Custom Curtains Perth: How to Choose the Right Style, Fabric and Finish| Zara Curtains & Blinds

A practical guide to choosing curtains that suit your light, your privacy and the way you actually live, made to measure right here in Perth.

Curtains do far more than dress a window. They control light, soften sound, hold warmth in through winter and keep the summer glare at bay. When you choose custom curtains in Perth rather than a standard size off the shelf, every one of those jobs is tuned to your room, your windows and your taste. The trade off is that you face more decisions. Style, fabric, heading, lining and finish all interact, and the right call in one area depends on the others. This guide walks through each choice in the order we work through it with our own clients, so you can plan a window treatment that looks the part and works hard for years.

Why custom curtains suit a Perth home

Off the shelf curtains are cut to fixed widths and drops, so they rarely match a window exactly. The result is gaps at the edges and pooling or floating hems, and those gaps are where light, heat and cold leak through. In a Perth home that matters more than most people expect. Our light is intense, west facing rooms cop a brutal afternoon load through summer, and the open plan windows in newer builds across the southern corridor are often too wide for anything ready made to cover cleanly.

Custom curtains start from the opposite point. We measure the window, factor in how the room is used and how the light moves through the day, then build to suit. Bedrooms and media rooms get the coverage they need to stay dark and cool. Living and dining spaces can keep their view and daylight while still managing glare and privacy. Because we make our curtains and soft furnishings in our own workroom in Cockburn Central, the quality is controlled at every step, and the product is genuinely Perth made by Perth hands. You can read more about our workroom and our makers on our about page, and see the full range on our curtains page.

Choosing the right curtain style for each room

Style sets the character of the room before anyone notices the fabric. Each heading hangs differently, draws differently and suits a different setting, so it pays to match the style to both the room and the way the window is used.

Wave fold curtains, sometimes called S fold, hang in soft uniform waves from a discreet track. They read clean and modern, sit beautifully in sheers, and suit the large windows and sliding doors common in newer homes. Pinch pleat curtains, in double or triple pleat, are more structured and tailored. They carry a classic, formal feel and work well in traditional rooms and bedrooms where you want a sense of weight. Pencil pleat remains a versatile traditional option that gathers neatly and suits almost any setting.

Many of the best results in Perth living areas come from layering. A sheer on the front track filters harsh daylight and gives daytime privacy without closing the room off, while a heavier drape on a second track behind it delivers full coverage and warmth at night. Bedrooms usually call for a blockout drape, often paired with a sheer so the room still feels soft during the day. Thinking room by room, rather than picking one style for the whole house, is what makes a home feel considered rather than uniform.

Selecting fabric for Perth light, privacy and durability

Fabric is where comfort and longevity are really decided, and it is the choice people most often get wrong when they buy ready made. The weight, weave and finish of the cloth determine how a curtain drapes, how much light it holds back, how private the room feels and how long it lasts under our sun.

Blockout fabrics and blockout lined drapes are the right call for bedrooms, media rooms and any west facing space, since they hold back light and add a useful thermal layer against summer heat and winter chill. Sheers and voiles do the opposite job, softening daylight and giving privacy while the sun is up, which makes them ideal for living and dining areas. Linen and linen look weaves bring relaxed texture and a gorgeous natural drape, though they need quality lining to protect them and keep their shape.

Durability is the quiet factor that separates a curtain that still looks good in ten years from one that fades and tires in three. The Perth sun is hard on textiles, and a window that takes direct western light will age a fabric far faster than a south facing one, so fade resistance and a quality lining matter as much as the face fabric. Lining also shields the back of the cloth from heat and UV, which is one of the simplest ways to extend the life of a curtain you love. We work with respected Australian fabric houses such as Warwick, Zepel, Charles Parsons and the Oslo range, which gives us ranges built to perform as well as to look beautiful. We also weigh up washability, pets and children when we recommend a cloth, because the right fabric is the one that suits how your household actually lives. Browse finished rooms in our project gallery to see how different fabrics behave in real Perth homes.

Getting the finish right with headings, linings and pelmets

The finish is the detail layer that turns a good curtain into a tailored one. Two curtains in the same fabric can perform very differently depending on how they are lined and topped off.

Lining is the workhorse. A blockout or thermal lining behind a decorative face fabric gives you the look you want with the light control and insulation the room needs, and a dimout lining offers a middle ground for spaces that want softening rather than full darkness. Above the curtain, the heading and the track or rod decide how cleanly the top finishes. Light spills over the top of an unboxed curtain, which is why a pelmet often makes the difference in a bedroom. We custom make our own pelmets, both boxed and soft, so the top of the window is finished properly and the track is concealed. We also help you choose between a track and a rod, decide on floor length against sill length, and weigh up motorisation for hard to reach or very large windows. These soft furnishing details, along with cushions and bedspreads, sit within our specialty services.

How the measure, make and install process works

Getting all of these choices right on paper is one thing. Translating them into curtains that hang perfectly is where local making and proper installation earn their keep.

It starts with an obligation free in home measure and quote. We come to you, assess each window, look at how the light moves and how the space is used, and talk through the style, fabric and finish options that suit your home and your budget. Because the measure happens in the room itself, we catch the practical details that get missed over the phone, things like sliding door clearances, cornice depth and where a track needs to sit to clear the light. From there, your curtains are made in our own workroom in Cockburn Central, with decades of combined making expertise behind every panel, then installed properly by our team. Lead times depend on the fabric and the size of the job, and we set clear expectations at quote stage so you are never left guessing. We service the entire Perth metro area and travel to many regional Western Australian locations, so a considered, made to measure result is within reach whether you are in the southern suburbs or further afield.

If you would rather see and feel the range first, you are welcome to visit the showroom attached to our workroom. Either way, the free measure and quote is the simplest first step.

Coordinating curtains with blinds, shutters and soft furnishings

Curtains rarely work alone. A coordinated home pairs the right window treatment in each space, then ties the rooms together with soft furnishings. Sheers might layer over roller blinds in a living room, while shutters or blinds handle wet areas and windows where fabric is not practical. Our blinds and shutters range is designed to sit alongside our curtains rather than compete with them, so the whole house reads as one scheme.

The finishing touch is the soft furnishings. Because we make our own cushions, bedspreads, throws and pelmets, we can match or complement your curtain fabrics and pull a room together in a way that off the shelf pieces never quite manage. That ability to coordinate every element, all made in one Perth workroom, is the real advantage of going custom.

Book a free measure and quote with Zara Curtains and Blinds

Ready to choose custom curtains for your Perth home? Zara Curtains and Blinds designs, makes and installs made to measure curtains, blinds, shutters and soft furnishings from our showroom and workroom in Cockburn Central, with decades of making expertise behind every project. Call us on 08 9414 8606 or book your obligation free in home measure and quote at zaracurtainsandblinds.com.au/contact-us. We will help you get the style, fabric and finish right the first time.

FAQ: Custom Curtains in Perth

1How much do custom curtains cost in Perth?

Custom curtains in Perth are priced on the specifics of your job rather than a flat rate, so the honest answer is that it depends. Window size, the number of windows, your chosen fabric, the heading style and whether you add lining or pelmets all move the figure. Because everything is made to measure in our Cockburn Central workroom, you only pay for what your home needs. The simplest way to get a real number is our obligation free in home measure and quote, where we assess your windows and recommend options across a range of budgets.

2What is the best curtain fabric for the Perth sun?

The best fabric for the Perth sun is one built to resist fading and paired with a quality lining. Direct western light is hard on textiles, so performance face fabrics backed by blockout or thermal lining hold their colour and shape far longer than unlined ready made curtains. We work with Australian fabric houses such as Warwick, Zepel, Charles Parsons and the Oslo range, which gives us options designed to perform under local conditions. The right choice still depends on the room, since a bedroom and a shaded living area call for different cloths.

3Should I choose blockout or sheer curtains?

It comes down to what the room needs. Blockout curtains hold back light and add a thermal layer, which suits bedrooms, media rooms and west facing spaces that heat up through summer. Sheers soften daylight and give privacy while the sun is up, which makes them ideal for living and dining areas where you still want a view. Many Perth homes use both, layering a sheer and a blockout drape on a double track so one room can switch between soft daytime light and full coverage at night. We help you decide room by room at the measure.

4How long do custom curtains take to make and install?

Lead times depend on the fabric you choose and the size of the job, so we give you a clear estimate at quote stage rather than a one size answer. After your in home measure, your curtains are made in our own workroom in Cockburn Central, then installed by our team once they are ready. Making locally means we control the schedule and quality rather than waiting on imported stock. We will always set realistic expectations up front and keep you informed, so you know when to expect your finished curtains and installation.

5What is the difference between wave fold and pinch pleat curtains?

Wave fold curtains, also called S fold, hang in soft uniform waves from a discreet track. They read clean and modern, suit large windows and sliding doors, and look especially good in sheers. Pinch pleat curtains are gathered into structured pleats at the heading, which gives a more tailored, classic look with a sense of weight, well suited to bedrooms and formal rooms. Neither is better in absolute terms, since the right choice depends on the style of your home and the window. We talk both through at the measure so the heading matches the room.

6Do you measure and install, or only supply the curtains?

We do both, and more. Zara Curtains and Blinds designs, makes and installs custom curtains end to end. It begins with an obligation free in home measure and quote across the Perth metro area and many regional Western Australian locations. Your curtains are then made in our own Cockburn Central workroom and installed by our team, so one business is accountable from the first measurement to the final hang. You are also welcome to visit our showroom to see and feel the range before you decide. Handling the whole process is how we keep the quality consistent.

7Can you match curtains with blinds, shutters and soft furnishings?

Yes, and coordinating the whole home is one of the main advantages of going custom. We supply blinds and shutters designed to sit alongside our curtains, so wet areas and practical windows are handled without breaking the scheme. We also make our own soft furnishings, including cushions, bedspreads, throws and pelmets, which lets us match or complement your curtain fabrics across a room. Because everything is made or sourced through one Perth workroom, the finished result reads as a single considered scheme rather than a collection of separate purchases.