Curtain Alterations - Waste Not Want Not

Here at Curtains Made Simple, as well as providing custom made curtains, bespoke blinds and other household textiles, we also specialise in curtain alterations and roman blind alterations.

In this sense we can alter the heading of your curtains or blinds, put in a different lining and increase or decrease the size and fabric. It’s a great way to save money if, for instance, you’ve moved home and your much-loved curtains or blinds don’t quite fit the windows in your new property but you don’t want to throw the fabric out or give it away. You’ll find, incidentally, that windows in an older property tend to vary in length and height whereas those in a newer property tend to be uniform throughout the building.

Another reason for thinking about curtain alteration is to give a boost to your current curtains. Perhaps you like the pattern and texture but are a bit fed up with the style. What you could do is alter the heading on them so they hang differently and maybe even shorten or lengthen them.

The following curtains from designer Kate Forman dramatically frame this floor to ceiling length bay window:

Changing the Curtain Heading

Sometimes your new curtain pole doesn’t fit your eyelet curtains or tab tops. That’s fine – we’ll enlarge them (the curtains) for you. We can also alter the way your curtains hang eg such as re-designing them to have a more gathered look. Different heading types for curtains include double pleat, triple pleat, inverted pleat and pencil pleat, amongst others. It’s also perfectly possible to alter the type of curtain heading you currently have to another form. Blinds can also be easily altered, particularly fabric roller versions.

Curtain Alterations and Sill Lengths

On the whole curtains which are described as ‘window sill length’ finish around 1/5cm above the actual sill while curtains that fall below the sill measure around 15cm longer than the sill. Floor length curtains are usually around 1/5cm from the bottom of the floor. You can also let them fall onto the floor in a ‘pool’ fashion by having another 15cm added.

The following below sill length curtains are by British designer Emily Burningham, from her Roomshots Collection:

Adding Lining to Curtains

Adding lining to your curtains can make them hang differently. It will also increase their thickness of course, which in turn can make them more effective in blocking out any outdoor light. Curtain lining comes in many forms such as cotton and black out lining. The latter tends to comprise of acrylic, are extremely hard wearing and don’t let any light through into the room whatsoever. Like curtains, linings can also be custom made.

Specialist Curtain and Blind Designers

In the UK we’re fortunate enough to have a number of incredibly talented fabric designers right on our doorstep, many of whom specialise in fabric for curtains and blinds. These include the likes of former Welsh design house Elanbach with its country-themed collections, Prestigious Textiles who’s 25 years anniversary autumn/winter collection is certainly worth a look, and the high street darling Cath Kidston who is as popular as ever and continues to extend her brand ever further every year. Why not take a look today if you’re in the mood for new curtains – or you may pick up some ideas for your curtain alterations.