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Original poster

where can I get reasonable curtains for high ceiling house!

67 replies

saddowizca · 04/12/2021 16:17

It seems that all of the reasons that we loved our 1930's house mean that we'll need a separate mortgage for the curtains!
I need curtains and tracks for semicircular bay windows - curtains just down to the window sill width 300 drop 176, and for the doors into the garden width 300 drop 274.
I've tried dunelm, next, john lewis, made, ikea, habitat but can't find the size I need. I have tried Brittania Rose for made to measure but they come up too expensive.
I'm either after William Morris prints, or plain, but not velvet.
Any good curtain suggestions? I guess I'd pay £200-£300 per window, and I'm in London
Thanks in advance :)

OP posts:
MaryLennoxsScowl · 04/12/2021 16:23

La redoute do long curtains, but you’ll need to get two curtains for each side and sew them together. I added curtain tape to mine to give me proper tops rather than tab tops. IKEA used to do 300cm curtains that could then be hemmed but I think they’ve discontinued them all. Try Etsy for bespoke makers for William Morris curtains.

InTheLabyrinth · 04/12/2021 16:24

I had 2 pairs (so 4 curtains) of IKEA curtains in my bay window. They do 250 drop and the odd 300.
Can you find what you like in the right length, and either just have extra curtains, or find someone to stitch them together?

trickyex · 04/12/2021 16:29

Ebay.

PermanentlyTired03 · 04/12/2021 16:52

Blinds2go- they do really reasonable made to measure blinds and curtains. They are online but you can order free swatches of fabric.
My house is 1900s so I feel your pain!

PotteringAlong · 04/12/2021 16:55

I got mine from Dunelm, but they had to order them in. Have you tried in store with the made to measure service?

Original poster
saddowizca · 04/12/2021 17:27

La redoute and blinds2go sound good- haven’t tried them before thanks @per*@PermanentlyTired03@MaryLennoxsScowl and I have looked at eBay @trickyex* but they’re all in inches which confused me. I assume postage is expensive.
Thanks so much everyone- much appreciated 🙏

OP posts:
SwedishEdith · 04/12/2021 17:31

Try Terry's as well. I have 2 sets in our bay and, tbh, I think they'd look better with another set but we rarely close them so am not thinking about for now.

trickyex · 04/12/2021 17:36

Work out the drop you need, convert to inches and then search.
Do you like velvet or linen? There are good sellers on ebay who have large curtains, will find details if you like?
I have bought several pairs with long drops on ebay.

sqirrelfriends · 04/12/2021 17:42

This shop does a 300 drop and I'm sure I've had that long from IKEA before, but as pp have said, they may have been discontinued.

https://www.attpynta.com/products/velvet-curtains-petrol?variant=37801154085048&currency=GBP&utmmedium=producttsync&utmsource=google&utmmcontent=sagorganic&utmmcampaign=sagorganic&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIp5arg9jK9AIVkmDmCh17vwe2EAQYBSABEgLetvDDBwE

trickyex · 04/12/2021 17:42

wow that was a long link...
saw you dont want velvet so have linked to the linen seller and the W Morris ones popped up when I searched long linen curtains on ebay

Warmduscher · 04/12/2021 17:46

We are in exactly the same position with our 1930s house and its two curved bays - one in the living room and one in our bedroom.

Luckily the previous owner, who had lived here since 1946, kept the original metal curtain track in the living room, as well as the floor-length moss-green velvet curtains so we didn’t have to do anything there.

Different story in our bedroom - we had to take the curtain track down as we had the bay replastered and the builder threw it away Sad.

So we’re looking at a bespoke black metal curtain pole, but it will cost about £450. This is our forever home though, so I think it’s worth it!

AlfonsoTheUnrepentant · 04/12/2021 17:46

The attpynta curtains are pretty but eye-wateringly expensive, especially as they sell individual curtains, not pairs.

Warmduscher · 04/12/2021 17:47

I wouldn’t get blinds in a curved bay - we considered it but it would have needed five separate blinds and I just felt it would have looked a bit rubbish.

yikesanotherbooboo · 04/12/2021 17:49

I have bought curtains in JohnLewis and Laura Ashley from the returned/ seconds bin. You can strike lucky so keep your eyes peeled.it is also worth looking in charity shops and on eBay as people redecorate and get rid of curtains which, if well made in the first place have got years left in them.
There used to be a curtain exchange locally but it has gone... not sure if they still exist elsewhere.
Beyond that I second Blinds2Go; designer friends have several beautiful properties and swear by them.

yikesanotherbooboo · 04/12/2021 17:49

Forgot to say, local paper for small ads.

mareep · 04/12/2021 18:19

I've just picked some up from Facebook marketplace as the owner had just got shutters instead.

Original poster
saddowizca · 04/12/2021 19:10

crikey @trickyex that was a massive link, but what lovely curtains. I might investigate further!
Your vendor sounds lovely @Warmduscher, our previous owners left us vertical blinds which i hate i like curtains to feel cosy. We did think about a curtain pole in our bay and found a nice iron one that we were saving up for. We then stayed in a holiday cottage with iron pole and rings, and they were surprisingly noisy when pulling the curtains.
Ikea don't do 300 length curtains anymore sadly.
Thanks again everyone - off down an ebay wormhole now :)

OP posts:
BertieBotts · 04/12/2021 19:12

IKEA ones are massive, we had to hem them, they always used to come with ironing tape to do it with.

Skysblue · 04/12/2021 19:15

If you google, there are loads of inexpensive sites that do made to measure. We used curtains2go (don’t let the name put you off, the curtains were perfect), and somewhere else I forget. Or ask on a local facebook group and there will probably be a seamstress or similar in your area who makes curtains.

BertieBotts · 04/12/2021 19:15

You're right though there are hardly any 300cm ones on the UK site. They're all still 300cm here in Germany! Brexit tax? Confused

Caspianberg · 04/12/2021 19:17

IKEA. They still do 300cm drop. We have lots and still have a set to shortened as way too long for ours

ponkydonkey · 04/12/2021 19:18

You'll have to get them made up
They will last forever though!

I bought the fabric and sent them to a curtain maker in wales that I found on eBay years ago

Tripe punch pleat I love them and they were worth every penny

Clymene · 04/12/2021 19:23

I have 4 John Lewis curtains at my bay. I haven't even bothered to sew them together they have enough fabric that there's no gaps