Numpty curtain width/pole length question, this way please!

[ampere]

We have just bought. We have a long front room with a 175cm wide French window one end and a 175cm more shallow window the other end. There are, oddly, no curtain poles (there are vertical blinds) or evidence of there ever being any in situ. The room is 310 cms wide ie we have 70 cms each side of each window to 'play' with.

We want to curtain the room and are keen on eyelet top curtains.

Things is- do we install really long poles to within a few cms of the side walls or shorter ones seeing as I believe that eyelet top curtains don't need much 'stowage' space once they're open. By stowage I mean that big, bunched up curtains need more pole otherwise when open they still obscure quite a lot of window opening. However, we also want to avoid the 'look' where the curtains open wider than the opening and you can see wall either side..

These are the poles I like:
here

Your guidance and advice please!

bump?

Could you get an extendable pole so that you can see what works best?

OK, this is all IMO, but I think putting the pole all the way to the side walls is a bad idea. Depending on the thickness of your curtains, I would say you wouldn't need more than 15cm past the edge of the window (but it is down to personal taste) The pole you linked to is fine (although maybe a waste as you wouldn't really need to extend it much more than the minimum 200cm) BUT as it is an extendable pole you can just play with the widths when you get it home. Do whatever looks best

Hi Ampere, you are talking about the 'stack' of the curtains, and it differs by width of window and how thick your curtains are, rather than by heading style.

On a window as wide as yours I would recommend working to a stack of 20-25cm either side as you have the space.

If you are going to get eyelet curtains and think you are unlikely to change then you can get an eyelet pole (without the rings). Check the diameter of the pole - most eyelets require max 28mm pole.

HTH

Thanks very much all, - very helpful as ever!