Why do my expensive-ish curtains look crap

[Sickofhousestuff]

Hi, I’ve bought my first house so a newbie to house stuff. Unfortunately, my mum is not good with this sort of thing so hoping for some MN advice.

Why do my curtains look crap? Yes they will look better after a steam but I’m not loving the way they look. We have huge windows so had to purchase made to measure which wasn’t cheap.

Im thinking I need more hoops. DH wanted the curtains to hit where they do but I think it’s a shame they don’t hit just above the window sill. Tempted to get my sewing machine out and watch some YouTube videos!

Please help. I’m gutted. They look really different to the image on the website as well :’(

Induction all the way! Does he do all
the cooking?

I meant sheers earlier! Not sheets. I would personalise these curtains by adding a leading edge trim or even adding blinds under them in a contrasting fabric. You also can coordinate the addition of a colourful trim to cushions and a rug.

Pencil pleats hang better on a rail rather than a pole. Once ironed and strings pulled evenly they will look better

What a horrible post. On such an innocuous topic. Why would anyone come on this thread to attack?

marriage is about compromise, not riding rough shod over your spouse, that’s not adulting, and she already said much earlier she’d picked most of the stuff. So the curtains were his pick and she compromised and let him have his length.

That’s being an adult.

No! Sorry but they look like utter tat, can you get your money back? An iron would help a lot, they are not hung properly and the length is just weird.

@Muchof I’m sorry but I think referring to them as tat (however true that statement may be) is just unnecessarily rude. Plenty of ways to convey the same message.

I think some people enjoy kicking a person when they are down

Op did I read you'd bought a steamer?
Don't be daft. That money you don't need to waste and something that needs storing that you'll use once in a blue moon.

Use your iron, iron them on the ironing board, then once hung use the steam from the iron, if they need it.

Exactly this - I used to hand make curtains for a living and this was the advice I was planning on posting!
The only thing I would add is that I suspect you have the curtains the wrong way round, i.e. the right hand side is on the left. If you have a half widths of fabric they should go on the outer edges.

@Sickofhousestuff The curtains are meant to measure width and a half of window width. I also think the curtains are way too short and would have looked better being longer. they also should have been ironed before hanging because fabric looks like cotton of some sort and creases will not fall out so easily. longer curtains tend to eliminate draughts from windows

You have only 1 problem OP - there are sone real bitches hanging out round here

I’m sure I messed up measuring them. Think we rushed picking them as we felt so exposed the first night we were in the house.

Oh and apparently they are lined, not that I can tell. One less thing to do.

Will comeback and show all the lovely, helpful commenters the improvement. Thanks to everyone who took time out of their day to help an upset person out.

I know, I don’t understand it, I get when folks get emotional or angry on a topic that touches a nerve, and gets involved in a debate. But why would anyone want to come on to a thread about curtains of all things and attack. Some of the comments are just horrible. I mean tat really?

Op if they are too narrow, the you can order two more, less wide to bulk it out, I get it’s cost though if you’ve already spent a lot.

All you need to do now is to measure again (making sure to measure the extra space both sides of the window) then gather each curtain while making sure it covers half the window. If each curtain is less than the width of the window (basically, with two curtains guidance for pencil pleats says each individual curtain should be the same as the window width but that’s only a rule of thumb not an absolute necessity) just gather less.

The fact you said at some point on this thread that you thought there was too much material is an excellent sign because it means the material is there to gather.

If you are going to iron do that before gathering.

Also, when you finally have them ready to hang, make sure all the hooks are in the same level of thread or they won’t hang right.

Don’t forget to tie one end before gathering! Sorry to keep banging on about that point but I didn’t once and it was a massive pain to sort out.

Also, ignore all the people being bitchy about the curtains. There is nothing wrong with them - some people just enjoy being nasty.

Maybe you just need to start again OP. Have you any other windows these curtains would fit? They look more like bedroom curtains tbh - more in style and length. Then get to Dunelm etc and buy something straightforward like ring tops in a width and a half/double width and 90 inch drop, you don't have to spend a fortune, in a material that doesn't crease so badly, just hang them up and stop stressing!

There is nothing wrong with the curtains!

No need to start again

And no need to have ridiculous floor length expensive floor dusters

your kitchen is absolutely lovely, congratulations and well done.

I honestly can't believe how disgustingly rude some posters have been.

Also cannot believe that after 12 pages posters are still coming on talking about pulling strings and steaming! 😳 I think it's all been said...

I have Dunelm blackout in my bedroom, I was amazed how cheap they were and I'm very pleased with how they look. They hang beautifully too.

Don’t be daft. Daddy warbucks there chucking out perfectly good new curtains and starting again, who does that.

There is nothing wrong with them and they look a nice material. They just need gathering and an iron. If too narrow then yes some additional material but that remains to be seen.

So? I’ve Roman blinds from blinds to go, doesn’t help the op 😂

Well I’m just repeating myself at this point to try and reassure the OP and counteract all the nastiness from people who apparently think their taste in curtains (length, style and colour) is some universal law and anyone who chooses curtains even slightly different is WRONG WRONG WRONG.

Next do ready made these exact sizes. These curtains are all 284 wide ranging from 137 to 274 long. If you really don’t like your curtains when you’ve ironed and gathered them (make sure you can undo the knots) and you have the funds, perhaps those would be a cheaper option and you could put those curtains on a smaller window. https://www.next.co.uk/search?w=extra%20wide%20curtains&p=1&af=size:284x137cm%20size:284x229cm%20size:284x274cm#0

I would, however, choose full length and perhaps go for something not too thick so that the heat from the radiator isn’t compromised.

You need some colour in your life! Not beige on beige!

Similar situation but what about roman blinds. Look tidier I think

@Sickofhousestuff for what it's worth, I think they are a lovely fabric, you have chosen a length that works for a really wide window, they don't look cheap or thin, just rumpled from the packet and in need of a bit of adjustment as others have suggested.

The curtain pole may be the issue at the top and I have the same problem. If you put hooks in too high, ie near the top edge of the curtain/tape the pole and rings are exposed. But if you put them too low the tape and top of the curtain flop forward.

We replaced a pole recently with track (which i have hated in the past) buuut it pulls the top back against the wall, looks neater and keeps the warm in. I am about to see if longer hooks might work better too where we can't replace with track, as the small plastic ones don't really work on rings and heavy material. I googled long hooks and they seem to be a thing. I too am sick of house stuff, it's always more complicated than you hope!