Dressing Windows

Curtains come in all designs and several styles, some more traditional than others.

Tape Top Curtains

These are the most traditional style of curtain. Hung from a curtain track using hooks, they need to be gathered at the top and hang in pleats. You can decide on their shape because you control the gather, but hanging them can be a time-consuming task. Curtains can be lined or unlined, heavy or light, but taped top curtains are associated with older patterns and a traditional look.

Pelmets can be used with tape top curtains, and tie-backs are often employed too for a fully-dressed window.

Tab Top & Eyelet Top Curtains

These curtains have holes which loop over a curtain pole, making them easier to hang than tape top curtains. The curtain poles can be simple or ornamental depending on your taste, and these curtains are associated with contemporary designs and a more modern home. They've become increasingly popular in recent years as people's tastes have become simpler and more streamlined.

To pelmet or not to pelmet, that is the question! Pelmets complete the look of a window, especially when used with tie-backs, and if you want a fully traditional, chintz look then pelmets are for you. They're hung in the same way as tape top curtains, from a track, and you have to gather the pleat and then hang them from the track using hooks.

The modern look eschews pelmets however, seeing them as outdated and old-fashioned. Pelmets can't be used with eyelet top or tab top curtains and have become increasingly unpopular in recent years. They're regarded as unnecessary dust-gatherers that clutter a window, with no redeeming features at all.

Net curtains, just like pelmets, have become less popular in recent times as people see them as cluttering and chintzy. They're still widespread however as they offer privacy from overlooking neighbours whilst still letting light into a room. There is a modern alternative to net curtains however:

Sheers

Sheer curtains are much like net curtains, except they have no lacy pattern but are just made from a sheer, opaque fabric. This lets light in but maintains a good level of privacy. The only trouble with sheers is that your view outside is also obscured and this may not appeal to some people. They look modern and clean however, so are popular in contemporary homes.

Vertical blinds are an alternative to sheers, as they also give a modern look, let light in and give you privacy from your neighbours, but they're adjustable and let you see outside at the same time. You can turn the slats of the blinds to let in as much or as little light as you wish, and in turn you control your level of privacy.

At one time vertical blinds were confined to an office setting, but as the modern look has gained in popularity, so blinds have moved into the home.