Any Curtain Experts?

[DeeCrepid]

I have a large patio window in my sitting room. I requested a home visit by John Lewis to measure and quote. I had wanted eyelet curtains but he said it would not be possible. He then said if I wanted that 'look' I could use a Silent Gliss curtain rail. I have just received the quote and it is for £1450, (possibly more) The material I chose was only £17 a metre!

Researching on the internet I cannot find any reason why eyelet curtains would not work. The width of the rail is 440cm. The curtain pole has a centre support.

Does anyone know of any reason why eyelet curtains would not work?

Is there much clearance between the top of the window and the ceiling? Eyelet curtains need some clearance above the pole so that might be it?

The cost of the material will also depend on any pattern repeat and how wide the window is in relation to the width of the fabric. You typically need 1 1/2 to 2x the width of the window in fabric across, before allowing for any pattern matching and matching across the two curtains. So you may thing you have 8.4m2 of window to cover, but actually you need a far greater amount of fabric, plus linings, plus making up charge, etc.

wowfudge I see what you mean about patterns on material etc.
The material cost was £650 but the special Silent Gliss curtain track was £588 and then £165 fitting. Just having Eyelet curtains made up and using a simple brass pole would be cheaper but he said that Eyelet curtains were not available.

Eyelet curtains look a bit strange when open on large windows IMHO. The balance of material to window often looks wrong. I think it is something to do with the fact that they often use/need less material to cover a window.

I had some on patio doors in my last house and they looked odd tbh, but they were cheap Ikea ones, not professional made to measure affairs.

Why don't you find a seamtress/someone who makes up curtains and get them to quote you for making them? Try to get recommendations.
You'll need to tell them the fabric width and pattern repeat details and they'll be able to tell you how much fabric you need. You buy the fabric and they make them up for you.

Buy your own pole and fit it - it needs to be sturdy enough to take the weight of the curtains. It's not a big job to fit a curtain pole, providing you, or someone you know, can use a drill competently. Do check there is enough space for the look you want with the curtains.

I'm intrigued now that you were told eyelet curtains were not available. Have you tried the tool on the John Lewis website where you choose your fabric, header type, put the dimensions in, etc? I'd check that with your chosen fabric and if it allows you to put eyelet in as an option, go back and query why you've been told it isn't available.

Eyelet curtains would work with the right fabric. With some fabrics though it would not work (due to size/weight of the curtain fabric weave that sort of thing...).

The guy who came out to your house will probably be a salesman and not a seamstress/curtain maker. To make things easier for their sales guys, and to avoid them selling things that will go wrong, JL probably apply a blanket approach that they do not make eyelet topped curtains over a certain size.

If I were buying curtains then I would personally go to a good independent shop and get quotes from there too, we have two shops near us and they make curtains on site, they send out people who know which fabric will/won't work.

Thanks for all the helpful advice. I will contact a local store and see what their advice is.