In the winter months it can be difficult keeping the chill out of our homes. In particular, older properties often have single-pane glass windows and ill-fitting doors, meaning there are a multitude of draughts to contend with. There are lots of ways you can reduce heat loss in your home, but by far the simplest and easiest is to use curtains and blinds to cover doors and windows to banish those pesky draughts.
Fitted and used correctly, curtains will block heat from entering and escaping your home, helping to keep it cooler in the summer and warmer over winter. As we all spend more time indoors over winter and want to keep things cosy, here are some of our favourite ways to make sure our rooms are snug and comfortable in the cooler season.
1. INVEST IN MADE TO MEASURE CURTAINS & BLINDS
All
curtains and blinds go some way to keeping out the chill and preventing heat from escaping so your room stays warmer for longer.
Blinds are extremely popular as they have a neat, tidy appearance, offer more control over light regulation and help insulate your home. They can be fitted into window recesses, and if lined and interlined, go a long way to block out draughts.
However, if you really want to keep out the cold, we feel it's worth taking one step further and investing in blackout lining. Not only does it have thermal properties that will help to reduce your heating bills, but it will also help protect against light pollution, ensuring your blind looks better for longer – and that you get a good night’s sleep!
To raise a quote for a blind,
download and complete this form > and send it in to us at
sales@jim-lawrence.co.uk. Lining with interlining
Interlining your curtains & blinds adds a soft extra layer of fabric that helps it maintain its shape, protects the fabric from sunlight and provides insulation.
Blackout liningAvailable in cream, our blackout lining protects the fabric from sunlight and provides insulation so it does not need to be combined with other linings.
CURTAINS
In our opinion, by far the best fabric insulation for your home is
curtains. They are a must-have for really draughty windows and doors, as they can be pulled across the entirety of your window area, preventing cold air from entering and hot air from escaping. Curtains are made from fabric that is a good insulator and acts as a barrier, slowing down the process by which heat naturally transfers from a warm environment to a cold one and vica versa.
We feel that made-to-measure curtains are the best option because they are made to your specific requirements, fitting your window exactly. Our extensive range of
curtain fabrics come in a variety of designs and colours and natural fibres such as silks, linens, cottons and wools, which, if lined and interlined – or even better, made with blackout lining - will work wonders helping to keep your home comfortable.
Our expert team of seamstresses create beautiful made-to-measure curtains from our
collection of elegant fabrics, many inspired by the landscape around
Jim and Sheena Lawrence’s Suffolk farm. Free
fabric swatches are available on our website. We can also create blinds with a fabric of your own if you send us a swatch so we can check it is suitable.
To raise a quote for curtains, you can download a form
here > and send it in to us at
sales@jim-lawrence.co.uk.
2. CONSIDER A PORTIERE FOR DOORS
Exterior doors are often a problem area for letting in the cold, as measurements need only be a fraction out for a draught to rage! The solution?
A portiere. This is a genius invention that allows a curtain to be hung over a door without getting in the way of it opening and closing – the system moves with the door! A portiere is designed with a hinged or swivel bracket that attaches to the door frame (or adjoining wall) at one end and a support bracket that fits to the back of the door at the other so that an attached rod can move with the door.
Our
12mm button portieres are handcrafted from high-quality forged iron; are available in a choice of finishes and cut to any length you require up to a maximum of 1.2m. To ensure the fabric covers the entirety of the door - and if you have the space – we suggest making your rod longer than the width of your door frame, so the curtain covers the open end. You can secure it there by popping on a curtain ring between the bracket and finial.
To complete the look, we make a wide range of
curtain holdbacks that will keep your curtain tidy when it's drawn back. If your door is glazed and you don’t want a swathe of fabric covering it (as shown below), you can always unhook your curtain from the last ring so that you can draw it open fully and secure it back with a holdback.
For a useful guide on how to measure for a portiere, see our
Knowledge Base page – A Guide to our made to measure portiere rods.
Curtain rings are sold separately. We recommend 1 ring per 8cm of rod/pole.
3. DORMER RODS
As no two properties are the same, a bespoke
dormer rod might be the perfect solution for dormer windows, recessed windows and smaller doors. Dormer rods differ from conventional curtain poles in that they only have a hinged bracket at one end that allows the curtain to swing away from the window.
Our dormer rods are supplied with a sleeve bracket that is attached to the wall next to the window (or door) either facing frontwards, or side-facing (as shown below). The rod swings into place to cover the window and when not in use, swings back against the wall. You can use dormer rods across the width of a window, meeting in the middle, or over doorways with the help of a support bracket.
Our dormer rods are available in two widths, 12 & 16mm, and in a range of our most popular finishes. For more information about how they work and how to measure for them, see our
Knowledge Base guide - Our Made to Measure Dormer Rods.
KEEP IT COSY
To really dial up the cosiness and prioritise comfort over those long winter nights, consider endowing your home with
plump cushions and
snuggly throws that just invite you to hunker down. Our generously sized, 50cm square
Hunstanton velvet cushions have a rich, sumptuous quality that feels wonderful to the touch. Inspired by the landscapes of north Norfolk, they are available in a range of dramatic colours that evoke the sunsets and vast stretches of sand and skyscapes around Hunstanton.
Our gorgeous range of
luxury throws from heritage tweed makers
Lovat Mill are inspired by the moorland countryside surrounding the Scottish border town of Hawick where Lovat Mill is based. Fabulously soft and made from pure lambswool, cashmere and merino wool, these throws come in a range of natural colours that suit any style of home.
Every home needs some hearthside companions to keep the
fireside working efficiently over winter. Our sturdy
Chappel Log Basket is ideal for stacking logs for inglenooks and wood burners, while our
Suffolk, Elmsett and Portland Companion Sets have everything you need to keep your hearth neat and tidy.
SOFT CANDLELIGHT
The flicker of
candlelight never fails to conjure up a feeling of cosiness and warmth. Our newly extended range of candles now include pillar and luxury scented candles by royal candle makers
Charles Farris.
We would love to see how you translate these ideas into your own home this season, so don’t forget to tag us on Instagram or Facebook. For a wealth of home décor and interior inspiration, view our Pinterest page. Browse the
Jim Lawrence website to see all our hand forged and finished lighting and homeware.
Follow us