Curtains - fixing an expensive error :(

[Reenarenovation]

Spent a fortune on floor to ceiling thermal blackout lined curtains for a huge bay window 2 months ago. Didn’t redecorate the room at the time and had no intention to. Never loved them, DH hated them. Just redone the room and now curtains look even more hideous.

The quality of them is brilliant though and I wondered whether it is possible to salvage and reuse all the lining etc with a new top fabric.

Curtain maker said no but I think she doesn’t want to do it. Has anyone done this? Reused all the fabric for exactly the same size curtains? Before I start I ringing around trying time find someone who might do it!!

Thank you!

I suppose it is possible to re-use the lining but I can understand why your curtain-maker doesn't want to do it; more work. Could you cut your losses and sell the curtains?

I would put them on eBay.

Could they be dyed to a colour you prefer and that goes better with the room?

Thank you for replying. Would you have any ideas where best to try and sell them? I don’t think anyone would buy them to be honest- they’re printed designers guild ones (the swatch was lighter than what they’ve turned out as so whilst they should be lovely , just haven’t turned out right) and so huge that they’d really have to find an owner with the same size bay.

I've a similar issue, old fabulous quality patio door curtains in the house when I moved in but in green and white candy stripe in a black and white tiled kitchen!! I'm years looking for someone to dye them (in Ireland) but never found anyone. They are huge, heavy and very full so even using multiple dye packs and an industrial washing machine I wouldn't dare DIY them.

Sell them on, and buy again, or attempt to dye them.

Would you put a picture up, and someone might be able to suggest something to blend them in. You must have liked the colour/pattern when you chose them.

@Reenarenovation

Thank you for replying. Would you have any ideas where best to try and sell them? I don’t think anyone would buy them to be honest- they’re printed designers guild ones (the swatch was lighter than what they’ve turned out as so whilst they should be lovely , just haven’t turned out right) and so huge that they’d really have to find an owner with the same size bay.

To seam rip out all thenheaderntapesmandnlinernformcthencurtsincwill take hours. It’s tedious work. It’ll probably cost more in labour than to buy new liners- blackout lining isn’t that expensive. The fabric being designer guild is why they’re so expensive. I’d suggest putting on eBay or Facebook and be prepared to wait a longish while to get a buyer. Otherwise write the cost off due to a very bad mistake. I don’t get why the swatch was lighter than the curtains. Even with dye variation that should NEVER happen. If it’s genuinely the case complain to designer guild , or the company that made up the curtains for you. But you really should have done that , with clear evidence, when you received them . Next time make sure you put swatch in different positions in the room and different light conditions - especially with such expensive fabric.

That long word should read “ the header tape and liner form the curtain will” 🤣🤣🤦‍♀️

Thank you again.

I loved the pattern in the teeny sample and the picture in the store, but when they arrived they were a lot darker than the image online. The sample too was of the lightest bit of the fabric. So when they arrived, I didn’t love them but by then had spent 4k on them. No-one is going to spend that much on second hand curtains are they even if by some miracle they needed such a huge pair of them? Even if they’re only been up 6 weeks?

Maybe dying is the answer. They’re linen. How much do you think it would cost to dye them? Google seems to suggest a drive to a specialist dyer (they all seem to be in Huddersfield) might fix this.

Thanks May.

The swatch seemed to be cut from the lightest section of the fabric but actually a huge part of the fabric was quite leafy and green and darker than it looked online. The swatch did match the actual curtains in that tiny bit of light area in the repeat. So couldn’t really complain other than to say that in real life, the colour of the fabric is darker than online images. Which you can’t really say given that you can order samples. And that almost everything looks different colour online.

Cross at myself for not getting a bigger swatch and then equally for not saying something at the time.

It just wouldn't be in anyway cost effective - the bits you'd be reusing are the cheap bits. Thermal lining fabric is a few pounds per metre, and that's pretty much all you'd be able to reuse.

The expensive bits are the main fabric, and the time in labour - it would probably take more in time to rip it all apart and salvage the lining fabric than just getting new lining fabric.

Also, I'm very curious to see what a £4k pair of curtains looks like - can we have a picture?!

(A pic might also help with reccomendations of whether dying is feasible - it depends on the pattern, fabric, and colour of dye.)

Pic attached

This doesn’t help you but I think they look fab. Is that your actual room?
Maybe pick out more of the lilac / heather colour in soft furnishings like cushions etc.???

No - sadly not actual room! Car parked in front of the window and couldn’t get a pic with the car! They’re much darker in real life than the image online.

Do we think these can be dyed?

£4k... ouch! I'm not sure that dyeing over a pattern would work but I guess the specialists in Huddersfield would advise. Are you sure you both hate them? Could you add accessories to the room to make them work? (I'm clutching at some expensive straws here...)

Thanks knittedfairies.

Trying to seek advice from those in the know here before I take a day off work to undertake the 400mile drive to find out if they can be made plain! I don’t hate them - I just don’t love them as much as I should and now we’ve redecorated they just don’t go anymore but I can’t waste them because they are a beautiful fabric and so well made. DH really doesn’t like them though :(

Could you use them in another part of the house rather than getting rid of them? Ebay often have designer/interlined curtains for sale but you wont re-coup the £4k. There are also second hand shops which sell designer curtains like the curtain exchange but they would take a commission.

Or could you change the colour if your room? Maybe they look lighter in the picture because the room is white - what colours do you have on your walls?

I think they are gorgeous!

Absolutely zero point in dying patterned fabric. They will shrink too.
Designers Guild fabric is so pricey, I would advertise them on Ebay as barely usd - but you won't get more than a quarter of the cost back.

Could you use them as the 'hero' pattern in your master bedroom?

Take a photo and just scribble over the car in 'edit' before posting. Or draw the curtains? I need to see what they look like!
As pp said, what colour are your walls?

Can you remember what the fabric pattern is called OP?

I really want to see them in the real room! It would be far cheaper to redecorate (assuming you painted and didn’t have £4k wallpaper) to make the curtains work than to try to remake the curtains, or attempt to recoup the cost.

I bet with the right decor you’ll love them again despite not being what you expected.

Found it! Marianne Viola

This link should allow a close up of the colours.
www.designersguild.com/uk/fabric/designers-guild/marianne-viola-fabric/p22738

Show them in your room, please? I bet they’re actually much nicer than you think and maybe we can suggest some changes to paint and other furnishings to make them look better in the space?