Curtain Decorating Idea
Choose a Style

Hello - Charlotte here...

I'm here to help you learn to understand curtain terminology...

...and discover how to choose the style to suit you.

Whether you are buying your curtains ready-made from a store...

...or having them custom made for your room...

...it does make really good sense to have a good idea of the terminology that curtain makers and manufacturers use.

That way, you can get an idea of what you can expect your finished curtain will look like...

Always a good plan!

• For modern curtain headings try:
  • tab tops
  • eyelets

  Choose these give for a contemporary look.

  They give a slimline, smooth curtain, with no fullness, gathers, fussy or fancy bits.

• For standard ready-made curtains you'll get a curtain that is usually gathered or pleated.

  This gives you a 'normal' looking full curtain.

• For made to measure curtains, or if you use a curtain maker, you can choose more unusual and formal headings for your curtain decorating idea.

  These will give your curtains a little bit of individuality and flair.

  The curtain style ideas below will help you know which one to choose...

So, read on to:

• Demystify all the different curtain headings
• Discover what it all means from a practical point of view
• Choose the correct curtain decorating style to suit your home

Choose Your Curtain Style

Tab Top Curtains
Eyelet Curtains
Gathered Curtain Headings
Pencil Pleat Curtains
Box Pleat Curtains
French Pleat Curtains
Cased or Slotted Heading Curtains
Goblet Curtain Headings
Flemish Curtain Headings
Smocked Curtain Headings

Choose your Curtain Decorating Idea

• Tab Tops are a modern and contemporary style, and are actually very simple.
• The curtain is held onto the pole by small 'tabs' of fabric.

  These can match the curtain fabric, or sometimes can be a contrasting color, pattern or even leather - for a more interesting look.

• These curtains are usually nice and cheap to buy
• They are really simple to fit - just slide the tabs onto a pole!
• I really recommend this style for a modern, reasonably priced, easy curtain choice.

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Eyelet Curtains

• Again, (like the tab top curtain, above) this is a modern and simple curtain decorating idea.
• The curtain pole fits through round eyelets, in the top of the curtain.
• This is cheap to buy and easy to fit - just slide on the pole.
• I recommend this style for an easy, modern curtain.

Return to the list of curtain styles.

Gathered Curtain Headings

• Put simply, gathered headings are 'normal' curtains with a standard heading tape on the top.
• You pull the cords at the back, and gather the curtains into informal 'gathers' or loose pleats.
• These give quite a full curtain, with more fabric than the two styles above, but it is still an informal style, suited to a modern or traditional home.

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Pencil Pleat Curtains

• These are more formal gathers - longer, tightly packed 'pleats' at the top of the curtain.
• They are a very practical curtain decorating idea, but give a very neat, ordered finish
• There is plenty of fabric for a nice full curtain style.
• They are quite a popular heading style, both for ready made curtains and custom made curtains.

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Box Pleat Curtains

• A pleated heading, but using wider, rectangular pleats.
• This is quite a formal look, and it looks very smart and unusual
• It is quite smooth and minimal looking, so this style would suit a modern home really well.
• This curtain decorating idea would suit heavy fabrics really well.

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French Pleat Curtains (Or 'Pinch Pleats')

• Another pleated style curtain heading. This time the pleats are arranged in groups of 3 pleats, alternating with larger flat areas.
• This is a very attractive and formal curtain decorating idea - but it can be very practical too - as the pleats mean that the curtain falls into very neat, ordered, full folds.

Return to the list of curtain styles.

Cased or Slotted Heading Curtains

• This is a simple heading where a curtain pole or rail, simply slides into a plain 'slot' or 'tube of fabric' sewn into the curtain.
• The curtain gathers up naturally along the pole - it is an informal curtain decorating idea, and there are no formal 'gathers' actually sewn into the curtain.
• The curtain covers the pole, and is not really designed to open and close along the pole, but just to be held open by tie-backs.
• This style suits a lightweight fabric best - nothing too heavy or stiff - which might not gather up very well.
• Sheer fabrics are the best fabric for this curtain style, as a lot of the window is obscured in this style.

  A heavier fabric would block the light, and make the room dark.

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Goblet Pleat Curtain Headings

• These are a very unusual and interesting, formal, curtain decorating idea.
• The 'goblets' are sewn fabric 'tubes' across the top of the window, which then have a contrasting fabric inside - which gives a really interesting and unusual effect.
• They are complicated to make, so are a bit more expensive to buy.
• They can also be difficult to draw together - so this style only really suits curtains which can be left drawn together at the top (and opened by just pulling the fabric back onto tie-backs) - or for valances.

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Flemish Curtain Headings

• These are goblet pleats, as above, but with a cord or rope added, linking together each pleat at its base.
• Again, this is a complicated, but very attractive, formal curtain decorating idea - and should be treated as the goblet heading above.

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Smocked Curtain Headings

• These are really complicated to sew (although I must admit, I haven't actually tried myself!), so are quite expensive to make.
• They are a very attractive style though, and particularly suit pretty little cottage windows.

Return to the list of curtain styles.

I hope these have given you a pretty good understanding of what all that complicated curtain terminology means now.

Click here for more help with choosing your interior design window treatments.

Click here for info on pelmets, drapes, swags, valances and tie backs - to get your perfect window treatment design idea.

Click here for a guide to measuring for window treatments.

Click here for a guide to buying and hanging window treatments

Click here for a guide to window treatment fabrics.

Still need more info? Look at my selection of window treatment books here!

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