Children's curtains have one job that adult curtains do not: they have to help a child sleep. Everything else, the rockets and rainbows and sleeping foxes, matters after that. This collection is built around designs children genuinely respond to, printed on fabric you can hang in a nursery, a shared bedroom or a playroom, and available with blackout and thermal blackout lining so that summer evenings and early sunrises stop dictating bedtime. Every pair is made to your exact window size, in ten drops, as a single panel or a pair.
Sleep First, Then Everything Else
British summer light is the practical problem. In June it is still bright at nine in the evening and light again before five in the morning, which is difficult for a child who needs eleven hours. A blackout lining changes that immediately. A thermal blackout lining does the same and also holds warmth in a room that is often the coldest in the house, typically a small bedroom over an unheated space or with a large single glazed window.
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Blackout lining for summer and naps. The single most useful upgrade in a child's room. It makes an eight o'clock bedtime possible in July and daytime naps realistic all year.
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Thermal blackout for cold rooms. Adds insulation at the window, which helps in box rooms and extensions where the heating struggles to keep up.
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Designs that last more than one phase. Illustrated animals, stars, planets and simple shapes stay likeable for years, unlike a character licence tied to one specific age.
Choosing a Design That Grows With the Room
The temptation is to match the curtains to whatever the child is obsessed with this month. The trouble is that obsession moves on and the curtains do not. Designs based on broad themes, space, sea, woodland, weather, keep working through several changes of bedding and posters, which is where the room actually changes cheaply.
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Nurseries. Soft palettes and gentle repeats keep the room calm. Blackout lining matters more here than anywhere else in the house.
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Toddler and preschool rooms. Bold, friendly illustration works well and gives you something to talk about at bedtime. Keep the walls plain so the room can be updated around the curtains.
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Shared bedrooms. Choose a theme broad enough to suit two children of different ages, such as sky, sea or forest, rather than a single specific interest.
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Playrooms. Unlined panels keep the space bright for daytime use, and a busier print copes better with the visual clutter of toys and storage.
Choosing the Right Lining
Every design in this collection is available with three lining options, so you can match the look to how the room is actually used.
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Standard (Unlined): A single layer that lets daylight filter softly through the print. The colours stay luminous and the fabric hangs lightly, which makes it the natural choice for kitchens, dining rooms, hallways and any room where you want brightness rather than darkness.
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Blackout Lining: An opaque backing layer bonded behind the printed face. It blocks external light almost entirely, so it is the option for bedrooms, nurseries, shift workers and home cinemas. It also adds body, giving the curtain a fuller, heavier fall.
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Thermal Blackout Lining: Everything the blackout lining does, plus an insulating layer that slows heat loss through the glass in winter and reduces solar gain in summer. If you are trying to bring heating bills down or you have a draughty bay window, this is the one to choose.
Each design is also available as a single panel or a pair, in ten standard drops, so you can dress a narrow landing window and a wide living room bay from the same collection.
Made to Measure, Made to Order
Nothing in this collection sits in a warehouse waiting to be picked. Your fabric is printed and your curtains are sewn after you order, which is why the size and lining you choose are made exactly as specified rather than approximated from stock. Production takes 8-10 days, and delivery is free worldwide.
If you are torn between two designs, order fabric samples first. Screens shift colour, and a print that reads as soft sage on a phone can look considerably deeper against your own wall in your own light. A sample costs a fraction of a full order and removes the guesswork entirely.
Frequently Asked Questions About Kids and Nursery Curtains
1. Do blackout curtains really make a difference to a child's sleep?
In British summer months, a considerable one. Light is the main signal the body uses to decide when to wake, and a bedroom that is bright at half past four will wake most young children. A blackout lining removes that trigger. Parents usually notice the effect within a few days, particularly with early risers and with children who have dropped a daytime nap because the room was too bright for one.
2. What is the safest curtain length for a child's room?
Avoid anything that pools on the floor, since it is a trip hazard and an invitation to pull. A drop finishing 1cm above the sill or 1cm to 2cm clear of the floor is both safer and tidier. Fit the pole or track securely into the wall rather than the window frame, and keep cots and beds away from the window so that fabric is out of reach.
3. How do I stop the room getting too hot in summer?
Closing curtains during the hottest part of the afternoon makes a measurable difference, and a thermal blackout lining is the most effective version of this because it reflects solar gain before it reaches the room. It is the same lining that keeps the room warmer in winter, which is why it tends to be the better long term choice for a bedroom that is used all year.
4. Will my child get bored of the design?
Less quickly than you might expect, if the design is a theme rather than a character. Rockets, whales, woodland animals and weather patterns carry through several years and several changes of bedding. It also helps to keep the walls neutral, because then the cheap and easy things, duvet covers, posters, cushions, are what change as tastes move on.
5. Can I wash children's curtains at home?
No, and this is worth knowing before an accident happens. The printed face and the bonded blackout lining are not machine washable, and washing will shrink the fabric and damage the lining. For spills, blot immediately with a barely damp cloth and no detergent, then have the curtains professionally dry cleaned when they need a full refresh.
6. How do I measure my windows for made-to-measure curtains?
Use a metal tape measure, not fabric. Width: measure your pole or track, not the window, and let the pole extend 15cm to 30cm beyond the glass on each side so the curtains can stack back without blocking light. Drop: measure from the pole or track down to where you want the curtains to finish: 1cm above the sill, 15cm below the sill, or 1cm to 2cm off the floor for full length.
7. What is the difference between blackout and thermal blackout lining?
A blackout lining is about light: an opaque layer that stops daylight and streetlight coming through. A thermal blackout lining does the same job and adds an insulating layer that slows heat moving through the window, keeping rooms warmer in winter and cooler in summer. If your priority is sleep, blackout is enough. If it is comfort and energy bills, choose thermal blackout.
8. How should I clean my printed curtains?
Professional dry cleaning only. The printed face and the bonded blackout and thermal linings do not respond well to machine washing, which can shrink the fabric and separate the lining. Between cleans, a vacuum with the soft brush attachment on a low setting keeps dust from settling into the weave.
9. How long will my order take, and what does delivery cost?
Every order is printed and sewn from scratch, so allow 8-10 days for production. Delivery on curtains is free worldwide. Orders to the United States are sent DDP, meaning import taxes and duties are already covered and there is nothing to pay when the parcel arrives.
Explore more: Floral Curtains, Botanical Curtains, Abstract Curtains, Green Curtains and Blue Curtains. Or narrow the choice by lining with Blackout Curtains and Thermal Curtains, or browse every design in Curtains.
