Want to breathe new life into existing curtains?

If you already have curtains that you love but are looking a bit tired, then there are ways to extend their shelf life (or pole life!). It may be that the sides of the curtains, the leading and trailing edges, have faded from being exposed to the sun. Or that the edges have got stained. My husband once drew the curtains closed after lighting a fire, leaving lovely sooty fingerprints on my nice curtains! As long as the majority of the curtain fabric is in good shape then there are ways of continuing to enjoy them.

1. Add a contrasting border. If the edges of the curtains are faded or marked, then you can trim the edges and add some new fabric in a coordinating fabric. For example, if the curtains have a floral pattern, then a plain border on the edges would work well. Or if they are plain fabric, then a border is a contrasting colour also looks good.
   

2. Use the curtains on a smaller window. It is possible to remake the curtains for a smaller window by reducing the the width and drop of the curtains. This might be a good solution if thinking about upgrading curtains in a main living room or dining room and moving the current curtains to a spare room.
   

3. Add new lining or interlining. If the fabric still looks good but the lining has got damaged or discoloured over time, then you could always simply add lovely new lining and extend the life of your curtains. Another option is to add interlining if there isn't any currently. Interlining makes the curtains feel more plush and keeps the room warmer.
   

4. Change the heading. A great way to update curtains is to change the heading. The current curtains might have a pencil pleat heading which you could change to pinch pleat heading. Triple pinch pleat heading hangs below the curtain pole and looks very smart.
   

5. Add a trim. A fun way to add new life into old curtains (particularly plain curtains) is to add a trim to the leading and trailing edges. There are so many trims to choose from and will make such a difference to the look of your curtains.
   

I hope that has given you some ideas of updating existing curtains. I am always delighted when curtains are reused and repurposed rather then being thrown away. If this is of interest, please do contact me and we can discuss options.