What are the Different Types of Curtains

Different types of curtains can offer benefits and styles to suit different rooms in your house. Here are the different types of curtains, what each looks like and how to choose curtains so you can get the perfect style for your home.

What are curtains?

The dictionary defines a curtain as: a piece of material suspended at the top to form a screen, typically movable sideways along a rail and found as one of a pair at a window. The first curtains were introduced into the homes of the rich in the 15th century, and up until then, fabrics were used for wall hangings and on beds. In England, curtains began to replace wooden shutters towards the end of the 16th century. The earliest form of window treatments were leather panels threaded onto iron rods. These were eventually replaced with woven wool panels.

The Victorians tended to use heavy living room curtains often in several layers – this was used as protection from drafts in houses where there were gaps around windows and doors allowing cold air to enter rooms.

Essentially, curtains are panels or sheets of stylish, prepared fabrics, commonly sold in pairs, which are hung from a rod or track which runs above your windows. The primary purpose of curtains is to limit the amount of sunlight entering a room, offer you privacy in rooms around your home, and help decoration and style of your rooms.

Curtains usually hang from the top of windows and reach down the window sill or floor, depending on your preference and the size of the window. You can choose how you open and close your curtains either by manually pulling them to the side to open and close them or, some modern curtains can have remote or electrical opening and closing mechanisms.

Essential functions of curtains:
1. Light control – blocking or filtering sunlight
2. Privacy – keeping your rooms private, especially at night curtains help prevent people outside from seeing in
3. Insulation – keeping rooms temperate by keeping warm air in and preventing direct sunlight in warmer weather
4. Noise reduction – some thicker curtains, with extra lining can absorb sound and make rooms quieter
5. Decoration – adding colour, pattern, and styles to complement the decor of your room

We offer made to measure curtains in a range of designer fabrics with different styles to suit your every need and room. Choose from blackout curtains, harris tweed curtains, sale curtains, linen union curtains, woven curtains and many more luxury fabrics and designs.

The different styles of curtains you choose may vary depending on the windows in your home, the style you want to achieve and the fabric you prefer.

Our made to measure curtains are available in the following styles, with the following pleat styles.

Double and Triple Pleats

These are decorative curtain headings fitted to each window with permanent sewn-in pleats for a luxurious, tailored look; also known as ‘pinch pleats’. This style of heading is recommended for more formal rooms, maybe a dining room or smart sitting room. Double pleats are a little more contemporary than triple pleats. Both have the benefit of several different hook positions, allowing you to alter the length of the curtains if necessary, and can be used with poles and tracks. It is important to carefully measure your track or pole as the curtains are made to an exact fit. It is also easier to put up the pole or track before measuring if possible.

Double Pleat

Triple Pleat

Pencil Pleat Curtains

This curtain heading consists of a 3 inch tape with three rows of string threaded through it for three hook positions to suit all types of track and pole. These are curtains with hooks and are called pencil pleat curtains.

It is so called because fabric folds are gathered closely together when the strings are pulled up to resemble a row of pencils laid side by side. This heading has the benefit of being adjustable in the width if you move house, or want to adapt them to suit a different window in your home.

3″ Pencil Pleat

6″ Pencil Pleat

Cottage Pleat Curtains

This heading will give you an informal gathered look, ideal for use in a kitchen or bedroom. A cottage pleat heading can be used with tracks or poles and can be gathered to suit the required width of your window. These are also curtains with hooks and are called cottage pleat curtains.
In these photos you will see the heading created with two of our depth options: 5cm or 10cm. This is my favourite heading being soft and romantic.

5cm Cottage Pleat

10cm Cottage Pleat

LHS is a 5cm Cottage Pleat header, with the RHS as 10cm.

Flop Over Frill Curtains

This heading will give you an informal gathered look, ideal for use in a kitchen or bedroom.  A cottage pleat heading can be used with tracks or poles and can be gathered to suit the required width of your window. In these photos you will see the heading created with a 1″ tape and 18″ frill.

How do I decide how to line my curtains?

All curtains come with a good quality ivory lining in 100% cotton,  also you can add a warm interlining, (made with 72% cotton and 28% other fibre), for insulation and a more luxurious, ‘full’ look; this is what we call ‘bump’. We have a thinner version of the interlining available for Roman Blinds and Curtains, called ‘domette’.

Should you wish to eliminate light, we also offer blackout lining. Lastly, we can also make your curtains with a contrast lining in any one of our other fabrics, Simple Ticking Detail is a particularly suitable design.

Vanessa

Founder and owner of Vanessa Arbuthnott Fabrics. Vanessa creates content around fabric types, blind styles and curtain designs to best suit the needs of Vanessa Arbuthnott customers.