Window Curtains | All Kinds of Curtain Panels

All Kinds of Curtain Panels

If you are looking for new window treatments, you will be thinking about window curtains, valances and perhaps other kinds of draperies. Even when you look at simple curtain panels, there are many choices. Here are the criteria to help you decide between all the options you have open to you when you choose them.

Lined or Unlined

If you would like a simple curtain panel made of thin lighter colored fabric and you want the light to filter through a little, it is fine to go for unlined curtains. Panels made of bold, dark or heavier fabric or where the reverse of the fabric is unattractive, should be lined with coordinating plain fabric. If you are using delicate fabric such as silk, which is easily damaged by UV light, then interlining (a layer between the lining and the main fabric should also be used. If your curtains panel does not have lining, you can hang a separate lining to cut out more light or add warmth in winter. Thermal and blackout linings are often sold separately for this purpose and mean you do not need to use insulated curtain panels all year round.

Custom Curtain Panels or Ready Made

If you buy ready made curtain panels you can buy your curtains and have them hanging at your windows in no time. One problem is that they are only available in standard sizes which is not ideal if your windows are not standard. Ready made curtains are generally available in 84″, 96″ and 108″ lengths, which suit most windows, however, and widths vary between 46″ and 56″. If you have wider windows, you can buy more panels. Curtains need to be wider than windows, in any case, to allow for gathering. (See section on curtain headers). Some panel curtains are sold individually, so you can buy as many or as few panels as you need, while others come in pairs. Another problem with ready made panels is that you will have far less choice in fabric and designs than if you go the custom route so if you want the best choice or something unique look for companies which offer a custom curtain making service.

Hydrangea Blooms Pink and Purple Window Curtain Panel Five Piece Set (Click Image for Details)

Hydrangea Blooms Pink and Purple Window Curtain Panel Five Piece Set (Click Image for Details)

Natural or Synthetic Fabric

Synthetic fabrics are generally easier to care for and curtains can be washed without fear of shrinking. Cotton is the most common natural fabric used for curtain panels, although you will also find silk curtain panels and panels in wool or linen. With the natural fibers take care to follow laundering instructions carefully. You may find that fabrics shrink during the first laundering, even if they are washable, so you have to allow for shrinkage of up to 10% when buying if you plan to wash your curtains.

Solid or Patterned Fabrics

Many resort to solid color curtain panels as these are more readily available ready made and tend to be cheaper. However, you can make more of an impression with patterned curtain panels, especially if the colors are perfectly coordinated with the rest of the room. Unfortunately this generally means buying curtains and choosing a color scheme around them, as it is pretty difficult tracking down curtains to fit with an existing color scheme, unless it is fairly simple and uses common color combinations. If you buy plain curtain panels and want to decorate them to match your room, see 7 Ideas for Plain Window Curtain Panels. If you do choose a solid color, you can add interest with texture : velvet curtain panels, linen curtains or slubbed fabrics are great for this

Curtain Panel Headers

Curtain headers vary almost as much as fabrics and different headers are suitable for different purposes. The most common you will find are rod pocket headers. A rod pocket is an open slot at or towards the top of the curtain through which you can slot the drapery rod (or decorative pole if the pocket is wide enough). There may be a ruffle above the header or it may be at the very top of the curtain. A rod pocket at the top of the curtain is the heading generally used where the top of the curtain panel will be covered with a valance. You could also have a gathered curtain heading using heading tape which you stitch towards the top of the curtain and pull the tape threads to make the gathers. You can buy curtain heading tape to make pencil pleats, triple pleats or goblet pleats or you can stitch these pleats by hand. These types of headings are used on more formal curtains or on the headings for valances and are attached using hooks to a curtain rail. Other common heading types are

  • tab top curtain panels where fabric loops are attached to the top of the curtain and the rod or pole passed through them
  • Eyelet curtains, which are curtain panels, which have holes reinforced with large grommets, through which the curtain rod or pole is passed
  • Tie top curtains which have ties at intervals along the curtain panel top and are tied to the pole.
  • Ring clips. If you just want to use plain rectangles of fabric you can avoid any fuss at all by using ring clips attached at intervals along the top of the curtain panels and then thread the rings onto the rod.

Quality or Cheap Curtain Panels

Quality is always a good idea if you want your curtains to hang well and look good at your windows. Some things to look out for to determine quality are substantial fabric and good straight stitching as well as weighted hems, hand stitched pleats and lining. Of course, it is different if you are looking for voile curtain panels. Voile or sheer curtain panels are meant to be thin and insubstantial. Then you might look for hand rolled hems and fabric without faults. The same is true of lace curtain panels. If you want quality curtains that are not too expensive look for discount curtain panels rather than those which are low cost but which also look cheap. You will find many curtain panels with discount and free shipping HERE.

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