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 :’(

Gather the tape to create a better top line.

Add a curtain hook every 3 holes, added to the middle row on the tape to create a better distribution of weight and gathers.

Iron them before you put them up and they will look so much better.

OP, don't worry about how much they cost - what matters is whether you are happy with them (and you're not).

I have had all my curtains made because my windows are funny sizes, and I also wanted them to be heavy and thermally lined (house is also cold). They are all floor length, because I don't personally like short curtains - but whatever length you like, I agree with all the PP who say you need to gather them more, and you need about twice the number of rings. The creases should fall out, and if they are weighted (as they should be, if made to measure), that will help. You definitely don't need less width - skimpy curtains look mean.

If it's hard to gather them, I recommend you stand on the end of the strings and then do it - otherwise you will feel as if the strings are cutting your fingers in half.

OP - these curtains are the correct length. It's to do with distribution of heat or something.
Is that one curtain or half of a pair?

If you live near Wokingham I'll pop round and help you sort them out!

Yes that is what it looks like to me, for a 9,5,foot window she needed to buy minimum 19ft wide. It looks to me like it’s not pleated /gathered right as that’s the width required to fit the window, ie if she does what she’s supposed to they won’t shut and will be too short.

maybe I’m wrong, but it would be very obvious the curtains needed to be gathered as there would be a load of material bunched up on closing.

on a separate note, I’m no fan of short curtains, or curtains at all. I prefer blinds, but some folks like them short.

Cheap Dunelm ready made blackout curtains in a spare bedroom but you can see how gathered they need to be to look vaguely decent.

For a nearly 10ft wide window, cropped curtains is always going to look a bit like “council property” like. Personally I don’t think short curtains ever look luxurious or expensive, there’s no grace about them.
I can understand some peoples stance on them blocking the heat from the radiator, but I’ve never felt that my rooms aren’t warm enough and have always had long curtains.

I don't love the length, but it's difficult if you have a radiator in front of the window. I would iron them, but steaming will be fine. Then gather as advised.

I would also consider lining them if they're not already lined. And if you have a sewing machine, that won't take long.

Also when tying up the three strings don't knot them in such a way you can't untie them should you ever need to release the pleats.

While most people probably prefer pencil pleats pulled up close, it is not essential and you can manage with a slight gather. My mother only ever made her curtains with the width one and a quarter times the window width. She made her first curtains just after the Second World War when fabric was scarce.

Too short, short curtains always look cheap. Needs a steam, not enough hoops. Needs gathering. Weights would definitely help. For perspective on cost, a friend paid 8k for curtains covering that width but full length from John Lewis at least 10 years ago. Nice material, fully lined and insulated. If you didn’t pay for something with 4 figures, you didn’t get proper made to measure quality curtains.

I think you need at least 2x window width. Anything less looks mean. OP, if you didn't measure properly, I'd consider going back to curtain maker and ask if they can add a panel for you.

@Smartstuffed funnily enough my car is currently getting it’s MOT in Finchampstead!

Agreed. I'd prefer to have my living room curtains hitting the floor, but I need the heat, so I've shortened them.

what @xsxsxsxs said with bells on!

8k for curtains!!! I can’t imagine that ever being worth it.

Why would anyone choose to live anywhere other than a Victorian house with original cast iron radiators and floor-length thick velvet curtains!? Surely people who don’t live this way must be mistaken? I could never risk being whispers “council-property like”.

I would disagree with that. All my curtains are made for me by a local lady. I have just had four very long and wide curtains (including a pair for French doors) made by her with interlining, weights etc for £240. The fabric and lining were £400 from a 'seconds' mill shop. So while they weren't cheap, you don't have to spend an absolute fortune to get fabulous, long, weighty curtains.

I wouldn't buy curtains from JL any more than I'd buy furniture from JL.

I would treble up the amount of rings and put the curtain hooks in the very bottom part of the 3inch tape at the top of the curtain as this will give them more structure. Give them a light iron and they will hang nicely. If still not the look you’d like then gather a bit until our happy. They are nice curtains, just need a bit of jujjing

DH has chosen the curtains (and embarrassingly large tv) as I’ve probably had more than my fair share during the gutting of our new home. Not worth putting my foot down re length as he’s been so good to me.

Luckily the room we tend to sit in has floor to ceiling windows x2 so won’t be such a pain!

If you can't have curtains to the floor get a blind.

We have massive windows and radiators underneath (I will never buy a house with either again as they’ve been a right pain in the arse).
Over the 25 years since we have lived here we have tried all kinds of window dressings. I’ve concluded that short curtains just look awful on our windows and didn’t want just blinds so we’ve found the perfect combo (for us) of wooden venetian blinds and to the floor curtains, which we never draw but they dress the window nicely and take away the starkness of blinds alone.

Try the hack with a toilet roll tube between each gather. Made all the difference to how well mine hung.

@RedorangeyellowBLACK 's solution, if you can have useable long curtains, is a good one!

Unfortunately the overall image is akin to the radiator being a pair of knee high socks and the too short curtains looking like a skirt!

If the curtains were longer they would block the radiator but at that length they need to be less full.