Pelmets

I am sometimes asked to make pelmets. There are very many varieties, mostly ‘box’ pelmets, frilly affairs, swag&tails or simply boards to hide the curtain track. Except for frills, pelmets are not usually constructed to be taken down or dry cleaned – rather like your sofa, they stay in place. Pelmets are not used with poles, only with tracks.

A box pelmet is enclosed on each side and the top. It’s made from thin MDF or hardboard and attached to the wall with brackets. Inside it is lined and on the outside, there is a layer of thick interlining underneath the main fabric. If you attach your box pelmet to the ceiling, only sides and the front are needed, but if there is a cornice or your box pelmet will sit some distance below the ceiling, it benefits from a ‘roof’ or should be attached to a pelmet shelf serving the same purpose: to prevent light seepage at the top.

A frill is basically a very short curtain that covers the track, and is itself attached to a curtain track with hooks, so that you will need a double rail to accommodate your curtains and your pelmet.

A board is suitable for covering a track wall-to-wall. All you need is a suitable board and some small brackets to attach it to the ceiling. It can be covered or left as is, perhaps in a wood matching the décor.

Swags&tails are suitable for formal rooms, they need tall windows and a sufficient amount of space above it so they don’t cut out too much light.

When you plan for your pelmet, it is important to consider where your curtain ends: it should finish below the curtain rail as the pleats, especially when open, will add extra depth that needs to be accommodated in the pelmet. If the fabric has a vertical pattern it may look best to continue this from the curtain up in one continuous run to the pelmet. In that case, you’ll want to consider its pattern placement in conjunction with the curtain: the pelmet will always be visible, and the curtain will only show its full pattern when it is closed. Hence, the pelmet should show the most prominent feature of the fabric’s design.