How to Choose and Buy Striped Curtains: Fabric, Stripe Scale and Made-to-Measure Options

Updated

Choose striped curtains by matching stripe scale to your window size, picking a fabric weight that suits the room, and ordering free swatches before you commit to made-to-measure. The Stripes Company sells 100% cotton striped fabrics for curtains and soft furnishings, offers made-to-measure blinds, and currently lists 10% off all curtains and Roman blinds for orders placed by 31 October, alongside free swatches (up to 8, postage only, refundable from your first order). Use this guide to decide on fabric, stripe scale, and ordering route.

Match stripe scale to the window and room

Stripe width changes how a curtain reads from across the room.

  • Fine stripes (around 1cm): read as texture rather than pattern. Good for small windows, busy rooms, or where you want colour without a bold graphic effect. The site's Classic 1cm Stripes colourway appears across its soft furnishings range, so you can coordinate curtains with cushions, tablecloths and seat pads.
  • Wide, bold stripes: make a statement and suit large windows or plain rooms where the curtain is the focal point. On a narrow window, very wide stripes can overwhelm the space.

Stripe direction matters too: vertical stripes make a window look taller, horizontal stripes widen it. Check the stripe run on a swatch before ordering, since the direction on the roll determines how the finished curtain hangs.

Choose fabric weight and lining for the room

The site describes its core range as 100% cotton stripes for curtains, upholstery and soft furnishings. Cotton suits casual living rooms and bedrooms where you want a natural look.

  • Light control: for bedrooms or rooms facing streetlights, plan for a lining or a heavier option. The site lists made-to-measure blinds alongside curtains, which is worth considering where you need tighter light control than a curtain alone provides.
  • Coordinating a room: because the same striped fabrics cover curtains, upholstery and accessories, you can carry one stripe through a room. Order swatches of your shortlist together so you can compare them side by side in your own light.

Decide between ready-made, made-to-measure and Roman blinds

Option Best for What to check before ordering
Ready-made curtains Quick refresh, standard window sizes Finished width and drop against your measurements
Made-to-measure curtains Non-standard windows, precise fit Measure width and drop; confirm the current 10% curtain offer applies to your order date
Roman blinds Neat window coverage, light control Measuring guidance for blinds; the same 10% offer covers Roman blinds

Measure the track or pole width (not just the glass) and the drop from the pole to your preferred finished length before ordering either made-to-measure curtains or blinds. For blinds, follow the site's measuring guidance for the specific blind type, since recess and exact measurements differ from curtain measuring.

Order swatches before you buy

The site offers up to 8 free swatches; you pay postage only, refundable from your first order. This is the cheapest way to avoid a colour mistake.

  1. Shortlist your stripe scales and colourways on the site.
  2. Order up to 8 swatches.
  3. Hold them against the window at different times of day — north-facing rooms and strong afternoon sun both shift how a stripe colour reads.
  4. Check stripe direction and how the fabric drapes before committing to made-to-measure.

Check current offers and delivery before ordering

The site currently lists:

  • 10% off all curtains and Roman blinds for orders placed by 31 October.
  • 20% off sitewide with the discount applied at checkout, running until Monday 26 October at 11.59pm.

Confirm which offer applies to your basket at checkout, and check delivery times for made-to-measure items before ordering — bespoke curtains and blinds typically take longer than ready-made products. If you are ordering for a fixed date, place the order with enough lead time and confirm the delivery estimate at checkout.