What curtain heading?

[Chocolate1984]

Im having curtains made for my daughter's small bedroom. The window is 140 wide, 238cm drop so my plan is curtains with a blackout blind. The curtains will mainly be decorative but maybe used in summer to block out more light. The positioning of furniture means there isn't much space either side of the curtain for lots of material so I'm not sure whether to pick rings which will fold back neatly or pencil pleat which probably make the curtains look fuller? I don't want double pinch pleat as it adds an extra £190 on to the price due to the extra material.

Can anyone post a picture of their pinch pleat curtains for a comparison? I don't know anyone with pinch pleat curtains.

All of ours are pinch pleat. As long as you don't pick a thick, heavy fabric they'll pull back neatly to the sides.

A few thoughts - I have blackout blinds fitted inside the window recess. So much light in the summer especially comes in through the small side gaps that I bought blackout curtains. Pencil pleat so no photo but I wish I had done this years ago. Blackout blinds are great but I have yet to see them (whether fitted inside or outside of recess and even when very flush) provide full blackout or even good blackout in summer.

With a tall thin window I’d do 6” pencil pleats. And place the curtain pole higher than usual above the window and wide enough so that the curtains are fully off the glass.

How wide is your fabric and how wide is the curtain pole ? ( NOT the window / recess size )

A photo would be helpful.

Sorry - ours are all pencil pleat, I made a mistake.

How long do you plan to keep the curtains?

Would it bother you if you went for rings and they look dated in say 3 years time?

My personal preference is pencil pleats as I think they hang best - but it is more about personal choice and what you like.

Meant to say also that rings let in lots of light even with blind beneath as they don’t sit anywhere near flush to the wall.

This is the window- the blind is broken. The wardrobe can’t be moved as we have doors in funny places limiting where we put things, the drawers can be moved once I take the nappy changer off.

I haven’t bought the pole yet but I was thinking 150cm? I could go slightly wider but the curtains would be very close to the wardrobe. It’s a child’s room so I don’t expect to keep the curtains for years and years.

I have rings in my other daughters room but her window is nearly 3m wide with 2.5 widths in each curtain so they look really full when pulled back. I like the way her curtains sit but I also think ring curtains look a bit rubbish unless there is lots of material .

I’d buy a much wider wooden curtain pole ( cheap from screwfix and dunelm ) and put high up near the ceiling. Much wider than 150, you probably have 30cm to the left of the window alone, so maybe a pole of around 180cm +. Remember there will be a finial on the end , the curtains don’t pull all the way .

I’d make full length curtains of one or 1.5 width each side ( assuming fabric is 140cm wide ) , with 6” pencil pleat tape. I wouldn’t line then unless the fabric was very thin ( this is much cheaper ). I’d only close them in the summer when the mornings and evening are very light because the radiator won’t be on then.

If you pull them now ( in winter ) they will block the heat from the room.

Then I’d get a blackout roller blind - cheaply made to measure on eBay. The correct size will block out a lot of light.

I’d choose curtain fabric thats not very babyish or a children design, so you don’t have to change the curtains soon eg a plain colour or self stripe , anything that won’t date. I’m assuming that DD is a baby as you have a changing table , so she could get 12 years out of them.

If you DD is a really bad sleeper, you could always get blackout lining, which makes curtains much heavier and will hang well but cost more.

Tall and wide curtains will make the room look bigger and more stylish and give you much more light. You are losing lots of light with the existing blind.

I bought a really good little curtain track from mrmjohn Lewis. I think it was called lightweight made of alumiuim hidden by pleats when curtains shut and incredibly unobtrusive when
Curtains open. Although it’s called lightweight the guy in desk checked weight allowance and my lines curtains are easily accommodated.

Great thing is it sits remarkable flush to the wall so my curtains do too when shut. Blocking out all light escaping from edges of well fitted blackout blind.

I no longer wake around 4 or 430 with sunlight in midsummer.

I’m now googling curtain tracks.

Here is the track.

www.dunelm.com/product/swish-sologlyde-track-1000011673?searchTerm=curtain%20track

This sort of thing? Most tracks seem to be 150cm or 200cm but this is 175cm. John Lewis has one that extends to 175cm but it has some bad reviews.

You’re track is nicer Heron, I didn’t realise it could be cut to size. I’m going to have to go into town and have a look at all the options. My mum has curtain track but it’s an ugly thing from the 1970s.

The curtain fabric is on sale just now so I’ll get the curtains made up like Violet suggested but with blackout lining for the summer.

Yes think the John Lewis one is lower profile and nicer. I cut mine with small little hacksaw - easily done.

Also more smooth gliding than the plastic outer slides in your photo style.