Gransnet forums

House and home

Curtains. What would you do?

(36 Posts)
merlotgran Sun 06-Mar-16 13:06:30

Can she alter the height/angle of the curtain pole or rail?

The first thing I learned from living in houses that are 'slightly crooked' is....do you want it to look straight or be straight? All the tape measures and spirit levels in the world won't help when you're looking at something you know is out.

When it comes to interior design, 'jiggery pokery' is my middle name grin

MiniMouse Sun 06-Mar-16 13:02:51

Should not JL have taken the drop measurement at the sides and in the middle to check for any difference? For that money I should hope so!

Elegran Sun 06-Mar-16 13:00:59

Three X posts!

Elegran Sun 06-Mar-16 13:00:26

I read it that the gap between curtain and sill is only in the middle? If the rest is OK that must mean that either the curtain rail isn't level or the curtains are not the same length all the way across.

That could be sorted by taking out the centre support to the rail and adding a centimetre of padding under it - OK if there is a pelmet to hide it - or by redoing the whole hem. Either of these is up to JL.

She could try attaching something heavy to the centre lower corners to see if that would make them stretch a bit and pull down a centimetre. Time might do that anyway.

Is it stiffish material that refuses to drape?

I think I would mention that they seem to need to drop a little in the centre.

Jalima Sun 06-Mar-16 12:57:23

So, when they are drawn together, do they touch the sill at the sides but not in the middle?
In which case, when they are drawn back the centres of each curtain will be too long.
hmm
Tricky

It is a lot of money; I didn't have my new ones made by JL because the ones I wanted would have been £1,600 and I may have ended up not liking them anyway.

Ana Sun 06-Mar-16 12:54:20

I'm wondering what you mean by 'in the middle' jingl. Is it that the curtains touch the windowsill apart from a bit in the middle where they sort of 'go up'?

Synonymous Sun 06-Mar-16 12:49:15

Jalima love the last bit in brackets! grin

As for DD1's curtains jings I think I would recommend contacting JL to register the concern and query just in case the curtains don't drop sufficiently to even them up. £600 is a significant sum of money and her investment should be protected. If she forgets that will mean she can live with it or it is fine but if not the odds are on it eventually getting to DD1 now that this has been brought to her attention. hmm

Jalima Sun 06-Mar-16 12:40:44

www.fivestarcurtains.co.uk/measuring-up-your-curtains.html
Here's another site that says 1cm above the sill

It's you! grin
Don't say anything
She's happy

Jalima Sun 06-Mar-16 12:37:30

Length:

First choose how long you want your curtains and what heading type you're after
If you have a pole, measure pencil & pinch pleat curtains from the top of the eye of your curtain ring and eyelet curtains from the top of the pole.
If you have tracks, measure from the top of the track to the required drop length
Sill length curtains should hang to about 1cm above the sill.
If you prefer your curtains to hang below the sill, we would suggest allowing an extra 15cm
Floor length curtains should finish 1cm above the floor but if you prefer a more opulent look, add an extra 20cm or so and the fabric will be 'puddled' on the floor

from www.curtaincraft.co.uk/helpadvice/index.htm

I would say about 1cm is fine, so the curtain does not keep picking up any dust from the windowsill (if there is such a thing in your DD's house).
They may drop a centimetre (fingers crossed).

I have just moved a curtain from the patio door where it was about 1cm above the carpet to the front door where it looks half-mast hmm (divorced its ankles and married its knees).

jinglbellsfrocks Sun 06-Mar-16 12:31:26

DD2 says it is about half a centimetre gap. Not 2 cms. It does show up a lot though. It looks wrong.

jinglbellsfrocks Sun 06-Mar-16 12:27:17

DD1 recently had some curtains made byJohn Lewis. They cost close on £600. JL came out to the house and did the measuring themselves.

I saw them for the first time last Sunday. They are inset to sit on the windowsill. In the middle there is a couple of centimetres gap between he bottom of the curtains and the sill. Now, this shrieks out to me as soon as I walk in the room. The curtains should just touch the sill. DD2 agrees with me.

DD1 says that it is the house that is slightly crooked, and no doubt she is right. But I feel as JL measured up for the curtains themselves, they should have taken this into consideration.

DD is pleased with her new curtains, and apart from the gap, they are lovely.

Should I say anything to DD1? If it was me I would complain to JL. But do I burst her bubble, or not?

WWYD. Ta.