The Best Way to Choose Headings for your Curtains and Drapes

The Best Way to Choose Headings for your Curtains and Drapes

Attractive average curtains, drapes, or pelmets can get a huge improvement in style when enhanced with some wow headings. I mention here the top seven headings that will set your drapes apart from the rest.

Goblet pleat curtain headings

The Best hanging technique: decorative curtain pole or curtain track using drapery hooks.

 This easy-to-achieve effect is stunning and one of my favorites. It has a rich, formal appearance and looks wonderful with woven fabrics or jacquards. Coupled with luxurious roped tiebacks pulling curtains back from your window, the overall appearance is timeless. For a true luxury look let your curtain hems drape along the floor either side of the window by about 15cm.

Triple pinch pleat curtain headings - also called French pleat curtain headings

The Best hanging way: decorative curtain pole or curtain track using drapery hooks. 

This is a much loved of mine for easy, yet tremendously stylish curtain headings. Use a fabric of medium weight so the pleats are not too thick or bulky when drawn together. The groups of 3 pleats are spaced apart. They are pinched together with a simple stitch at the base and fan out at the top. The base could then be accentuated with a covered button. This is a formal, crisp heading. It works best with other soft furnishings that are tailored and exact in their appearance.

Smocked curtain headings

The Best hanging technique: decorative curtain pole or curtain track using drapery hooks.

 Smocked curtain headings look very difficult to accomplish, and consequently many don't try this complicated, diamond-lace look for the top of their curtains. The smocked heading is so intricate it deserves to be the focal point of the curtain rather than any pattern detail on the fabric. The smocking shows up better when a plain fabric of medium to heavy weight is used.

Pencil pleat curtain headings

The Best hanging technique: decorative curtain pole or curtain track using drapery hooks.

 Pencil pleat is almost certainly the best known and most commonly used heading for curtains. The deep, crisp pleats are drawn up tightly to an even, neat form. Traditional pencil pleat tape has 2 rows of pockets, either of which can be used to suspend your curtain hooks. This means that you can use any type of curtain track depending upon whether you wish to hide the tracking system or not. Pencil pleat is a safe choice. It always look right, whether your furnishings are traditional, modern or casual.

Gathered curtain headings

The Best hanging way: decorative curtain pole or curtain track using drapery hooks. 

Occasionally called a standard heading, this is a simple gathered heading that uses a heading tape of around 2.5cm wide. When sewn onto the top of the fabric, you simply draw up the heading tape to the required fullness. It's a casual look, not particularly exciting or even elegant, but is exactly the right heading to use if your curtain top will be hidden under a pelmet.

Pierced curtain headings

The Best hanging way: decorative curtain pole or curtain wire system. 

Pieced top headings are recent. They suit modern rooms. Clean lines, chic spaces with plenty of light and graphic shapes. Details should be in your textures used. Light to medium weight fabrics work best and when drawn the curtains provide an almost flat, ungathered window cover.

Rod pocket curtain headings - also called channelled, cased or slotted heading

The Best hanging technique: decorative curtain pole or curtain wire system.

 Making up a rod pocket heading is the easiest of all methods to create simple drapes. A pocket is created into which you slide your curtain pole. This heading mostly hides the pole. It is a casual but stylish look and one that is best suited for curtains that are stationary. It works well if you use a blind at the window as well. No hooks or heading tape is needed for a rod pocket heading.

Before choosing your style of curtain heading, try and think about the visual effect you want to achieve. The style and shape of your curtain headings can dramatically change the look and impression of a room. Some headings are best suited to certain types of hanging methods and these are recommended above. Click "Curtain Hanging Methods" for more information.