the window you want dressed and the room in question so we can discuss your timetable, styles and colours. If you can give us the approximate height and width of your window, we can give you an idea of prices for making up your curtains or blinds and discuss fabric options.
The fabric you choose has a big impact on the final cost of a pair of curtains or blinds. Bear in mind that fabric prices vary enormously! It is possible to get attractive, good quality fabrics at around £25-50/m but designer fabrics from top names can be ten times that price (or more!).
Keep your budget in mind and also remember these tips, which are particularly relevant for curtains as they use so much more fabric than blinds:
It is much better to use a cheaper fabric and not skimp on the fabric quantity, than to choose an expensive fabric and go for shallow pleats and folds, to try and save. If you skimp on fabric quantity curtains always look “cheap and mean” rather than generous.
If you are committed to a luxury fabric but don’t want to spend the amount needed for a curtain, consider using it as a detail on the leading edge, or the hem, for example and use a plain complementary fabric for the body of the curtain.
The larger the pattern repeat on the fabric, the more fabric is needed for the same size of curtain! Fabrics with large pattern repeats, need more fabric for each drop, so we can pattern match across the width of the curtain.
A plain fabric, simple stripe, or small delicate pattern (10cm vertical repeats, or less) will need the smallest amount of fabric.
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After our call, if you decide to go ahead, you can schedule an appointment on our website for us to come to your home to take measurements.
At this stage it is good to have chosen your fabrics as we can then calculate fabric quantities needed and give you a firm price for the curtain(s) or blind(s). The average turnaround is 6 weeks, depending on the size of your order.
To confirm that you want to go ahead and place the order, you simply have to pay the deposit – which covers the cost of materials and fabrics – and we will get started.
We order the fabric and make up your order. If we are supplying your curtain tracks or poles, these will need to be fitted – as will the tracks for any blinds - before the curtains/blinds are finished so we can measure the final drops.
We will then complete the order and send you an email to let you know your beautiful window dressings are ready for delivery!
This will have a link to pay the balance outstanding and make a final appointment to hang and dress your curtains so that they have the perfect finish!
We custom make all sorts of soft furnishings - including cushions, bed valances, bed and table covers and headboards – so get in touch if you need help with any of these.