Tips & Tricks

We offer a measure and quote service, which includes working out fabric quantities, throughout the Bay of Plenty. This service is free for Tauranga based customers.

  • Measuring for drapes
  • Measuring for blinds

We recommend you use a retractable metal tape measure as, unlike a cloth tape, it will stay flat and tight. Cloth tapes tend to slip and bend resulting in a bad measurement.

Measuring For Drapes

Width:

Measure the full width of your curtain track or rod. Make sure not to include any decorative ends (finials) in your measurement.

If you do not have a track or rod installed yet, you will need to work out how long you want it to be. We recommend adding 300mm on either side of the window (or architrave if you have one). This allows for sufficient room for your drapes to be drawn to either side and ensures your drapes will fit comfortably as well as maximizing light and window size.

Length:

If you are using a track, measure from the top of the track. If you don’t have one installed yet, a popular postition for the track is about 10cm above the top of the window frame or on the top edge flush with the architrave if you have one.

If you are using a rod, measure from underneath the rod.

Popular lengths:

  • Sitting on the sill – if you have a protruding window sill, measure to the sill.
  • Just below sill – measure to 50mm below the sill. This will block out light and draughts.
  • To the floor – measure to the floor. This length will maximize insulation and make your ceiling appear higher.
  • Puddle on the floor – add 50-100mm to your “to the floor” length for a european feel. Although this look is stunning with soft-lined drapes, this length is not recomended for thermal or stiff fabrics.

Measuring For Blinds

Outside of frame

Measure around the outside of the frame. We recommend adding allowances of 4cm on either side & bottom, and 10cm above. This ensures optimum insulation and a total barrier from outside light.

Inside of frame

We also produce Roman Blinds to fit tightly inside the window frame. Please measure accuratly as an exact measurement is required.

Fabric choice is very individual and there are many options available.

Heading choice is a major factor in your choice and some fabrics suit some headings where others will not.

An uncoated fabric can be matched up with a variety of linings to allow for insulation and blockout properties.

Many options of linings including, poly cotton and sunteen which are a light weight lining, thermal lining which allows insulation and a little heavier than the poly cottons, then blockouts which are heavier again but a lot of very soft blockouts available to allow for blockage of all light and insulation. There is also a wide range of coloured linings available that look spectacular on a double track behind voiles / sheers.

There are also many thermal backed and block out fabrics that do not require lining which can reduce the cost of your making and the cost of your total fabric. 

There are many options of linings including, poly cotton and sunteen which are a light weight lining, thermal lining which allows insulation and a little heavier than the poly cottons, then blockouts which are heavier again but a lot of soft blockout linings are available to allow for blockage of all light and provide premium insulation. There is also a wide range of coloured linings available that look spectacular on a double track behind voiles / sheers.

Poly cotton / sunteen linings are perfect for a soft fall drape where you are not concerned with blocking light / sun or insulation properties.

Thermal is a soft lining with a thermal backing allowing for insulation and dulling the light.

Blockout is similar to thermal but has another layer added to completely block light out and also has the added insulation factor. These can be quite a stiff lining but there are many new options of extra soft blockouts that can be used similarly to a thermal and sunteen etc.

Soft block lining is an extra soft and thick lining that is blockout also, comes in several colours and is used a lot to go behind voiles / sheers on a double track.

Coloured linings – these are another soft lining option but not as thick as soft block and come in many colours to match up with drapes or voiles / sheers.