Curtain Fabrics and Finishes Explained

SILK  – ETERNALLY THE EPITOME OF LUXURY AND VIBRANCE

Silk offers the most vibrant of colour palettes for both curtains and blinds

Silk curtains and silk window blinds exude a sense of luxury as the daylight shimmers across the fabulous colours, the range of the colour palettes only being achievable in a silk fabric. The one disadvantage of using silk for curtains is that unless they are fitted on a North facing window, then adequate protection will be needed to ensure that the curtains do not become damaged from the rays of the sun.

If the curtains are to be used at a window without the protection of a blind, they must certainly be lined and better still interlined as the interlining will give added protection as well as an extra touch of decadence. Interlining the curtains with one of the more formal headings will mean that unless the windows are particularly large, curtain holdbacks or tie-backs will need to be used to keep the windows free of the curtains during the day to maximise the amount of light in the room and also to protect the leading edge of the curtains as they will be held back away from the full impact of the suns harmful rays.

Curtain tie-backs add style as well as good levels of light in a room

If your curtains do not have a pelmet or valance and the headings are on full view, then especially with silk it is best to pay for professional workmanship. Hand-sewn headings always look best as do hand-sewn curtain hems, lead edges and any trimmings. No matter how skilled a machinist, silk curtains in particular will not hang as well if they are not hand-made.

Eyelet Curtains Naturally Fall in Attractive Folds

If you want a very 21^st century look for your windows, then definitely avoid heavy pelmets such as Swags and Tails or Triple Pinch Pleat headings, which are also sometimes known as French Pleats. A modern curtain treatment that calls for a more formal traditional finish depends quite heavily on the style of curtain pole chosen.

Wooden Curtain Poles can be finished in many Stunning Colour Options

There are some simply exquisite wooden curtain poles that are every bit as decorative as the old fashioned preferences for very ornate pelmets, ensuring that the curtains will be the primary decorative feature of the room. The Cameron and Fuller wooden curtain pole makes a great partner for luxury, the light wood finishes such as the Ivory Wood Wash, special finish wooden curtain pole – adding a sense of space, the gilt finish a feeling of decadence and the dark wood finishes such as the Byron and Byron wooden curtain pole offering more a sense of intimate tradition especially if the finish also includes a combination of both gilt and dark stain.

Certain Wooden Curtain Poles are available in many stunning colours

The curtains headings that are best suited to this style of decorative pole would be double or single pinch pleat (a modern take on the old fashioned triple pinch pleats), goblet headings or curtains with an overhang, the soft folds of fabric creating a soft valance effect.

For a more contemporary look, eyelet curtains are the most popular choice, but this type of heading requires a very informal curtain pole – make sure that the eyelets of the curtains match the metal finish of the curtain pole. The eyelet curtain pole is imposing enough to make a statement whilst maintaining a very up to date look.

Eyelet Curtain Poles do not require Curtain Rings

Eyelet curtains or curtains with the very modern wave heading finishes fold back into structured pleats when they are opened so do not require holdbacks or tiebacks as the concertina effect of the curtains when they are open is part of the detailing of the curtain treatment.

Contact Poles and Blinds – For all your curtain poles and window blind needs
Tel: 0845 4650101
International Calls: 00441243 586660
Email: info@polesandblinds.com

Bay Windows – Not to be Ignored

Curtain Poles For Bay Windows

Bay windows are a great feature in any room, but to get the most from your bay and also to give the feeling of expanding the square footage of the room, use the bay as an equally important area as the rest of the room and not just somewhere to place a large indoor plant. A large bay window with relevant bay window blinds (recent trends including blackout blinds) makes a great place to use as a small office area if you do not have that facility anywhere else in the house or you can add more free standing seating or build window seats around the bay.

Window seats can be built quite quickly and easily and then cushioned with a fabric that co-ordinates with the curtains or blinds in the bay. Make sure that whoever is building the window seats fits a hinged lid as this makes a wonderful storage area.

Adding plenty of plants and flowers around the garden outside the bay window will create a great “outdoor” seating area indoors.

Bay windows used to be notoriously difficult to dress, the pole or track having to be made to measure at the factory. This mercifully is a thing of the past, many curtain poles having innovative corner joints that will enable the pole to fit exactly to your bay, with the correct bend being achieved when fitting the pole. A very popular example of this being the Sunflex Belgravia Curtain Pole

Curtain tracks are also more adaptable, many supplied with a simple bending fitment that will again enable the track to fit your specific requirements when being fitted. A very easy to fit example of a bay window track being the Speedy Fineline Curtain Track

Various types of blinds are also very good to fit in a bay window, roller blinds often being accompanied by “dressed” curtains (curtains that are more aesthetic than practical as they usually remain open and fitted in front of the bay). Roller blinds are particularly adapt at being used for the most difficult of situations as they are easy to fit and come in such a wide range of sizes and colours.

Roller Blinds - A Go Anywhere Type of Blind

Roman blinds are more flamboyant than roller blinds, the layers of fabric giving a softer look than the minimal lines of a roller blind and therefore a more luxurious finish to the bay.

Roman Blinds for an Elegant Bay

Venetian blinds, either metal or wooden fit well into a bay, the metal finish giving a chic modern feel, whilst the wooden venetian blind will introduce a more sensual oriental finish to your bay.

Wooden or Metal Venetian Blinds offer a very sensual setting

Vertical blinds are the only style of blind that can actually fit in a continual run around the bay, but the track will have to be bent at the factory.

Vertical Blinds have to be Custom Made to fit the bay window

Contact Poles and Blinds – For all your bay window and window blind needs
Tel: 0845 4650101
International Calls: 00441243 586660
Email: info@polesandblinds.com

Try to Cheer Up – Get Active with your Interior – Blinds

Window blinds can cheer you up – if you do not belive me read on…

Happy Family Holidays

We are now getting really fed up with the weather and with ours and indeed most people’s Christmases in ruins let’s be positive and try to think towards and remember back to the warm summer sunshine lifting our spirits.

If you are marooned at home then it’s a good time to get out the paint pot and immerse yourself in a project. Whilst you may not fancy slogging around the freezing shops, shopping online offers the easy option, especially with sites such as poles and blinds that are accompanied by informative buying guides and a blog.

Venetian Blinds are Ideal for Patio Doors

Venetian blinds are a great way to dress patio doors. They can open fully out of the way when the door has plenty of traffic, most can be wiped clean, catering for the odd spillage at the barbeque and can be closed tightly at night offering complete or partial privacy as the case may be. Venetian blinds are available in a wide range of colours and many of the fabrics are also available with special properties to deal with the issues that often arise with a sunny south facing window.

Vertical Blinds are a Multi-functional Window Finish

A vertical blind makes an ideal finish for the smallest of windows as it stacks neatly to one side of the window allowing for maximum light to enter the room or can be used in series to deal with the largest of windows. Bay windows can also be fitted with vertical blinds, with each section of the window being fitted with an individual blind.

Many of the vertical blinds are also available as roller blinds so they can be used in the same or adjoining rooms for a co-ordinated look.

Colours of course will have a great impact on the look and feel of the room. Whoever said that Blue and Green should never be seen was talking absolute rubbish, they are on the same side of the colour wheel and to my mind as long as the blue is a greeny blue and not a reddy blue and the green is not a yellowy or muddy olive green they will make a fresh and vibrant combination.

You have to be very brave to use black or dark grey as the main colour in a scheme, it can be quite claustrophobic with scary connotations. Black can however if combined with other colours and textures look absolutely stunning.

Dark blue will happily blend with any colour. Usually blue is associated with a calm and restful decor but as shown with the drama of black and dark grey, looks superb in an uncluttered decor that is inherently very 21st century.

Red accessories and window finishes set against a black feature wall will offer a striking explosion of colour and with just the inclusion of a bamboo plant can instantly look quite Japanese – black used in interior design is thought to be lucky in many Asian cultures.

Polesandblinds.com Ltd.
Curtain Tracks – Roller Blinds – Curtain Poles – More
Tel: 0845 4650101
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Informal Classical Look – Your Choice of Curtain Poles & Blinds

A Vintage Curtain Finish to Compliment the Furniture

An Informal Classical Look oozes with period charm which is very much maintained by your choice curtain poles and blinds as well as the furniture.  French Painted furniture and the choice of curtain fabric in the image above say it all.  The curtains have been made from a Toile design fabric. This type of decorating pattern originated in France in the late 18^th century and has enjoyed a good level of popularity ever since.  The design is usually set on a cream or white background plus a single colour for the design, usually dark red, green, blue, brown or black and consists of very complicated period country scenes or cherubs. The design is very popular not only for fabrics, wallpaper and blinds, but is often also often used for bedding and china.

The deep box pelmet of the curtains above has a curtain track fitted underneath to hold the curtains. If the curtains are a light weight fabric then a simple plastic curtain track will be sufficient, but as in this instance, the curtains are quite heavy as they are interlined and the fabric has a light background so to avoid marking the leading edge of the curtains with constant handling, a good quality metal curtain track with a pull cord to draw the curtains has been used.

Integra Plastic Curtain Track

Integra Ultra-Glide Curtain Track

The Cherub Cornflower and Cherub Red Roman blinds show this fabric off to its best advantage as the blind, when open is a flat panel of fabric, unlike curtains that will always be viewed in a fold. Both these blinds can be used as blackout blinds, ideal for a bedroom as a blackout lining can be used if required.

A Delicate Finish for a Bedroom Window

An Extremely Attractive Blackout Blind

A matching throw bedspread casually yet carefully placed on the bed gives the impression of easy living, but in fact a great deal of thought has gone into this informal classical look. The curtains although quite formal with a deep pelmet detail are not at all claustrophobic as the room has a high ceiling.

The biggest bed possible in the Master bedroom is the ideal, not only for a close knit family where everyone can pile into on a Sunday morning, but also for a great look.  Your bedroom is the place where you are your most venerable, and need to feel the safest.  A good thick duvet or blankets are more comforting to snuggle under than a light duvet and a few drops of lavender oil on your pillow may well help you to sleep better and will also give a fresh country feel.

Polesandblinds.com Ltd.
Curtain Poles, Window Blinds & Accessories
17 Harefield Road
Middleton on sea
West Sussex
PO22 6EE

Tel: 0845 4650101
International Calls: 00441243 586660

Email: info@polesandblinds.com

24 hour Shopping: Window Blinds

Whether you are nipping into Tesco’s for a packet of sugar at 3.00 o clock in the morning or doing your Christmas shopping on a Sunday afternoon, the convenience of the shops being open for extended hours is now a matter of course.

Buying on-line is also definitely here to stay.  Shopping online allows you to buy whatever you wish whilst also cooking supper or during the ads of your favourite television programme – no need to tire yourself out dragging around the shops only to find a very limited range of products ranging from microwave meals to window blinds.  It would be physically impossible for the shops to carry the vast selection of ranges that on-line buying offers, no matter what you are looking for.

Choosing your new look for a room or indeed the whole house can be exciting, but take a step back and do a bit of on-line research with a professional company such as Polesandblinds so you can consider the most effective way to go about it.  Are you looking for a relaxed or formal classical look or a relaxed or formal modern look?

What's It to Be - Trendy or Traditional

The colour scheme is the building block for the rest of the scheme to be built upon. Consider if you are opting for wallpaper or paint for the walls. There are many fabulous wallpaper choices often with matching or co-ordinating fabrics. A great look which is now back in favour is to paper a feature wall with a paper that will co-ordinate with the fabric.  Harlequin Fabrics, Sandersons and John Wilman spring to mind as the first port of call to find exactly what you are looking for with combination wallpapers and fabrics.

Chic or Simple - Florals Appeal to Most

If painted walls are your preference then there are literally thousands of paint colours so leave making that decision until later, you will certainly find a colour to suit the scheme. Once you have chosen the colour theme, then choose your fabrics and window treatments both of which should try to be in keeping with the architectural style of the room as well as the furniture.

There have been many remarkable strides forward with the design and manufacture of curtain poles and blinds over the last few years.  It can however be a minefield trying to decide which is best suited to your decor or type of window. There are many different types, weights and sizes of curtain poles, finial designs and styles of blinds so a little knowledge on the subject may well help you to make the right decision.

Contact Us
Window Blinds, Curtain Poles, Tracks & Accessories
Polesandblinds.com Ltd.
17 Harefield Road
Middleton on sea
West Sussex
PO22 6EE
Tel: 0845 4650101
International Calls: 00441243 586660
Email: info@polesandblinds.com

Will We Ever Be Satisfied

The amazing choice of soft furnishing fabrics, curtain poles, blinds and wall coverings available on the market today offer many hours of tinkering on the surface with your decor without the need to tear down walls or indeed constantly be on the move.

Blending Tradition with Technology.

Our homes today are full of technology and can easily become cold and clinical without careful thought being given to the choice of colours and home accessories used. Keeping in touch with the natural elements and including them in some way in your decor will always help to maintain harmony and balance.  A white or soft neutral coloured theme makes a great starting point as   colours can be added with gay abandon or with delicate subtlety. A neutral theme has total disregard for the depth or intensity of the accompanying colours and the odd mishap can easily be rectified.

White or tonal shades of white make a great choice for certain rooms such as the main or guest bedroom having the capability of being suitable for just about every look from traditionally romantic to modern luxury, bouncing light into every corner, enhancing the feeling of space and airiness.

White Makes a Stunning Backdrop for Anything

And remember that no matter how badly the day went or how uncertain you are about your tomorrows, your bed will always be your safe haven, a place to call your own for your own time and space, so make it a pleasure to be in.  Buy the best bed you can afford, after all you spend a third of your life there and do not cut corners on the decor.

White curtain poles in every shape and size are readily available as are all types of blinds. Minute hints of tonal shades of white or self coloured textures give a tempting relief for an otherwise completely white finish and likewise many white curtain poles have a glimmer of gilt to give just the merest touch of decadence.

A Hint of Eloquence

 

 

 

Contact Us
Curtain Poles, Blinds & Window Accessories
Polesandblinds.com Ltd.
17 Harefield Road
Middleton on sea
West Sussex
PO22 6EE
Tel: 0845 4650101
International Calls: 00441243 586660
Email: info@polesandblinds.com

Soothing But Can Have a Kick

Green makes a great colour choice for any type of blind – taking a cue from nature it is the colour of peace and tranquillity.  Curtains based on green colourings especially if they are floral tone well particularly with wooden curtain poles, the slightly country look complimenting the natural finish of the wood.

As your choice of colour will have a great affect on your mood, make sure that first of all it is a colour that you really like and not just one that is in vogue at the moment. There are many popular tones of green, a light clean green (green mixed with copious amounts of white) will look refreshing whereas an olive green (green mixed with a splash of brown and yellow) can look a little dismal and may well need lifting with a warm accent colour.

Accent Warm Colouring To Lift The Mood

If you are using green as the primary colour in a statement feature, its best to limit it to one focal wall, perhaps the window treatments and then complimentary coloured home accessories and art work. Alternatively you can use the main primary colour for the paintwork such as skirting boards, window frames and doors, and then a very much lighter tone of the main colour for the walls and then a very soft hue in the same colour group for the ceilings. This will then leave you carte blanche for your window treatments and accessories.

GREEN HARMONISES WELL WITH WOOD

Green can often be quite harsh so may well need counteracting with another rich colour such as burgundy or another natural element such as wood and also remember to check your choice of colours in both natural and artificial light, they will vary quite significantly – if in doubt always go a shade lighter.

COMBINING THE COLOURS OF NATURE WORKS WELL

Living room or bedroom blinds look great in green and will help a restful repose. This stylish vertical blind the Acacia Kiwi will also work well in an office as green is said to keep you calm, hense the “Green Room” at the theatre – a waiting room or rooms near the stage  that were historically painted green to keep nerves calm before being called on stage.

IRRIDESCENT SILVER FLECKS SPARKLE OVER THE SURFACEOF THE BLIND

Many pleated blinds have special properties added to the fabric during manufacturing. This particular blind- the Samuri Grass blind has a sun reflective backing that reduces the amount of light and heat entering the room by over 80%. This factor will be particularly useful on a south facing window in for instance a home office which will be used during the day.

Make your Office an Oasis of Joy

An impossibility but adding blue to the decor may well help – blue generally symbolizes harmony, peace and happiness and it has been proven that people are more productive and creative in a blue room making it a good colour choice for offices, but you are best keeping to lighter shades of blue as a darker blue can become depressing and have a negative effect – not congenial for a pleasant or productive working atmosphere.

Blinds especially Roller Blinds are especially effective for windows in offices as they give greater control over the general ambience of the room, dealing with both privacy issues and daylight and/or sunlight levels. 

BLUE IS BEAUTIFUL – IT’S BRITAIN’S FAVOURITE COLOUR

This stunning Acacia blue vertical blind will ensure privacy, light and to a certain degree, temperature control. Many vertical blinds are also available as roller blinds, so should you wish to use a combination of blind types, then this option is available.

As blue is one of the three primary colours, it can mix with other colours to create a completely different colour – known as a secondary colours, good examples remembered from our school days being blue and yellow make green and blue and red make purple.  Bright blue used either for the walls or window treatments as the dominant colour will benefit from the use of a lighter hue as an accent colour.

A really dominent blue is best used in isolation for a focal wall for although blue is very adaptable, all the walls painted in deep blue will bring in the walls, making the room feel oppressive. A single deep blue wall will however have the effect of making the wall receed, expanding the dimensions of the room.

Contact Us
Polesandblinds.com Ltd.
17 Harefield Road
Middleton on sea
West Sussex
PO22 6EE
National Calls: 0845 4650101

International Calls: 00441243 586660

Email: info@polesandblinds.com

Think outside the box

Blue is another primary colour  but needs careful thought before you introduce it as your feature colour – never consider it for example in a dark north facing room.

Blue is still our favourite colour in the U.K., a calming soothing colour ideal for blinds and curtains.  We are so familiar with blue as it surrounds our very being, blue sky, sea and flowers to mention just a few examples. It also is a Mediterranean colour conjuring up memories of sun-drenched beaches – a real mood lifter especially on a dreary day. Light is inseparable from colour, so a vibrant tone will help your home to look more spacious.

ULTRA MODERN LOOK - NOT FOR THE FAINT HEARTED

Blue is a calming, soothing colour; great for bedrooms as it is said to prevent nightmares, bathrooms for its relaxing properties and studies as it also is linked to promoting intellectual thought. Care is required in the selection of the tone of blue as it can look chilly and unwelcoming. Try to select a blue with warm colour undertones such as this fabulous living room, the slightly softer turquoise hues providing plenty of inspiration for both window treatments and home accessories.

A statement feature wall with a high impact wallcovering introduces scope for an imaginative approach to your style of window finish. Whilst curtains always make the most impact, there are certain styles of decor such as modern contemporary that perhaps only call for a minimal blind.

AN APPEALING COLOUR FOR A MINIMAL WINDOW

Metal Venetian Blinds such as this fabulous kingfisher blue blind will become an intrinsic part of the wall if you colour match the blind, allowing for an easy look window treatment which also has many practical advantages such as filtering the light and heat entering the room. If you have decided on a blue carpet as part of your scheme, you will definately need some kind of window blind, preferable a Vertical Blind to protect the carpet from the fading effects of the sun – always far more noticable with a dark coloured carpet.

Contact Us
Polesandblinds.com Ltd.
17 Harefield Road
Middleton on sea
West Sussex
PO22 6EE
National Calls: 0845 4650101

International Calls: 00441243 586660

Email: info@polesandblinds.com

Curtain Poles & Window Blinds – Effects of Colour – Video

The following Poles and Blinds “Effects of Colour” video was developed to supply you with the insight you need to utilise the impact and effect of curtain poles and window blinds for any setting.

Contact Us
Polesandblinds.com Ltd.
17 Harefield Road
Middleton on sea
West Sussex
PO22 6EE
Tel: 0845 4650101
International Calls: 00441243 586660
Email: info@polesandblinds.com