Custom Curtains vs. Ready-Made
The natural question is should I buy custom curtains or the store bought type? If price is your only concern, buy ready made curtains. But if style, design, functionality and other factors still exist in your mindset, then custom curtains may be a better choice. The attached video goes over some of the details.
For this blog, I want to keep it very simple. Look at the before and after pictures. Analyze what your needs are. If your only concern is that you want a curtain, but are afraid of the pricing, then you should do the ready-made variety. They can be a great solution for a lot of windows. But they have some flaws. Let’s just talk about a couple of them.
Curtains And Their Rods
Curtain rods and their brackets are a concern. The question was, “Should I buy custom curtains?”, but in reality, it is not just about the fabric. Did you notice in the video how the rod itself as well as the brackets caused problems for the original ready made curtains? Notice this photo:
Telescoping Curtain Rod
As you can see, the rod makes a big difference. When the rings run across this “bump”, over time the stress on the pins that hold the ring to the drapery tend to cause them to tear at the fabric. This is usually what causes pleats to break down and for draperies to lose their durability. The other factor that the video showed was the bracket issue.
To clarify, this has to do with where the rods are installed. When the homeowner did their DIY project, they installed the 3 brackets on the wood trim. Why did we design and install the brackets to fit with some on the trim and some on the wall? To have a wider drapery rod, so that we could get the side of the drapery off of the window. This maximizes light and the view as well.
It is these kinds of choices that make a difference. The brackets we talked about, on the wall, were custom made to be 7/8” deeper than the ones mounted to the trim. This is one of those scenarios that is obvious to a good drapery designer, but a massive headache to the typical DIY homeowner who wants things done right.
Which is a Cleaner Look? Custom or Ready-Made
Now let’s quickly take a peek at the different types of draperies to see if you can visibly decide which is better for you. Remember the same question… should I buy custom curtains? What appeals to you more?
Ready Made Draperies
The “After” Custom Curtains
About Us
Kempler Design is located in Reno NV and serves the northern Nevada and Lake Tahoe regions with a mobile design showroom. Paul Kempler, its founder is considered a window fashions expert. Kempler Design has been featured in many prestigious projects, including the HGTV dream home in LakeTahoe. Kempler Design works with homeowners as well as interior design firms looking for a local contact in the Reno/Tahoe area or is available for travel.