Gransnet forums

Ask a gran

Is it curtains for you?

(37 Posts)
GabriellaG54 Thu 03-Jan-19 00:32:45

Curtains, blinds, shutters or nets, or any combination of those.
Will it be swags and tails, pencil pleats or drapes? Velvet, slub silk, chintz or plain cotton? Blackout or thermal lined? Rufflette tape or metal holes? Weighted or not? Roman, roller or Venetian blinds? Thermal or blackout? Patterned or plain? Right or left side control wand?
Lace, plain polyester, linen or voile nets? Real or faux wood shutters?
Phew!
Do you have several sets for each room or do you have just the one set and buy new when redecorating?
My parents had two sets for each room, one for Autumn/Winter and one Spring/ Summer.
I have shutters, plain neutral roller blinds and floor-length plain white cotton voiles which billow, 'movie like' in a light breeze. Your preference?

Chewbacca Fri 04-Jan-19 00:21:28

Plantation shutters throughout and would never go back to curtains now. Each window has 4 separate shutters that click shut if you want total privacy. You can fold each shutter back fully against the wall if you wish or adjust the slats of each shutter to suit. Apart from a wipe down once a month or so, they're totally maintenance free. And they help to keep the heat in the room too. If you're considering having them fitted, it's worth having them tailor made rather than the self fitting ones on offer.

BlueSapphire Fri 04-Jan-19 09:39:43

Vertical blinds and curtains throughout, except for bathrooms and front sitting room bay window where due to where the fitted tv unit is, curtains wouldn't look right, so we just have vertical blinds there.

arosebyanyothername Fri 04-Jan-19 09:49:30

Curtains (no nets) in all rooms and a roller blind in kitchen.

On the subject of curtains what type of curtain rods do you use?

harrigran Fri 04-Jan-19 09:54:48

Vertical blinds and custom made curtains in all rooms except kitchen where we have venetian blinds.
The sun was damaging the carpet and furnishings so I close the blinds until the sun has moved round.

harrigran Fri 04-Jan-19 09:58:15

John Lewis fitted rail in lounge, runners enclosed in a track so all you see is a white strip. All other rooms have brushed steel poles but I use curtain rings and hooks, don't just slide curtains on to poles.

Cabbie21 Fri 04-Jan-19 10:44:38

Apart from the bathroom we just have curtains. I am a bit clueless in this respect. I bought blinds for the two windows in the bathroom but DH only manag3d to fit one, and made a mess of that, he said he just could not drill into the masonry. We have just had the kitchen redecorated and I want a new blind but DH says the old one will do. As I am not going to ask him to fit a new one I will have to get someone in and not sure I can be bothered.
I have long draped curtains by the patio doors which I like. I desperately need new curtains in the bedroom but am stuck for what to get. I got one local firm to measure and quote but it was so expensive and I didn’t like any of their fabrics. I think I will try JohnLewis.

Franbern Sun 06-Jan-19 17:16:37

My 1930 house has large bay windows in the front, (through lounge downstairs, main bedroom upstairs). I do have nets up at these, as I always feel that I am living in a goldfish bowl when I take them down. The bedroom has these nets from top to bottom, as I always keep small windows open in summer, and these act to stop any little flying visitors. Would prefer not to need nets. I still prefer curtains to blinds, think they go better in these sort of houses. All are pinch pleated. If I ever manage to move into a small flat will probably then have verticle blinds.

paddyann Sun 06-Jan-19 17:43:17

I have an 11 foot by 6 foot frosted window at the end of my kitchen,it would only look onto the side wall of a neighbours house so having it frosted means we get all the light without the brick wall in our view.The rest of downstairs has verticle blinds and lined voile,Upstairs its lined voiles in all the bedrooms and a blind in the main bathroom .I like to wake up with the sun so we dont have blinds on bedroom windows and I love the first rays shining through especially at this time of year when daylight is so scarce in my part of the world

notanan2 Sun 06-Jan-19 18:17:39

I hate curtains that fall just below the window ledge. I like long floor length curtains.

No nets for me, frosted glass or Venetian blinds

I do like shutters but they're pricey and youre stuck with them because of the outlay. Curtains can be changed regularly

notanan2 Sun 06-Jan-19 18:19:57

Of course in my dream forest house from the euromillions thread I have huge windows with no coverings at all facing the back of the house so I can watch the light change over the treetops.....

BBbevan Sun 06-Jan-19 19:01:28

We have real wood Venetian blinds in our house, left by the last owner. . Not in the living room though which has 7 windows. I would like white or off white roman blinds as I find the wood blinds dark. When we decorate the living room I will order blinds., and then progress around the house.