22 ready made curtains that take the faff out of window dressing

There are huge practicality benefits of buying ready made curtains, but ahead of purchasing make sure you consider what you want, and which type of curtains suits you best:

• If they’re for a bedroom, blackout curtains can be useful–especially in British summer time. Although if you fall in love with a thin pair of curtains, black out lining can be added to them.
• If you live in an old house with single glazing, or you’re renting and don’t have double glazing, thermal curtains can be a good idea as they help to keep the heat in and aid energy efficiency.
• Linen curtains look lovely and fresh but the thickness can vary a lot so make sure you look at them with the light behind them to ensure they are fit for purpose.
• Voile curtains are the modern answer to net curtains, and provide privacy without blocking out natural light. Sheer curtains also lend a delicate and airy look to a space.
• Patterned and colourful options can really bring warmth and life to even the plainest of rooms–so they are the best curtains for rentals where you may not be at liberty to change the wall colour.

Plenty of our favourite online furniture shops, from high street to high end, offer lovely, high-quality ready-made curtains. La Redoute are great for a wide range of curtains that aren’t painfully expensive. H&M offer surprisingly great quality linen curtains: they’re weighty and look lovely. Anthropologie’s curtains are more unusual, with trims and patterns that you won’t necessarily find elsewhere. On the top end of the scale, House of Hackney create joyous, maximalist curtains and their service is excellent. Caravane also have a lovely offering of crisp and colourful linens.

Curtains are measured by width first, followed by the drop. Unfortunately, there isn't a standardised size, rather each brand offering their own standard. Bear in mind that the width refers to the flat width of the curtain so if you want that gathered look when closed, make sure to double the width of your pole.

The golden rule of measuring is to measure everything twice. For curtains you will need to figure out the width and length of your window and then decide how wide and long you want you curtains to be. Traditionally, curtains sit higher than your window, and they will look right anywhere between 10 and 40cm above, depending on preference. The drop of the curtain is entirely down to your choice too. Some designers like to have reams of fabric gathered at the base of the curtain, others like the curtain to end just at the floor.