Why do my expensive-ish curtains look crap

Sorry op I don’t like the look. The curtains will look better ironed and gathered though.

The way to make curtains look good is to hit the floor or to be a little too long and puddle. More recently, I’ve bought ready made curtains for my house having paid a lot for made to measure in the past.

Next do extra wide and extra long curtains. I’ve used extra wide (284 cm) on a wider window than this and just didn’t gather the tab top. Yes, it would look nicer fuller. But not 1k nicer or whatever the cost. I’ve also got several ikea curtains on a 4 m wide window and pull them across individually.

Short curtain can sit on the window sil to keep the heat in - current house

Long curtains slip behind the radiators - old house.

Solves heating issues

I’m really not a curtain fan, I think these would be loads better floor length. Gather at the top and steam them to make the best of it. They usually look better when they have been hung for a while

And op- no one teaches you this stuff, well apart from mumsnet. Unless you've got a great curtain maker (and even then it can go against your preference) it can go wrong. Everyone must have curtains they'd do differently- trial and error is how you learn. As annoyingly expensive that is.

Even up the pleats, steam and consider weighting the ends, alter the pole/ where the hooks are. If there's not enough width then consider remaking as eyelets? Wouldn't cost too much to change the tape.

1. You have a problem with those curtains, they don't work at all.

1. You have a problem with your DH. You are an adult, act like one and don't be a doormat.

More rings.
Id have them sat on the windowsill, and I would also add something else to the window, to make it look more finished. A Roman blind in another neutral colour or pattern, or a light net style curtain underneath on a second pole.
They finish in the middle of nowhere - I always think curtains need to hit something; either the windowsill or the floor. Short curtains on short windows like this make the window smaller and the ceiling lower so I hang full length curtains whatever the window size, down to the floor. I see you’ve got the radiator there so not totally practical but if you really want short curtains I’d get them to sit just about on the window sill then add a second layer of textile with a Roman blind or floaty net behind them to elevate it. x

This is why I do eyelet curtains, I'd lose my mind trying to dress curtains!

Your house looks gorgeous! Enjoy it!

The fabric is just right.

Take the curtains down - at the top where the hooks are, are strings.

Tie on end of the strings in a knot, and at the other end, pull all the strings out, until the curtain is the correct width for half the window, then do the same to the other curtain.

Ideally, you should have hooks every 3rd string (going across).

You see on the top, there are 3 separate strings going horizontally across. You can adjust the height using the top, middle or bottom set, depending on where you want the bottom of the curtains to hit.

I didn’t RTFT, so apologies if someone has already posted this 🙂

I’ve just read this entire thread and well done OP for being so gracious in the face of such unnecessarily rude comments!

The curtains are fine and once you steam and tweak as suggested they’ll look great.

Some real patronising snobs on this thread

You aren't inept. You should see some of things I did to my house when I was 30! Perfectly nice, neutral curtains wouldn't have come close to the disasters I orchestrated. I still make weird decisions in my fifties. But so what? Decorating your house isn't a moral decision.

As others have said, you need more rings and to steam them and let them settle. I'm willing to bet you won't even notice them a year from now. They'll just be a part of the room.

FWIW, I like your sofa! And I agree with a previous poster who said that if you get bored with these curtains a few years from now, dyeing them a burnt orange would look lovely with the blue furniture.

Judging by your kitchen and your floor I think your house will look awesome. Just need a little tweak of the curtains 😊

Get a matching pelmet made, that will make them look more expensive

OP, profesional seamstress here!
length is good - no shorter! And they need to be ironed or steamed.

Some curtains drop a bit after they have been hanging as then tend to hang flatter and straighter after they have been there for a while. The fabric does not stretch. I think this happens more with heavy fabrics that puff out a bit.

You can get someone to professionally hang them for you, not sure of cost though. I had it done on some huge curtains I couldn’t get right and was amazed what a difference it made. You could ask where you had them made maybe?

Or move the pole so it is higher depending in the finish on the wall and whether making good the old holes can be done easily.

Pressing and sorting out the gathers may help. The length js a bit odd. In my opinion they either needed to be longer to the floor or a little shorter.

Did the company who made them do the measuring and come to hang them for you? We've always used a local independent shop (sadly now closed) who would do both of those things. Well worth it in my opinion.

The main thing is you have curtains and some privacy. They will look better when ironed.

Curtains will never look right on that sort of window.