Curtains

[WTF1974]

Afternoon all.

Posting here for traffic.

I need to buy some curtains - no big issue you'd think.

However, i am 38 and have never bought curtains before! 😳

I have measured my window and the width/drop I need.

Is the size listed on curtains the total width of the pair or is it per curtain? *
*
So if curtains are advertised as 46" W x 60" D is that per curtain?

My house has had Venetian blinds and shutters so I've never needed curtains!
With the cost of living increase I figured I need curtains to keep some more warmth in.

Many thanks in advance for any help!

Curtain widths are per curtain and therefore you should aim for a width around the size of your window, so that you get 1.5 to 2 times the size of your window in curtain material,, to allow for “gather”. In traditional pencil pleat I’d aim for 2x the with of your window. In eyelet you can get along fine with 1.5x.

Just bought some curtains and checked for you - the width is per curtain, not per pair.

Thank you for this. So my window is 160cm wide and 170cm drop to the windowsill.

However, my radiator is only 6cm lower than the windowsill and ideally I don't want to cover that.

Please can you help with what size curtains I will need please?

I'm not bothered about gathering and looking show home style - they just need to keep the warm in and the neighbours security light out!

TIA

Thank you - that's helpful for my shopping mission tomorrow

You need curtains that are between 120cm to 160cm wide. The wider they are, the more luxurious they will look.

The curtain should stop just above the radiator - so you need a drop of about 175cm.

At 160cm wide by 170cm long window size the standard size for ready made curtains that would best suit would be 170cm wide by 180cm long (sometimes quoted in inches as 66”x72”). Theyll be slightly long but you can potentially vary the height of the curtain pole they hang on to compensate for that, or otherwise have them just lapping over the top of the radiator (as long as it’s not an electric one that shouldn’t be covered).

While you’re not too bothered about gather in terms of style, having that extra material will also help to keep some heat in. Thermal lined curtains will also help with this but can be a little more expensive.

Also, don’t be afraid to ask advice in the shop - most places that sell curtains (e.g. Dunelm) will have staff specifically trained in sizes and helping customers get the best fit/look.

Standard is to double the width of the window to ensure a full gather – so 320cm total or 160cm per curtain – and more is better.

Most ready-made curtains will tell you if it’s per curtain or per pair in the description, both for the width and the price – watch out for La Redoute and Anthropologie who sell their curtains as singles.

eBay is also a good source for thermal-lined curtains but every seller labels the width and drop differently!

Thanks everyone for all your help. I'll go and have a look tomorrow