How to Measure and hang the ideal curtains - Ideal Home, Britain's best-selling homes magazine

How to measure and hang curtains

Curtain experts Pret a Vivre give us their top tips to hang the perfect curtains

Putting up curtains can be daunting. Should you choose pencil pleat or eyelet and what about lining? To help you make the right decisions follow our advice by industry experts Pret a Vivre on how to hang curtains

1. Positioning your curtain pole

Your pole should be positioned in the centre of the space between the top of the frame and the ceiling.

Ceilings and the tops of windows are not always 100% horizontal. When fitting the pole line it up to the parallel lines of the ceiling and the window rather than the spirit level. So that it looks correct to the eye.

2. Measuring for a curtain pole or track

Mark with a pencil on the wall the intended position of the track or pole and take measurements from this line.

The track or pole is usually positioned approx 12cm (5”) above the window and 15cm (6”) either side of the window to allow the curtain to be pulled right back.

3. Measuring the length of the curtain depends if you have pole or track

If you have a pole, measure from the eye on the pole ring.

If your have a track, measure from the top of the track.

If you don't have a pole or a track, measure from the line drawn as recommended above

For Eyelet heading, measure from the top of the pole.

4. Choose your heading

There are lots of headings to choose from, including Tape, Fixed and Eyelet, all giving a different effect.

Tape Headings:

Pencil Good for an informal style but may not be suitable for wide windows.
pencilpleat

Gathered Good for a relaxed style but may not be suitable for wide windows.
gather

King Pleat Requires lot of fullness to look its best.

Chef's Cap A good choice if you want your heading to be a different colour from your curtains.
chefs

Pelmet These ae made to be approximately 1/6 of the curtain drop.
pelmet

Fixed headings:

Pinch Pleat or Double/ Triple pleat or French Pleat: Classic and elegant – recommended for wide windows.
pinched

Goblet: traditional and formal
goblet

Other headings:
Eyelet Good for a contemporary look- requires less fabric and stacks back very efficiently.
eyelets

Tie-tops Informal - good for dress curtains only as they are difficult to open and close
tietop

Tab-topsRelaxed - do not open and close easily.
tabtop

Channel or slot heading A pole is fitted through the heading with additional stand-up as option. Good for voiles or dress curtains only.

5. Which Lining to choose

Blackout lining completely blocks out all light (and it is not black!) It also provides good heat and sound insulation. It will keep your room cool in the summer and retain the heat in the winter.

Interlining bulks the curtains to provide a thicker and more insulating curtain, ideal for draughty windows and delicate fabrics. It's very effective for retaining heat and protecting against noise. Interlining is strongly recommended for silks to protect it.

For a range of beautiful made to measure curtains or more curtain information log on to Pret a Vivre

Main picture: Curtains in Dragonfly Oyster, by Clarissa Hulse; Eclectics

Don't know where to start when it comes to choosing and hanging blinds? Check out our expert advice on hanging the ideal blind.

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