Very Dull and Stupid Question about Curtains - TIA

[Umlellala]

Right, we have had the most beautiful curtains made for our living room. Very heavy, gorgeous teal Laura Ashley fabric, should keep the heat in nicely.

BUT
we haven't got a curtain track at mo, just poles (and inefficient Ikea tab tops). We are very confused. What curtain tracking do we need that will look nice (but not overly expensive). It's a bay window. Or should we go for poles to be 'in keeping' with our Victorian flat house? Won't poles defeat the object of trying to keep the heat in?

Feel VERY stupid but please, can someone tell me what to do. Preferably with links so I can buy straight away. THANK YOU wise mumsnetters .

re looking nicer i think the poles will look far nicer than a track. i'm not sure about keeping the heat in though, we have poles that were here when we moved in, always had roman blinds beofre but not got round to having any made yet.

Poles would probably look better - LA do them! Its best to have the poles / track you want in place before you get the curtains made. Also look in places on line like John Lewis or M&S - I'm sure also Homebase and places like that do poles for bays - they have special connectors to allow the angles to work.

The curtains that you have had made - what type of top does the curtain have, is it a pencil pleat etc?

Yes your curtain maker should have advised getting the poles/tracks in place before making up, but can you use what you have in place or not like it? You may need rings if currently tab top but they are easy to get. Generally, I think pole is stylish but more expensive, not always possible to get a fixing in the wall in bays in older houses so may have to mount on the window frame. Corded track is a popular solution as you aren't forever hauling on heavy curtains to open and close them, Swish do a metal corded track that bends round the bay and it isn't beyond the average handyman to mount. John Lewis will do all of this for you but there is a wait as they come and measure up etc and it is more expensive than organising it all yourself.