The Art of the Heading: Tailored Finishes for Cornish Homes
The heading is the crowning glory of a bespoke curtain. It determines how the fabric falls, how the light enters the room, and the overall 'hand' of the drape. From the formal elegance of a hand-pinched pleat to the relaxed charm of a cottage ruffle, I can help you choose the finish that best tells your home's story.
Unlike high-street curtains that use plastic pull-tapes, our pleated headings are hand-measured and hand-stitched. This ensures your pleats are perfectly spaced for your specific window width and that the pattern of your fabric is never lost in a random gather.
The Single Pinch Pleat is the most understated of our hand-stitched headings. It offers a clean, contemporary aesthetic that allows the beauty of your chosen fabric to take center stage without distraction.
The Look & Feel Often referred to as the "New York Pleat," this style features a single, crisp fold stitched at regular intervals along the top of the curtain. It creates a sleek, columnar drape that feels modern yet inherently sophisticated.
Why Choose a Single Pinch Pleat?
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Showcase Bold Patterns: Because there is less fabric gathered into the pleat compared to a triple pinch, the pattern of your fabric remains more visible and less distorted at the top of the window.
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Ideal for Heavy Fabrics: If you have chosen a substantial velvet or a thick, textured wool, the single pinch provides a neat, manageable stack-back that doesn’t feel overly bulky.
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The Coastal Minimalist Aesthetic: It is the perfect choice for modern Cornish homes where the goal is a "quiet luxury" look—refined, tailored, and clutter-free.
The Artisan Difference Unlike machine-gathered tape, our Single Pinch Pleats are hand-measured and hand-calculated to fit your specific window width. We ensure that each pleat is perfectly spaced and that the "returns" (the edges of the curtain) sit flush against your wall or architrave for a truly bespoke, draught-proof finish.
Double and triple Pinch Pleat Curtains
Our Double and Triple Pinch Pleats are hand-sewn into the fabric, creating permanent, elegant folds that hang with a weighted precision. Ideal for drawing-rooms and heritage properties where a structured silhouette is desired.
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The Double Pinch Pleat: The Modern Classic
The Double Pinch Pleat is our most popular heading, offering a perfect balance between traditional tailoring and contemporary simplicity. It provides a more defined "V" shape at the top of the curtain than a single pleat, creating a beautiful, fluid rhythm as the fabric falls.
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The Look: Refined, neat, and balanced. It creates a structured fold that looks equally at home in a coastal townhouse or a country cottage.
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Why Choose It: It offers a luxurious "stacked" look without the extra weight of a triple pleat. It works beautifully with linens and mid-weight fabrics, giving them enough body to hang with authority.
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Artisan Detail: Each double pleat is hand-formed and stitched at the base, ensuring the folds stay crisp and uniform for years to come.
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For thick-walled granite cottages, we often recommend a deeper heading to help 'frame' the recess and provide extra thermal insulation against the Atlantic breeze.
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Triple Pinch Pleat Curtains
The Triple Pinch Pleat: The Height of Opulence
Also known as the French Pleat, the Triple Pinch is the most traditional and luxurious heading we offer. It uses the most fabric, resulting in a deep, rich drape and a heavy, weighted fall that radiates quality.
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The Look: Grand, sophisticated, and distinctly "heirloom." The triple-fold fans out at the top, creating a statement architectural feature at your window.
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Why Choose It: This is the choice for formal drawing rooms, high ceilings, and heritage properties. The extra fullness provided by the triple pleat also offers superior thermal qualities and sound dampening, as there is more fabric "trap" for the air.
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Artisan Detail: Because this style requires a precise amount of fabric (usually 2.5 to 3 times the width of the window), our hand-calculation is vital. We ensure the pattern of the fabric is centered within the pleats, a level of detail you will never find in mass-produced curtains.
The curtains in this picture have been hung on a Byron & Byron Barnwood pole. The Pole is face fixed with no finales as the large curtains cover a wide patio door opening to a balcony. The curtain fabric is Salt Marsh from Hedgerow Home. They have been pleated to pattern and are blackout lined and interlined.
Wave Headed Curtains
For a modern Cornish coastal look, the Wave heading offers a soft, continuous ripple. This minimalist style is perfect for floor-to-ceiling sheers or large expanses of glass, allowing for a neat 'stack-back' that maximizes your view.
The curtains in this picture have been hung on a Silent Gliss wave headed system track. The track is face fixed. The curtain fabric is Loire from Warwick Fabrics. The curtain is standard lined with a hand finished heading.
The Art of the Measure: A Guide to the Perfect Fit
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Achieving the "heirloom look" starts long before the first stitch is taken. The way a bespoke curtain sits—skimming the floor or perfectly clearing a radiator—depends entirely on the precision of the initial measurements.
While we always recommend a professional measurement for the most accurate results, here is our guide to preparing for your consultation:
1. Fit Your Track or Pole First
Never measure a window without the hardware in place. Your measurements should always be taken from the curtain pole or track, not the window frame itself.
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The Breadth: For a luxurious look, we usually recommend your pole extends 15cm to 30cm beyond the window on each side to allow the curtains to "stack back" and let the Cornish light flood in.
2. Measuring the Width
Using a metal tape measure (fabric tapes can stretch), measure the total length of the pole between the decorative end fins (finials). If you have a track with an overlap, remember to measure both parts and add them together.
3. Choosing Your Length (The Drop)
The "drop" determines the mood of the room. Consider which of these three signature looks suits your home:
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The Sill Length: Ending 1cm above the windowsill—ideal for kitchens or smaller cottage windows.
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The Floor Skim: Ending 1cm above the floor—a crisp, modern, and practical finish.
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The "Puddle" or Break: Allowing an extra 2cm to 5cm of fabric to rest on the floor—the ultimate "slow-decor" look, perfect for heavy linens and romantic bedrooms.
4. Account for Cornish Architecture
In older Cornish properties, floors and ceilings are rarely perfectly level. We recommend taking measurements at three different points (left, center, and right) to ensure your curtains hang straight, even if your walls don't.
Expert Tip: If you are unsure, don't worry. As part of our bespoke service, we offer a professional measuring and consultation visit to ensure every millimetre is accounted for before we cut your chosen fabric.
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Ready to Begin Your Project?
Book a Professional Design Consultation
Measuring for bespoke window treatments can be complex, especially in heritage homes or unique spaces. Let us take the pressure off. We offer a comprehensive in-home consultation service across Cornwall to ensure your curtains, blinds, and cushions are a perfect fit.
During your consultation, we will:
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Take precise, professional measurements to ensure a flawless hang.
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Advise on the best heading styles for your specific window architecture.
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Discuss fabric weight, linings, and "puddle" lengths to suit your lifestyle.
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Provide an itemized, no-obligation quote for your bespoke project.