Who knows about curtains?

[MyLemonBee]

This is going to sound stupid but I’ve never bought proper curtains before as we’ve always had shutters. I got some cheap rubbish ones years back when i was a student but that doesn’t count.

So I have a big bay window (victorian house) and the shutters are really tired and i want to replace with nice curtains. Some stupid questions…

1. for a bay do i get 3 curtain poles and sort of arrange them? Or can you buy like a bent curtain pole?

2. where is good for curtain poles? For a bay would i need to get one made to size?

3. where is good for curtains? I think john lewis in london used to have a curtain department but that seems long gone. I need someone to help me and feel the fabrics etc. Don’t want to buy online as i 100% know i will measure wrong or judge the colour wrong and end up with something rubbish

4. the bay is at the front of the house, and i think a lot of people also get blinds as well as curtains for privacy? Is this right? In which case do you get like a double pole or… how?

thanks!!!

1. For bay windows you can get a "bent" pole instead of 3 separate ones. Either as an adjustable one from a lot of DIY or Homeware stores such as B&Q, Homebase etc. Or you can get one made for your window (see below). You could use 3 straight poles, I have seen this done, but it doesn't look quite as good in my personal opinion.
2. We bought Jim Lawrence curtain poles for our bay windows. We didn't have to measure with a tape measure or anything, but basically we sellotaped large newspaper pages together to make one big sheet, put it on the floor in the bay window and drew a template which we sent to them. They created a perfect fitting "bent" pole.
3. Anywhere that does good upholstery fabric will do made to measure curtains. Alternatively, Dunelm or John Lewis still have a made to measure option, however there is sometimes less choice in store.
4. We have blinds and curtains, although that was mainly as I've not gotten around to taking the blinds down. Blinds fit more in the window, whereas the curtain pole is much higher than the frame. Blinds will have their own bracket, so will not need another pole.

@DeedlessIndeed thank you SO much!!!

Have a look around for a local curtain maker, they are usually cheaper than fabrics shops/stores they have fabric samples or point you to good fabric shops/online (where you can request small samples for minimal costs) I’ve been really happy with the beautiful quality & skill she does also advise on poles/tracks if you are in SE London pm me.

We got pole for sitting room and put it up ourselves. It looks lovely but it was a total nightmare to put up - took about five evenings and about 2 days before it was straight. Having the same in the bedroom but this time getting Dunelm to put it up along with the made to measure curtains. Ready made curtains don’t seem to come up big enough for Victorian bay windows.

We got John Lewis to measure up and price for a metal rail for our living room bay (Victorian house) a few years ago and it was so expensive! If I remember it was around £500!! Got a rail ordered and fitted from a local fabric/curtain shop in the end for around £150
Would advise a good curtain maker to measure and fit, they get the pleats to sit perfectly and hang just right
Would also advise heavy material, like velvet, if you have draughty windows
It's an expensive purchase but very worth it in the long run

Dunelm. Weight of curtain and means of support will affect choice. You can get bay pole kits.

We have track curved round the bay.

Silent Gliss do rails corded and hand drawn rails for bay windows that can be bent on site to fit you windows I think they also do poles Metro poles I think, you also need to consider what type of heading you want on your curtains.John lewis have curtain adviser service available (free) were they will help you select fabrics etc, what part of the country do you live in ? I know people in this line of work but it depends where you are.