Metadata

Tuesday 28 April 2015

The Curtain Factory Outlet ...

Have I ever mentioned that I've got a bit of a thing about curtains and soft furnishings ... .

No? Well, my secret is out: I love 'em!

And now let me share another secret with you: if you're looking to shop where the trade go shopping, where there are over half a million (yes, that's right a cool 500,000 +) bales of fabric to chose from, and all at very reasonable prices then it's the wonderful Curtain Factory Outlet, up in Finchley, North London that you're after.



This place is amazing. But buyers beware: after a while you become anaesthetised by the sheer volume of stuff in stock, and could quite easily lose control of your faculties. I cunningly took my camera to remind me which fabrics were contenders on my (not very) short list.



The stock is scattered around seven buildings and I promise you that you will find something totally marvellous and wonderful in just about every corner of all seven of them. When you arrive the nice lady on reception gives you a map so that you can find your way around!



As a rule I never feel comfortable in swanky department stores. You can keep your Harrods and Selfridges; I'm much more at home in a rabbit warren that feels a bit like the Grand Souk, and this place delivers that experience in spadefuls. It's an Aladdin's Cave of textile delights!



The staff are friendly and helpful, and they totally know their stuff. A lovely chap called Derek got me all kitted out with the fabric that I chose in a state of near-hypnosis - induced by the brain-freezing difficulty of the decision I had to make - and the matching lining and thread.



Upstairs they've got more curtain rods with corbels and knobs and bells and whistles than you could shake a stick at. And there's a making-up service that will put together whichever curtains or roller blinds you chose, should you chose to not do the sewing yourself.


After wandering around for quite some time I eventually got myself focussed and bought this wonderful material to make a door curtain for the entrance to a bedroom in Spain. What do you think? I was aiming for an understated classic look.


But I was sorely tempted by this wonderful beach house design, which would have looked great for a place that's just a skip, a hop and a jump away from the sea:


And by this exquisite short pile, gently-faded velvet, which only didn't get chosen because it looked too English Home Counties to belong in Catalonia:


But I've got my eye on the runners-up for a couple of other little projects ... . And that's the thing about the Curtain Factory, you go to buy material for one set of curtains and then, find yourself casting around for other windows that you might conceivably dress up with some of the other wonderful fabrics that are just too pretty to not bring home.

If you'd like to check them out you can find their website here: The Curtain Factory Outlet.


They're just beside a Waitrose store where you can park up for a couple of hours for free. There's also free customer parking directly in front of the store at 269 Ballards Lane.

All the best and happy shopping,

Bonny x


2 comments:

  1. Such a charming place! I can't wait to have a house I can decorate as I please, but alas we are still renting and our landlord is a bit of a pain in the neck. LOL!

    ReplyDelete