Why a Curtain Site Visit Matters: The First Step to Perfectly Draped Curtains
Why a Curtain Site Visit Matters: The First Step to Perfectly Draped Curtains
The selection of beautiful curtains is just half the battle. The other half, which determines whether the curtains are going to look simply stunning or just good enough, is the process that comes before the first fabric is cut or hemmed. At Tanj Curtains & Interiors, we always make site visits to commence each project, and this is the most crucial part of the entire process. Here is why.
Why Professional Measurements Are So Important
Curtains are not something that comes in standard sizes. Every centimetre counts. Besides the width of your window, height of your ceiling, distance between your floor and the location of the curtain rod, depth of your window recess, and many other things are crucial factors that will determine the making of your curtains.
In fact, if you make even a small error in measurements by a few centimeters, you might end up with curtains that are bunched up at the floor, don’t cover the window frame, or are bunched up at the center when opened. With professional measurements taken at the site itself, the risk is eliminated.
At Tanj Curtains & Interiors, we don’t just measure the window opening. We measure the whole wall context. We measure the skirting boards. We measure the architraves. We measure the ceiling cornices. We measure all the unique features of the building that affect the final appearance and position of the curtain.
Assessing Lighting, Wall Colour, and Ceiling Height
What is attractive and appealing in the showroom may be entirely different from what you see once it is installed in your home. Considerations such as the direction your windows are facing, the type of natural light available in the room at different times of the day, and the colour of your walls are all considerations that need to be taken into account and affect how the curtain fabric looks once installed.
A site visit allows our consultants to assess the conditions. A room filled with the bright natural lighting of the afternoon sun requires consideration of how well the fabric holds up to fading and the type of lining that is required so that the room is not stifling. Your room bathed in the softer, cooler light of the northern side of your house will involve a totally different line of thought.
Another factor to utterly consider is the height of your ceilings. If ceilings are high, hang your curtains all the way up to the ceiling. Conversely, if your room features low ceilings, there are several totally different considerations for you to make so that your curtains are not the overpowering element in the room.
Fabric Selection and How It Falls Once Installed
The thickness, the weaving of the fabric, and the type of fabric determine the appearance of the fabric. The only way to know how the fabric will look in the space is to be in the space and look at the fabric in the space. As part of our consultation process, our consultants come to your house with the samples of the fabric and hold them against the window in question. With this, you get a glimpse of the appearance of the fabric when natural light bounces off the fabric in your area, the look of the fabric when it is folded/gathered, and the color of the fabric in harmony with the colors of the room.
The heavy fabrics like velvet and lined linen are great candidates for being gathered since their thickness really makes them attractive. The lighter-weight fabrics, which are more sheer, look beautiful because of their flow with the air and the soft look that is achieved. The fullness of the fabric, or the amount of fabric in comparison to the width of the window, is also a factor in determining the level of luxury that is achieved in the finished curtains.
Hardware Placement and Rod Positioning
The position of your curtain rod is another important consideration. However, it is also one of the most important decisions that you can make in the entire process. It is actually one of the most common mistakes that homeowners make when they attempt to make decisions without the assistance of professionals. In general, it is important that your curtain rod be placed well above your window frame, preferably near the ceiling, in order to make your windows appear larger.
It is also important that your curtain rod be placed well beyond your window on both sides in order to allow for the maximum natural light to enter your home through your window when your curtains are wide open. Once we visit your home, we will be able to assess your wall structure in order to determine the position in which your brackets can be placed and how your hardware can be placed in relation to your specific ceiling height, window size, and type of curtains. For your motorized rail system, we also have to consider your power access and your ceiling/wall structure. Mainly, this cannot be done by simply looking at your photograph and the dimensions that we were given over the phone.
How Site Visits Prevent Costly Mistakes
Curtains are an important investment. Custom-made curtains in good fabric, installed professionally and with the correct hardware, are a significant investment in your home. The cost of getting the brief wrong – ordering the wrong width, choosing fabric that will discolour in the first season, placing brackets in the wrong position – is not only about aesthetics; it is also about dollars and cents. A site visit is the step that makes all of those errors and costs avoidable.
Our consultants have seen all sorts of windows, all sorts of ceilings, and all sorts of bad installations. They know what to ask, what to look for, and what to worry about. When our consultants depart your home following a visit, you will have a mutual understanding of what is being made, where it is going, and what it will look like.
A site visit is not an optional extra for us at Tanj Curtains & Interiors; it is the foundation on which we undertake every project. Whether you are thinking of new curtains, sheers, or blinds for any room in your house, the first step you should take towards making that project a success is to contact us and ask us in.
