VIctorian and georgian properties in Dublin and across the country are being lovingly restored by their lucky owners .
We are lucky enough to be involved with many of the curtain, drapery, blind and shutter installations in these properties. 

Careful attention to detail is required with measuring, fitting and making up of period drapes or curtains . 
Our curtains are traditionally made, hand sewn and interlined 
How it  all works ....

Step 1
Survey of the property.
An evaluation of the space by an expert  interior designer.
Measure the space and discuss rails ,poles, fitting styles for window treatment and best options available.
​
Step 2 
Choose fabrics for curtains or blinds .
Many options available. Some of my favourites being silk from Designers Guild , James Hare or Kandola
Other companies leading the way are Colefax and Fowler, Manual Canovas and Osborne and Little.
The use of passimenterie / trimmings is always a fabulous way to achieve an authentic period look. The trimmings below are from Wemyss Houles a French company with an amazing range of products.
Layering or adding a border to a leading edge is a great way to achieve a double layered curtain look
without the expense of a double rail or pole.
Step 3 
Order and look forward to final fitting.
Step 4 
The big day.......fitting days are always exciting and full of anticipation. the finished product always  worth the wait.


SOME IMAGES BELOW SHOWING SOME OF THE OPTIONS 

So Victorian curtain or Georgian curtain lovers,,
whatever your looking for there is every reason to get the right result.
​ Your options are endless .
 Call Paula 
086 8595060

Well , when is a pole not a pole ? When its a Polmet !
It's an ingenious new product from Byron and Byron. A combination of both a rail and a pole with the advantage of a decorative profile. They are available both corded and uncorded and in several finishes.
The Baroque and Milo polmet are available in white, antique ivory, silver and gold. These are a great solution for period homes with decorative cornices, where pelmets or swags and tails are not required.
The Deco polmet is more suitable for a modern interior. There are several other options available including a cute range for childrens rooms 

Another ingenious product from Byron and Byron is the Metamorph bay curtain pole. Metamorph™ is a Byron & Byron Bay Pole System providing a silent, smooth, durable and decorative solution for most bay window configurations. A carefully engineered system that follows the unique curves of your bay windows. It is available in both 55mm and 67mm diameters and in all finishes. Available made to measure, Metamorph™requires metal brackets. It rarely needs more than three brackets.
Accurate measuring, detailed drawings and expert fitting are the keys to success with this product.
Finials as always are available from the vast collection at Byron and Byron . The pole finishes are available as standard or bespoke to your exact specification.

These are just two of the alternative or not so standard products available for curtains. There are many more and I will introduce more to you in time. Windows and curtains need never just make do with the ordinary. No matter what challenge your windows pose there should always be a solution and if not we have to make one. 
Paula
046 95 49200

This new collection is named after the Constellation Cassiopeia which was named after the mythological Greek vaie queen of Aethiopia. She was placed in the sky as a punishement for her boast that her daughter Andromedia was more beautiful than the Nereids (female nymph). She was forced to wheel around the North celestial pole on her throne, spending half her time clinging to it so she didn't fall off. The constellation is made up of five main stars that sit opposite the big dipper.

The Cassiopeia collection from Voyage offers five distinct fabrics in a neutral palette from chalk to grey and taupe. The texture is soft linen, with a sumptuous contrast of a matching palette in soft velvet.
The five distinct fabrics are plain linen, velvet, large leaf, diamond and script. The colour range is fantastic and although in vogue now it will always be a classic collection and never date. Although your custom made curtains last for years and years, do you think Cassiopeia will turn your head? I know although I love my curtains there could be a a house in Meath about to get a makeover.
Thank you Cassiopeia you are truly beautiful.

Paula x

Curtains are back big time for 2013. All the great houses in Meath, Dublin, Kildare and indeed all over the country were adorned with beautiful drapes. They were a statement of status and power. Maybe we have Downton Abbey to thank for the renewed interest in curtains...
 The trend this season is to dress windows with luxurious fabrics such as silk and velvet. Custom and hand made curtains are top of the list for adding the wow factor to any space. Your curtains are one place in your home you can truly express your individuality. There are so many fabrics on the market that if your road had 200 houses, you could each have a different shade of ivory silk. Of course there are silks to suit all budgets but in general they vary from €45 to €165 and even more for the more exclusive embroidered silks or hand painted silks. It is the one fabric that exudes effortless luxury however plain it is. However I do not recommend anything cheaper than €45 as the quality is seriously compromised. The plain yarn silk dupion from Designers Guild this season sees the addition of a vast range of blues from duck egg to indigo. Silk curtains however need always to be interlined to add weight and protect the fabric from sunlight.

Velvets are another big trend this season and with choices from €25 yd to €45 on average, they are a great investment. There are so many velvets to choose from now, matt finish, high gloss, embossed, damask. plain patterned or stripe. They are also available in many different weights from the heavy weight we all know, to a gorgeous lightweight soft draping silk velvet. This is ideal for bunching up into billowing folds with tie backs.
The velvet shown on the left is a Roccoco inspired velvet with a jaquard weave and gilded highlights from Designers guild. This is suitable for drapes and upholstery.This one isn't cheap but hey, everyone one would know it. The bottom line is there is a price point to suit everyone. 

Our favourite finishes for curtains this season are French pleats. Our 10" french pleats are deeper than most curtain manufacturers offer and are one of our specialties. The proportions are much better than with the usual shorter pleats. Eyelets are an option for the silks but are not successful on very thick velvet's. Roman blinds are always beautiful in silk or velvet and trimmed with bobbles or braid are simply stunning. Curtains and Roman blinds are now more affordable than ever and with the saving made on energy after installation they are not just aesthetically pleasing but in the long term good for the pocket. So, is it curtains for you? 

One of my top tips for insulating your home is to invest in a pair of interlined curtains.

The question is to puddle or not to puddle? Well, the answer to that is simple. 

• Have you cats? 
• Have you little children?
• Are you a compulsive cleaner ?

As you can imagine, puddled curtains - extra fabric in the length to create a bunched effect - do not fit well with any of the above. Cats & dogs will nest in the puddle on the floor, children will play tents behind them and the compulsive cleaner will wash them occasionally. 

So for all of the above, I recommend just to the floor.

Interlining is when a layer of soft bump lining is sewn between the main fabric and the lining. It adds bulk & weight and makes the curtains look plump & sumptuous. A pair of interlined curtains closed at night or on a cold day will save approximately 20% heat loss from your window. Some people go as far as placing magnets at the sides to create a seal and prevent further heat loss. I am obsessed with closing my curtains particularly in the hall in the winter & trust me it works. The hall is always much warmer with the curtains closed.However, I have not gone as far as putting magnets on them.

Another favourite of mine is fleece lining. This is a lining with fleece attached to one side. The fleece side sits against the back of the main fabric and does a fabulous job of plumping up the fabric. The beauty of this is that it is less labour intensive than interlining but still gives similar results. We rarely make curtains without fleece lining or interlining .Sometimes the deciding factor is simply cost. To fleece line is cheaper.

Great advances have been made in the development of specialty linings & one of the best was the combination of fleece lining with blackout lining. There was a time when blackout lining was rubbery in texture and didn't sit very nicely. We now have a fabulous blackout fleece that is ivory on the outside and fleece on the inside. It hangs beautifully and makes a fantastic job for kids rooms or anywhere blackout is needed.

We custom make all our curtains and also supply and fit rails and poles. You might be surprised at the value on offer. Some fabrics are available from €20 per metre.

Of course for budget fit outs & rentals, we supply a well made range of ready made curtains.