The pleat of your curtain can have a significant effect on the look of your window furnishings, even dictating which fabric you can use to the ambiance it gives a room. Choosing a pleat does come down to personal taste and style but there are a few other factors to consider which may affect your decision.

There is no doubting the s-wave is a hugely popular and modern way of hanging your curtains particularly given the rising popularity of sheer curtains – these are seemingly perfectly paired. However this heading is also great for heavier fabrics that can be limited by the density that the folding of traditional pleats create. The s-wave fold creates an elegant and perpetual wave in the fabric of your curtains. The beauty of the s-wave is that the fold allows the curtain to have no back, so the curtains appear exactly the same from both sides and there is no heading created as per traditional pleat curtains.

Traditional pleat curtains (pencil, double, triple pinched, goblet, boxed) create a heading at the top of the curtains. These styles generally suit formal rooms and are complemented with tie backs, valances, finials and other finishing details. Traditional pleats create a tailored look to your curtains and have distinct finished styles in the heading. However, you can always combine these pleats with a colourful or printed fabric choice to bring a more casual or fun look to your rooms.

With traditional pleated curtains, you can expect to use more fabric than with an s-wave fold, tabs, grommets or with the use of a rod pocket. The folds obviously take up more fabric which also impacts the stacking of your curtains when they are open. This is something to take into consideration particularly if you have a fabulous view you want to fully expose.

If you are considering budget, traditional pleats can be more costly as they tend to involve more work, use more fabric and are commonly complemented with additional dressing and finishing details. So as you can see, there are many factors to consider when you choose your pleat. To peruse your options and for expert help making the best decision for your home and family’s lifestyle, come in-store and talk to our team. We are always happy to help when it comes to interiors.