We do it every day. By the time we reach the age of 25, we will have spent 10 years doing it, in fact, an average human will spend over 26 years doing it across their lifetime!! 😲 What is it? Wonderful, glorious, magical sleep! Of course.
For a great sleep, we need a great bedroom – somewhere restful and relaxing, but also somewhere for romance, entertainment, study, mindfulness and more – it’s somewhere we spend a lot of time.
Dream Big!
If we want sweet dreams, environmental light, heat and noise control play a vital role. An oft-overlooked consideration is what curtains should we choose in order to achieve the most functional and form-fitting solution.
What Works for You?
When it comes to it, you want a curtain that is both beautiful and practical. Think about these questions, their answers will go a long way to you getting the perfect window coverings for your bedroom.
The look
Do you want a traditional, contemporary, minimal or floral look? Do they need to match or accentuate other parts of the room? What size is the window and where is it compared to your bed and external influences?
The feel
Are you a very light sleeper? Do you like natural light to wake you up? Is your house or bedroom cold overnight? Do your windows let in a lot of drafts?
Practically, window size and shape can dictate your curtain choice. Standard size windows can fit standard curtains with minimal cost and fuss.
Benefits of Readymade Curtains
Cheaper
Ready to use
Wide range of colors and fabrics.
Disadvantages of Readymade Curtains
They can’t accommodate specific styles, fabrics or requirements
Difficulty finding a match to existing fabrics and soft furnishings
Cheaper fabrics and materials generally so less luxurious finish
No ability to lengthen curtain length if required (might as well use bespoke if essential)
If your windows are not standard, or you want particular effect, fabric or finish, then bespoke curtains are the only way to go.
Advantages of Made-to-Measure Curtains
They can match to existing soft furnishings
Perfect fit (if measured correctly).
You can choose handmade and high-quality fabrics and linings and unique fixtures and fittings
They offer an opportunity for bespoke solutions to aide sleep or other problems.
Bespoke solutions include:
Use of a thicker or additional fabric - curtains with thermal lining - to prevent heat loss. Long curtains can also act to retain heat if they drape across the floor.
Use of dark, black or opaque lining or fabric to create blackout curtains if you are sensitive to light, if you work nights and sleep during the day or if your bedroom is overlooked by strong artificial light.
Why Bother Getting out of Bed?
A slightly indulgent but less common option is the use of automated curtains and/or blinds. These carry similar positives and negatives when you choose between bespoke or ready-to-use, but they can offer a stunning blackout solution and could be set with a timer for easy use in different seasons.
Top tips!
Finally, if you do choose bespoke curtains, consider how to measure window frames correctly and what length and width you want your curtains to have. These choices are vital!
Here are some tips to remember:
Floor-length curtains must actually touch the floor by at least a 2-4cm
Don’t hang the curtains too low
Don’t go too narrow, it will frame the window all wrong. To calculate curtain width, measure the width of the window and multiply this by at least 1.5.
Make sure the curtain rod exceeds the length of the window frame or recess by at least 10cm either side to ensure privacy or blackout.
Make your windows appear higher and add drama to the room by hanging curtains as high as possible – as little as just 5cm from the ceiling.
