LIVE24SEVEN // Property & Interiors
Curtain up !!! I JUST LOVE CURTAINS !!!
John Biddell has owned and run John Charles Interiors, based in Edgbaston, for more than 30 years, his wealth of knowledge and experience in Interior design and soft furnishings will add depth to our property and interiors section and give you, the reader, invaluable help with the process of decorating your home.
This month I thought we would take a look at curtains. I just love curtains !!! For me they make or break a room. They can add colour, texture, drama, warmth (both metaphorically and literally), softness – the list goes on and on. I know a pair of well-made curtains in a fabulous fabric will undoubtedly set you back a good few quid, but believe me it’s so worth it !!
My heart sinks when a new client comes to us saying that the building work has gone over budget, and consequently they don’t have much left to spend on the curtains. It’s such a shame. The new heating system might be top notch, the technology bang up to date, so much so that you could run a bath at home while you’re on holiday in Crete, but a skimpy set of curtains at the window is going to
absolutely ruin the impact of any room, and devalue the overall effect entirely. Not only that, but it’s going to tarnish the impression that any visitors will take with them. We always advise people in that situation to wait until they have the funds to give the windows the proper treatment the project deserves.
Just a few words about poles before we move on. The variety of poles available today is truly staggering, ranging from traditional wood, through all sorts of metal finishes, to clear acrylic and high gloss lacquer in more or less any colour. There are amazing finials (the bits that go on the end) incorporating leather, suede, hand blown glass, Swarovski crystal, and even ones that light up !!! For beautifully crafted traditional wood poles in an array of diameters up to 67mm, and finishes
including antique silver and gilt, you can’t beat Byron & Byron, while for a fabulous range of the smartest contemporary poles, including some wrapped with soft faux suede or pearlescent faux leather, check out Walcott House. We have a splendid Walcott House display just inside our showroom which always proves an instant attraction to little folk who come in with their parents, what with its bright beads, fascinating glass and multi-coloured lacquers. Clear acrylic poles look stunning in a contemporary setting, but until recently the prices have been somewhat astronomical. But fear not, Byron & Byron to the rescue. They have launched a super range that is really well priced.
One more thing about poles; do please be thoughtful when choosing the diameter. Whilst a thin 19mm diameter pole looks fine above a set of floaty sheers, it looks totally lost and out of proportion supporting a pair of full length curtains. A 30mm diameter pole is the smallest I like to use, and even then only on narrow windows. For me, any pole over a couple of metres wide needs to be at least 40 or 50mm to be in proportion with the curtains.
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