Curtain Poles For All Occasions

The first types of cloth window coverings were hung in front of windows by a wooden pole. Nowadays there is a vast variety of different curtain poles available to suit all weights of fabrics and suit every type of interior design style.

A modern approach to hanging curtains is to use a metal pole with a contemporary finish such as satin nickel, satin brass or polished chrome and use eyelet headed curtains rather than the traditional curtain pole rings to hang the curtains, providing a sleek, stylish and less formal window dressing. Many of these metallic poles also come with oxidized antique looks to give a traditional finish to your windows.

When hanging any style of curtain on a pole it is essential to position the last one or two rings, tabs or eyelets between the fixing bracket and the end finial to prevent the entire curtain being swept across the pole and exposing the end of the pole and window edge.

Double curtain poles are supplied with larger fixing brackets which hold two poles, one in front of the other. These are ideal for hanging a sheer voile curtain at the back and a fabric curtain at the front, offering both privacy and a complete window dressing system in one. These double poles can also be used to create a modern panel system on the window.

Traditional wooden poles in substantial diameters are suitable for hanging heavy weight curtain fabrics and offer the perfect window treatment solution for large windows and rooms. There are many different types of wooden poles available each offering the natural beauty of the wood to enhance both traditional and modern interior design styles. For those who wish to use a wooden curtain pole which coordinates their colour scheme, unfinished poles are also available which allow personal choice as to which colour paint or stain is used. You can go for a natural wood look by just painting on a clear varnish or you can add a darker mahogany colored stain to give a dramatic bold effect.

When choosing a curtain pole it needs to be slightly longer than the width of the window to allow for stack back of the curtains. If traditional rings are used it is usual to allow one ring for every ten centimeters of curtain heading, however, this is dependant on the weight of the fabric, heavy fabrics will need to have more rings to ensure that the folds and pleats of the fabric hang correctly.

Lightweight plastic poles which imitate metal are the budget choice of curtain poles and while they certainly have their place and have the advantage of being easy to fix onto 'stud' type walls they are only suitable for lightweight fabrics due to their tendency to bend. There are a wide variety of designs and styles of plastic finials which are also coated in matching metallic colours to compliment and provide the finishing touch to this type of curtain pole. It used to be that there was only one standard method of covering windows, but with the range of window coverings, styles and curtain poles available, the options are endless.