Advice on buying designer curtains online

It can be an often confusing process for some when considering what window treatments you should choose for your home, especially if you are searching for custom made curtains online and making choices from a distance. The reason for this we find at TM Interiors is some people when looking for made to measure curtains and blinds don't know which type of treatment is suitable for their style of window. If not that then the choice of designer fabrics these days is simply enormous from companies like Osborne and Little, Romo Black, Designers Guild and others. Even after the fabric is chosen there are endless possibilities for curtains poles, and curtain tracks, plus accessories and trimmings, so it's no surprise we are often asked our opinion on things and are all too happy to help customers when choosing made to measure curtains, using the very best designer fabrics and curtains poles and tracks. [ezcol_1half][/ezcol_1half] [ezcol_1half_end][/ezcol_1half_end] So how would we recommend you approach selecting curtains online, or blinds?

Inspiration

Never before has the consumer had the ability to access more resources and tricks and tips than ever before, so take time and enjoy researching the net and looking for themes and styles that reflect your personal taste. A good way to start is why not seek inspiration from some designer fabrics manufacturers and websites and their promotional material, which always will throw up some interesting curtains and styles. Here are just a few from this year covering a range of different designs for curtain fabrics, designer curtain if you like. A few examples of Geometric fabrics used in curtains this year these feature Casamnce fabrics and GP and J Baker. [ezcol_1half][/ezcol_1half] [ezcol_1half_end][/ezcol_1half_end] Some Paisely fabric examples, a fabric design that has seen a resurgence this year, used in these designer curtains from Zoffany and Osborne and Little. [ezcol_1half][/ezcol_1half] [ezcol_1half_end][/ezcol_1half_end] And where would curtains be without floral fabrics, again some more examples by Designers Guild and Romo Black. [ezcol_1half][/ezcol_1half] [ezcol_1half_end][/ezcol_1half_end] We could easily fill the page, but following this you can always head over to websites such as www.houzz.com or www.pinterest.com and visit some top interior designers pages and boards and see what they do for window treatments. Create your own personal scrapbook for reference. A little side-traction inspiration here but we are looking forward to working with this designer fabric from Chivasso - Jungle-Fever-CH2815-060 a stunning digital print available from Jab fabrics. [ezcol_1half][/ezcol_1half] [ezcol_1half_end][/ezcol_1half_end]

Research

Once your full of inspiration start to research online curtain companies with a view of  selecting the natural curtain company. What we mean by this is, select a company that is clearly established has examples of curtain work on their webpage, testimonials of happy customers, and even better they should have their own in-house workroom just, like ours with over 35 years experience working with the very best designer fabric brands like Zoffany, Elitis, Zimmer and Rohde. That way if your spending a fair amount of money on your designer fabric you can rest assured that the custom made curtains your require are being crafted into curtains of the best quality. Don't fall for any gimmicks like curtains made for free, if your deciding to use the best quality fabrics.

 

Others may call themselves, or consider themselves the natural curtain company but if they outsource their work to curtain workrooms and others, even like John Lewis are known to, then can they really call themselves that? We are not saying that there are not decent curtain makers working for these companies, but just giving you food for thought in terms of your research finding curtains online. Choose a company that cares about it's reputation and has a history, and that way you can be assured of quality designer curtains and blinds. A sure way to check if the company you are considering for the work is of  high standard is to see if they offer a hand sewn making services, or custom made options such as adding that all important trim or bespoke tie-backs. Companies like ours offer both a hand sewn and machine finish option when using our made to measure curtain services, these are not just off the shelf. Also does the company offer a full installation and hanging service with the ability to fix curtains tracks, poles, pelmets and valances and even shutters? We provide this service within a 60-90 mile radius of our offices (dependent on the job) which therefore includes down south to London and Greater London aswell as up North to the likes of Nottingham, and across to Birmingham. Here is one of many roman blinds recently installed in a London apartment. So once you have researched online curtain companies what next?

Design Plan/Colour Scheme

Well start considering your design plan and colour scheme. We are talking about window treatments here and this goes slighty beyond general advice on buying curtains online so briefly ask yourself some questions, and take into consideration if your working with existing decor and furniture or starting from scratch. Do your curtains need to tie in with existing furniture of carpets for example. Not only should you be considering the colour scheme but it is also a good time to start contemplating what style of curtain or blind will suit not only the room, but the design of the window you are treating. There are many window treatments and styles to consider from contemporary to classic, swags and tails, drapes, sheers or voiles. [ezcol_1half][/ezcol_1half] [ezcol_1half_end][/ezcol_1half_end] It is also a good time to mull over the type of designer fabric eg linen, silk, cotton and the effect these different textures can have to the feel of the room, and how they hang. Of course looking for curtain fabrics online is not ideal so we would recommend requesting some cuttings, or free fabric samples, to help you best understand the colour and texture of fabric your considering, but this goes without saying.

Curtain Headings

Once your clear on the fabric and the overall look your trying to achieve through the design. Closely linked in with this is your choice of headings for your curtains. It is vital you choose the heading and design that is right for the room. You can achieve more of a traditional classic formal look with standard headings like pencil pleat headings and triple pleat whereas eyelet headings for example can produce more contemporary, modern curtains. [ezcol_1third][/ezcol_1third] [ezcol_1third][/ezcol_1third] [ezcol_1third_end][/ezcol_1third_end] Different headings, and choice of fabric, can be more appropriate for different curtain systems i.e. eyelet headed curtains must be used on a curtain pole for example. Sometimes problematic window designs must be treated where curtains are not appropriate and a good curtain company will be able to offer alternative solutions like we do As mentioned the design and heading style can often determine the choice of curtain track or blind system but if you have opted for luxurious and hardwearing curtains, using quality fabrics from the likes of Dedar or Zimmer and Rohde for example we would advise you have the best quality track or pole, and consider companies like Silent Gliss, Byron & Byron and Hunter Douglas to avoid potential wear and tear using sub standard systems.

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Also again make sure you use a good quality lining and don't fall foul of these companies that offer curtains made for free, or free lining with your curtains as these are generally not the best.

Curtain Trimmings / Boarders

Where accessories and trimmings are concerned this is where you can allow your creativity to develop even further and take your curtains designs and make the curtains look extra special in the design of the room. Here is an example where we added a beaded trim on this roman blind to tie in other elements of the room with the window treatment. Boarders can be added to the leading edge almost defining the shape and form of the curtain, custom made tiebacks made to measure can finish the curtain beautifully also. Here we helped a client in London have a custom made curtain by using the patterned fabric as a boarder on the heading and bottom and using the matching plain to create a panel curtain, which made quite a neat door curtain and at the same time saved on their budget. Designer fabric companies like Houlès have extensive ranges of exquisite trimmings, but even Osborne and Little, Zoffany and Designers Guild have ranges of trimmings and accessories to co-ordinate well with their ranges of fabrics. [ezcol_1third][/ezcol_1third] [ezcol_1third][/ezcol_1third] [ezcol_1third_end][/ezcol_1third_end]

Ask for advice.

Once you have decided if you have any doubts, don't be afraid to ask for advice. There are times where curtains can be a bad choice so a soft blind like a roman blind, drapes, sheers, voiles or hard blind and shutters would be a better choice. Just like with curtain headings there are a few different styles of soft blinds, and drapes which can be custom made with a designer fabric of your choice. A good company with interior design advice should be able to produce a solution to even the most problematic of windows. We have and continue to produce custom made curtains from our own in-house workroom so if you are choosing made to measure curtains online, be sure to consider all these points before making your purchase. Here is a review from a customer who we produced two pairs of triple pinch pleat curtains in a Designers Guild fabric and packaged and sent by courier to London the fabric used is Designers Guild Rosenhalm Charcoal. I could not have been happier at the quality of the curtains I had made. They are simply excellent. And look superb. It was a very easy transaction and TMI were most helpful doing all that they said they would. My curtains were couriered to me, so well packed and so well protected that I simply had to hang them (strangely, they didn't include someone inside the package to do that...) and there wasn't so much as one single wrinkle. I would have given them "Excellent" if that had been an opportunity. Thank you TMI. This review can be seen at our company page at www.reviews.co.uk If you need any assistance please do not hesitate to contact us on 01733 230499 or email info@tm-interiors.co.uk.