Please help with my very boring curtains question, I am rubbish at this stuff

[used2bthin]

I am about to get curtains for DD's room. I want them to either be heavily lined or black out ones. I want them to look nice, a bit girly or neutral is ok but not OTT princess stuff as she is only two and not into it all anyway. I need to buy the pole or trakers or whatever (can't even decide which!) by this weekend so the landlord can come and fit it. And I haven't got a clue where to start, help!

You can get black out linings - I got some in Harry Corrys. they are heavy and don't hang as prettily but are great at keeping the sunlight out!! Make sure they cover the whole window area. Or buy a blackout blind - I got one in Argos that had animals on it (years ago now). A pole will hold the curtain away from the window so may let some light in around the edges - thats why I got a blind instead as it can fit in the window recess and therefore be closer to the glass.

You can buy good curtains from HArry COrry - usually lined and al for you. Maybe something with flowers on??

The Great Little Trading Company www.gltc.co.uk has some nice tab top curtains which are not too girly (one pair is white with red gingham hearts). They also have plain blackout blinds, and detachable linings which you hook on to your existing curtains.
Poles or tracks are just a matter of opinion really, although obviously if you go for tab top you'll need a pole to feed through.
I prefer poles as I don't think a plastic track looks good on show - fine if it's covered by a pelmet though.

Okay, also www.aspace.co.uk have lovely non-girly curtains, plus blackout curtains which I think you'd just hang from the same pole behind the main curtains iyswim.
And www.sleepovercompany.com - again lovely choices and I think you can opt for a blackout lining - but bear in mind that blackout fabric is quite stiff and the curtains don't hang so well, which is why some people go for separate curtains or blinds.

All of the above have co-ordinating duvet covers/cushions/rugs etc. So plenty of opportunity to spend (or put on birthday lists for grandparents!)

Thanks I will have a look at those links now. Nontoxic what is a pelmet? So may need to buy black out stuff separately? Is it tricky to attach? I can't sew!

ooh gltc have got some in the sale with black out already attached. I want to go and measure now but can't in case I wake DD!

Think of 'pelmet skirt' and you've got the idea.
It's like a mini curtain hung over the main curtains - purely decorative.
You won't have to have blackout stuff separately, some of the sites offer curtains with bo lining, but the curtains hang slightly better without it.
I don't think blackouts are tricky to add - they come with hooks and you just hang them on the back of normal curtains (these would be standard gathered heading not tab tops as tab tops have no heading tape to attach the lining to.)
I hope I'm not confusing you.

Found some on GLTC that look ok they are lined already and the right size.They are also on sale! They are pleat top though, thats for trackers isn't it?

When you say 'pleat top' do you mean they look as if they've been gathered? That is known as standard heading and can be hung from a pole or track.
The pole has rings on it which you can hook the curtain through, just as the track has little rings on the underside for the same purpose.

The description says they are ready made pleated curtains, so does this mean they could be hung on either? Great if so, I will order them (and NOTHING else tempting as it is... )

I think they're probably pencil pleated, which is another type of heading - it just uses a wider tape than standard so produces neater pleats.

You can use either a pole or a track - but the pole must have the rings on it, with a little eyelet on each one to attach the hooks to.

these people have some fun designs

Thanks I have ordered the GLTC ones. Hope they are ok as I'm not sure my measuring made much sense. I am truly clueless when it comes to anything practical. Honestly I am an intelligent woman most of the time!