This topic has come up before, where we suggested using dormer/ drapery rods to curtain those trickiest of recessed spaces, but we’ve had several requests for advice recently that have required a different approach to the juliet balcony conundrum.

We’re going to concentrate on one particular case study – from a customer in St John’s Wood. In a penthouse apartment on the seventh floor of a fashionable apartment block, the sloping ceilings of her apartment are similar to the loft conversions that throw up so many curtain dilemnas.

The challenge: how to curtain a bedroom juliet balcony window

The brief: the french doors are in a bedroom and the customer was keen to achieve a blackout solution. The doors and windows pictured above open inwards, so it was important to ensure that any window dressing didn’t impede the opening and closing of these casements.

Dormer rods weren’t feasible as the recess spanned too wide a space, and whilst the ceiling of the recess shelved back some distance before meeting with the sloping ceiling, the walls of the recess were only 40cms deep and by the time you’ve deducted clearance (to ensure the curtains don’t catch the window latches) drawback space was only 20cms.

The solution: As pictured above and below, we opt for a track (the Evans KS system) that is shallow enough not to interfere with the operation of the doors. The track is positioned just far enough away from the window to ensure the window latches won’t interfere with the curtains, and is factory bent around the recess.

A made to measure solution - the Evans KS system track is pre bent to the correct dimensions and screwed to the ceiling of the recess

We suggest a double pinch pleat curtain heading – which in deference to the decor of the apartment is a little more contemporary than the classic triple pleat, and being double pleat takes up less of our critical draw back space than, say a triple pleat or cartridge, whilst structuring the curtain to hang in neat folds.

The curtains are fabricated from a 100% silk fabric with a 6cm contrasting border – creating a combined effect of elegant opulence – the perfect prerequisite for bedroom curtains. To maximise the limited drawback space available we keep the fullness to a manageable proportion (about 2.1 to 1) and opt for light weight interlining and blackout lining.

The curtains are floor to ceiling, with a silk face fabric, light weight interlining and blackout lining

The curtains stack back into the sides of the recess, allowing the doors and windows to open as planned, and by being careful not to extend the track too far into the room, we made sure the outside edge of the curtains didn’t protrude awkwardly past the bedroom wall running parallel to the doors. The curtains cover the curtain track (rather than hanging below it) and are returned to the wall at each outside edge to keep light intrusion to a minimum.

The curtains stack back efficiently into minimal drawback space allowing the maximum amount of light to enter the room and ensuring full operation of the doors and windows

The Brief: so we return to our Pan Peninsula Square, Canary Wharf case study for inspiration for this blog. The bedroom window sits in a recess (225cms wide x 230cms drop). Our client wants a blackout solution, but he also wants to maintain privacy during the day time.

Sheer voile curtains with ripplefold heading and blackout curtains behind

The solution: we select a semi sheer linen (Linea 71) with a distinctive dual tone mocha stripe, to maintain the masculine theme running through the flat from the Sitting Room area. We set this in the front of the recess on an Evans Design System track (so called because its angled front blends seamlessly into the ceiling).

The curtain has a ripplefold (wave) heading which requires minimum drawback space – perfect for this recess. The striped linen curtains make a stylish statement, and hide the blackout lined, cartridge pleat curtains that run on a separate track – parallel to the first and set further back into the recess.  Why cartridge pleat? We want the curtains to sit in front of, as opposed to below the track to minimise the amount of light getting into the room. The wave/ ripplefold system by definition has to sit below the track and so a cartridge pleat is perfect, because it maintains the contemporary look of the ripplefold heading whilst allowing you to position the curtains as far up the track as required.

The blackout lined curtains are hidden behind the linen curtains during the day but cut out the light when closed

Tip Summary:

Where space for your curtains to drawback into is limited, go for a heading (such as the ripplefold or wave) that doesn’t take up too much space. If your windows are well glazed, consider further cutting down the bulk of the curtains by opting for sheers, or don’t have your curtains interlined where you need blackout lining to keep your bedroom dark on those summer mornings.

If keeping your room dark on those summer mornings is key, make sure your curtain maker measures the recess extremely carefully so as to allow as little light to permeate under and above the curtains as possible – and choose a track that is specially designed to have curtains sitting in front of (as opposed to below) it.

Where privacy is important, consider cotton voiles or linens as a stylish way to maintain the privacy of your living space. Remember, they’re not an all or nothing solution, and can work really well sitting behind or in front of your dim out curtains.

Don’t compromise – work hard with your curtain supplier or designer to produce a scheme that you absolutely love!

An apartment in Pan Peninsula Square, Canary Wharf: the ultimate blank canvas for window dressings

The brief: as you can see from the photo above, our customer’s Canary Wharf apartment has floor to ceiling windows spanning three walls of his sitting room. He wanted made to measure curtains and blinds to match his existing soft furnishings, that gave him privacy – particularly along the side windows where his sitting room was most overlooked – whilst not overly encroaching on the stunning views over the O2 Arena and beyond. With state of the art double glazing, thermal treatments were off the agenda, as was the need for blackout.

The solution: we decided dress curtains would be a great way of tackling the intrusion to his privacy from the side windows. Roller blinds were the most appropriate solution for the main windows running the length of the room – particularly given the lack of space above the windows, and for a seamless unfussy finishing touch consistent with the clean lines and minimalism of the room we’d hide the curtain tracks and roller blind mechanisms behind a low profile hardboard stiffened pelmet board running the entire length of the room.

The installation: the apartment ceilings at Pan Peninsula (as with so many new build developments) are plasterboard with no easily locatable studwork above to secure the tracks and blinds to – so we prepared a series of pelmet boards to run the length of the room and glued these to the ceiling, as well as attaching them with fischer PD8 board fixings (described in detail in our recent panel glide system blog). Velcro is attached to the front edge to fix the pelmet to, and note the location of the dress curtains track (above).

The pelmet board is anchor fixed and glued to the ceiling - to provide a secure fixing point for the curtain track, roller blinds and pelmet

Velcro is attached to the front edge to fix the pelmet to, and note the location of the dress curtains track (above).

With the roller blinds, curtains and pelmets in place, the room instantly has a softer appearance - put simply, the curtains and blinds finish the room.

The curtains and roller blinds are fabricated from matching fabrics. An accent colour is added to the curtains with the addition of a brown velvet border, which is also used to cover the hardboard stiffened flat pelmet.

The curtains can be drawn back to maximise the view, or drawn across the side windows for privacy. The roller blinds can be raised or lowered to the desired height as required.

Tip Summary:

Where space above your window is limited: consider using roller blinds, which typically only hang proud of the ceiling by 6-8 cms

Pelmets: are a great way of tying together your window dressings, and hiding your curtain tracks and roller blind mechanisms. Pelmets tend to be thought of as a traditional window treatment, but a flat, hardboard stiffened pelmet like the one featured in this blog gives a very contemporary look – particularly when covered in a contemporary fabric.

For medium to heavy weight curtains: remember, your track must be securely attached to the ceiling, and pelmet boards are a great way to safeguard this. Why? because the pelmet board can be glued to the ceiling (we recommend Gripfill) which spreads the load exerted by the curtain track over a wider area than would be the case if you were simply to screw the track to the ceiling. The board should also be screwed to the ceiling, and we recommend board fixings (such as the fischer PD8). This helps to keep the board in place whilst the glue is drying, and gives you peace of mind that your curtains and blinds are totally secure.

Dress curtains: are a great way to cover tricky window spaces and to provide privacy where you are overlooked. They don’t have to be fixed in a set position – (ie they can be made to draw back and forth), and they don’t dominate the room in the way that full width curtains might.

Pan Peninsula Square, Canary Wharf - the windows in this development present a number of challenges when choosing new curtains and blinds

… but challenging spaces: however choosing the right window dressings for these spaces can be quite a challenging process. Draw back space is often either limited or non-existent and secure ceiling fixings – so important for your heavier weight lined and interlined curtains can be difficult to find….

So we thought we’d do a series of blogs to explore the challenges that exist and how best to overcome them.

Watch this space, as links will appear below over the forthcoming weeks as we post each blog:

Apartment Living Areas: made to measure curtains and blinds

Apartment Bedrooms: made to measure curtain solutions

Apartment Bedrooms: made to measure curtains for tricky juliet balconies

Made to measure silk curtains in red white and blue with silk union jack cushions and target cushions

The iconic Union Flag is an undoubtedly bold, masculine look – but is not without style, particularly when formed from sumptuous 100% silk fabrics.

Silk curtains made from separate widths of red white and blue perfectly compliment the Union Flag theme.

Union jack cushions made to measure from individual pieces of 100% silk turn an already bold, iconic image into a dazzlingly stylish statement piece

Whilst the Union Flag has received much coverage in the press recently – this week’s London’s Evening Standard and the Daily Mail to name just a couple, less coverage has been devoted to the Target Cushion – an equally iconic bedfellow of the Union Flag.

Bespoke target cushion made from red white and blue silk fabric

Swedish Blind using a patchwork of fabrics from Moghul's cotton fabric range

What is a Swedish blind? It’s a simple style of blind that is raised and lowered by a cord and pulley system that hangs from the top of the blind. The cord is typically made fast around a cleat attached to the wall at the side of the blind. The only structure to the blind comes from the top batten that it is attached to, and the counterweight bar that is sewn into the bottom of the blind and runs horizontally across its width.

Why choose Swedish over the alternatives? The unique charm of the Swedish blind lies in it’s simplicity. There are no stacks of folds that so characterise roman blinds, and crucially, because the blind rolls up on itself, the fabric on the reverse of the blind is exposed, giving you the opportunity to blend the reverse and face fabric in a way that is not possible with some of the alternatives.

Variations of the Swedish Blind include roll-up blinds, which are formed in the same way, but are more suitable as dress blinds, because they are held in place at a fixed position by ribbons or other tape, rather than by a cord and pulley system.

A nautical twist: We’ve introduced a new innovation to this most traditional of blind by replacing the thonging and glass rings that most people use to hold the cords in place at the top of the blind – with nickle plated fixed eye pulleys, which make the blind ultra smooth to operate, and eliminate the rather untidy sideways drag that you usually get with the more traditional thonging and glass eyelet mechanisms.  They also give the blind a nautical flourish and make it the ultimate way to finish your seaside, shaker style kitchen.

Our nickel plated pulley replaces the traditional thonging and glass rings and introduces a smoothness of operation that you do not normally associate with this type of blind

1. Roman blinds cost less than curtains: the amount of fabric used to make curtains is far greater than that used for roman blinds, and so even though roman blinds are a little more complicated to make than curtains, they are generally much cheaper than curtains.

If you feel that your room needs curtains, but this clashes with your budget, dress curtains with a fully operational roman blind in between gives you the best of both worlds.

2. Space: floor to ceiling curtains tend to dominate a room and make it look smaller, so where space is limited, roman blinds are a great option. Locating the blind inside the recess will maximise the sensation of space in the room, and preserve access to your sills that curtains would otherwise have covered.

3. Practicality: roman blinds are a practical choice for kitchens and bathrooms where for various reasons you don’t want fabric trailing on or hanging near the floor. They also work well where there isn’t sufficient draw back space either side of the window for a curtain.

Roman Blinds are a great choice for kitchens where drawback space is insufficient for curtains

4. Energy efficiency: if you have a radiator below your window, floor to ceiling curtains (and, to a lesser extent sill length curtains) will funnel valuable heat towards the windows rather than into the room. Roman blinds prevent this from happening, and can be efficient at minimising draught when made with interlining and thermal/ blackout lining.

5. Versatility – sloping ceilings: roman blinds are a great option in rooms with a sloping ceiling (typically bedroom loft conversions) where you want a bit more cosiness than your standard Velux or equivalent blind can provide. Vertical cords either side of the blind keep it close to the ceiling.

Roman Blinds can be specially adapted to work on sloping ceilings - creating a more cosier effect than your standard velux or equivalent

Tips

Traditional or chain mechanism? There are basically two sorts of mechanism on the market – the traditional rope and cleat and the chain driven mechanism. Chain mechanisms tend to be more expensive and the blind takes a little more time to raise and lower, but chain operation removes the hassle of having to cleat off the blind each time you raise and lower it, not to mention all that excess cord.

Inside or outside the recess? The blind will make less of a statement when inside the recess (which is good for maximising the feeling of space in small rooms), but will take up more window space. The blind will typically hang down 15 to 20cms when fully raised, so if maximising light is an issue, consider locating the blind outside the recess and approximately 15cms above the top of the recess.

Inside or outside architraving? Locating the blind inside the architraving can be a great way of framing the blind and preventing you from having to cover up an attractive feature, but this might be outweighed by other considerations (such as maximising the width of the blind for blackout reasons, in a bedroom).

There are so many options to consider, but only some of these will be practical and of those, just a few might be to your taste. The skill is in assessing the unique characteristics of each bay window, and coming up with a solution that is both beautiful and practical. Here are a few tips to help you make the right decision:

Poles undeniably provide the most attractive way of supporting your curtains but in a bay window the pole will need several brackets to support it around the bay – which is a real problem as far as curtain rings are concerned. Admittedly you can get passing rings that are made with a gap that allow them to pass over each bracket. However most poles with passing rings are metal (the wooden ones have passing rings that look a bit cumbersome), and in any event, for medium to heavy weight curtains, even with the best passing ring system, you are going to have to put quite a lot of effort into “hoiking” your curtains around the bay. In short, they’re a bit of a compromise solution.

So what are the alternatives? Tracks within a pole, most notably Silent Gliss’s Metropole are a good alternative. You lose the aesthetic of having rings, as the pole has a track built into the underside with gliders sliding along it that the curtains hang from, but you can pay a little extra for ball finials which do much to restore the traditional look. These systems can be silky smooth to operate and come in hand drawn or corded configurations.

Uncovered tracks are another option for your bay window. Tracks tend to be functional rather than decorative and are typically concealed behind a pelmet or fascia, but there are circumstances where they work admirably on their own. We’ve had customers opt for this solution either where there isn’t sufficient space to conceal the track or where it simply doesn’t matter that the track isn’t covered – because, being the same colour as the wall it blends in seamlessly, and the curtains in any event cover the track when closed.

The Evans CCS Contract Corded System track with its metal brackets is a perfect bay window system for medium to heavy weight curtains

Covered tracks. You can hide your track behind a lath and fascia. As demonstrated below, the lath is a piece of timber or mdf (typically around 18mm thick) fitted at right angles to the wall, with a thin piece of plywood fixed to its front just deep enough to obscure the front face of the track (which is fitted to the underside of the lath). Lath and fascias come into their own for bay windows. They can be curved around the bay. They can be fixed at multiple points which makes them strong enough to cope with the heaviest of curtains. They can be either painted the colour of the walls, or covered in fabric (typically the same fabric as the curtains). The curtain is attached to the gliders that slide along the underside of the track, and can be adjusted so that it either covers the fascia, or simply hangs underneath it.

A lath and fascia covered in a Moghul linen fabric to match the curtains and pre-made to angle perfectly around the bay

She’s recently refurbished a wing for B&B guests, and came up with the idea of hanging a curtain across the staircase to give guests staying in the upstairs part of the wing privacy from the rest of the house.

Privacy and practicality are the key here – the curtains do not want to be too full so as to take up the minimum amount of space when drawn back, and the double pinch pleat heading and light weight interlining helps to achieve this.

When closed the curtains really do give a feel of cosy seclusion and succeed in making the upstairs feel very separate from the rest of the house.

The curtains we were making for her were to be 4 metres wide by 2 metres drop, and they were going on a stainless steel bespoke track in a double height barn conversion sitting room.

Examples of standard, gathered curtain headings aboud on the internet and elsewhere (by standard we mean gathering created by positioning 26-28mm pleating tape approximately 4-6 cms below the top of the curtain). But in preparing our proposal it’s fair to say we struggled (even with the might of Google at our disposal) to find any decent snaps to back up our sketches – to show our customer examples of this hybrid gathered heading in action.

So, fast forwarding a few weeks, we thought a blog on this often overlooked but elegant heading was long overdue.

Extra deep pencil pleat tape is set 8cms down from the top of the curtain to create a gathered heading

The curtains were fabricated from a 100% cotton striped face fabric (Agni shade 4 Mist), and, to keep the project on budget – with 7 widths of fabric to deliver a fullness of 2.2 to 1.

It’s tempting to think that with gathered headings you don’t need the fullness of, say a pinch pleat heading, but you really need between 2.2 and 2.5 to 1 fullness for the curtains to gather sufficiently.

The extra deep tape keeps the gathered heading in proportion with the size and scale of both the curtains and the room as a whole

When should I opt for curtains with a gathered heading? At risk of stating the obvious, you need to pick a style of curtain heading that is in keeping with its wider surroundings. Gathered curtains look great in country cottages and barn conversions, but in more palatial surroundings a formal, pleated heading might be more appropriate. And from a practical point of view:

Practical tips: gathered curtains are the perfect solution when you want your curtains to ruche above the curtain pole – or to put it another way, gathered curtains wouldn’t really look right sitting limply below the pole. Pleated headings on the other hand hang much better below the pole.

A more typical gathered heading - 28mm tape positioned about 6cms from the top of the curtain