Commercial curtains: what should an interior designer include in the brief?

A brief for commercial curtains should define room use, surveyed dimensions, privacy, light control, operating frequency and cleaning needs. It should also record project-specific fire performance requirements, supporting documents, fabric approvals and installation dates. Give each window a reference so the designer, maker and installer work from the same information.

Specify how the curtains must perform before choosing the final fabric. Separate confirmed requirements from provisional decisions. Name who approves dimensions, appearance, fire documentation and installation readiness. A clear brief should let suppliers quote on the same basis, without making assumptions that emerge after manufacture.

Start with the room, not the fabric

A guest bedroom, restaurant and meeting room may share a colour palette, but they rarely need identical curtains. Describe who uses each room, when it is occupied and what the window treatment must do.

For hospitality curtains, distinguish between guest-operated bedroom curtains and those opened once each morning by staff. In a restaurant, the priority might be reducing afternoon glare without closing off the view. A meeting room may need adjustable light for screens while remaining comfortable between presentations.

Record nearby doors, furniture, radiators, ventilation outlets and circulation routes. Include the position of beds, desks and seating where it affects privacy or glare. Photographs help, but annotate them so the supplier knows which features will remain after refurbishment.

State the commercial constraints too: the opening date, budget allowance and whether rooms must stay in use. Identify any accessible rooms or user needs that affect reach, controls and operating force.

Build a window schedule for commercial curtains

Use one schedule with a unique reference for every window or clearly defined group of identical windows. Link it to marked-up plans and photographs. Do not assume neighbouring openings are the same size because they look alike.

This is the working core of a commercial curtain specification:

Keep revisions dated. If the ceiling design changes, the relevant track position and curtain drop need checking again. A short revision note is more useful than circulating an amended drawing without explaining what changed.

Record dimensions and fixing conditions separately

Window dimensions alone are not enough to make curtains. Record the proposed track or pole width, mounting position and finished curtain drop. Define exactly where each measurement starts and ends, using consistent units throughout.

Allow space for stack-back, the area occupied by the curtains when open. This affects how much glazing remains visible and whether the fabric obstructs a door or reduces daylight. Note handles, deep sills and other projections that may require additional clearance.

Include these site conditions:

• Whether the fixing is into a wall, ceiling, recess or existing pelmet.
• The known substrate and any reinforcement needed.
• The depth available for separate sheer and lined curtain tracks.
• Access restrictions, including furniture that cannot be moved.
• Any unfinished flooring or ceiling work that could change the dimensions.

Assign responsibility for the final survey and fixing assessment. Existing tracks should be checked for condition, compatibility and suitability for the proposed curtain weight. They should not be retained simply because they are already there.

For made to measure curtains, release manufacturing dimensions only once the relevant site conditions have been confirmed.

Define privacy and light control in practical terms

Avoid relying on descriptions such as “good privacy” or “full blackout”. Explain what the room needs to achieve and under which conditions.

Daytime screening is different from privacy after dark. A sheer that softens a view during daylight may reveal the interior when lights are on. Where both are required, specify separate screening and closing layers, with enough track depth for each to move freely.

For bedrooms, state whether the aim is general room darkening or a more demanding reduction of light at the edges. Blackout lining addresses light passing through the fabric, but the completed treatment can still admit light around the top, sides and centre overlap.

Ask the supplier to explain the proposed overlap, returns and top treatment. Where expectations are particularly exacting, approve a trial room before repeating the design.

A separate roller blind may provide another control layer, but its edge gaps, fittings and access requirements also need consideration. No product label replaces checking the complete arrangement.

Specify how often the curtains will be operated

Operating frequency influences hardware, fabric weight and the way curtains are handled. Record whether they will move occasionally, daily or repeatedly during service. Explain whether staff or guests will operate them.

State the preferred method: hand-drawn, draw rod, corded or motorised. Ask the supplier to confirm suitability for the curtain weight, track length and expected use. Any accessible cords or chains need an appropriate safety assessment and arrangement, particularly where children may be present.

For motorised systems, identify power requirements, controls, electrical responsibilities and access for maintenance. Confirm whether controls need to work independently or integrate with other room systems.

Check the finished drop against housekeeping needs. Fabric resting on the floor may suit a decorative concept, but it can complicate cleaning and everyday handling. Agree the actual clearance rather than leaving “floor length” open to interpretation.

Record fire performance requirements for the specific project

Do not write “fire retardant fabric” and treat the requirement as resolved. The brief needs a defined performance requirement, an approval route and evidence relating to the proposed materials.

Start with the premises’ fire risk assessment and any relevant fire strategy, operator requirements or insurer conditions. Ask the person responsible for fire safety to confirm what applies, involving a competent fire adviser where necessary. The interior designer should not be left to infer the requirement from a fabric sample card.

Use guidance appropriate to the building’s use and jurisdiction. The government’s Fire safety risk assessment: sleeping accommodation is relevant background for premises within its scope. It is not a universal specification for every hotel, restaurant, workplace or other commercial interior.

Record:

• The named test standard, edition and required performance level or classification.
• Which components the requirement covers, including face fabric, lining and interlining where applicable.
• Whether a treatment is proposed and any conditions attached to it.
• Who will review the evidence and authorise the material choice.
• Whether cleaning or maintenance affects the stated performance.

Request the relevant test report, certificate or other supporting documentation before ordering. Ask the supplier to identify the tested product and explain how the evidence relates to the proposed curtain construction. A document for one fabric should not automatically be treated as evidence for a different lining or complete assembly.

If a supplier proposes a substitution, repeat the approval check. Keep accepted documents with the final specification and handover records. Where the evidence is unclear, resolve it with the responsible adviser before manufacture, rather than relying on a general assurance.

Match the specification to the cleaning routine

Ask the operator how curtains will actually be cleaned. Establish whether they use an external contractor, on-site facilities or specialist cleaning, and how long a room can be unavailable.

Confirm the care instructions for the complete curtain, not just the face fabric. Linings, trims and any applied treatments may place different limits on cleaning. Ask about dimensional stability, appearance after cleaning and any requirements to maintain or renew a fire-retardant treatment.

Removable curtains still need a practical removal method. Record whether staff can reach the hooks safely and whether specialist access will be required. For larger schemes, label curtains by room and window reference so they return to the right place.

Avoid specifying routine washing unless the maker confirms that the finished construction is suitable.

Approve the fabric and the finished construction

Begin with suitable curtain fabric options, then assess shortlisted samples in the actual room. View them in daylight and under the planned artificial lighting. Check colour beside wall finishes, flooring, upholstery and joinery.

The approval should cover more than the fabric name. Record the supplier reference, colourway, heading, fullness, lining, seams, pattern placement, hem and finished drop. Confirm how a large pattern will align across paired curtains and repeated windows.

For a repeated room design, a made-up sample or trial room can expose issues that a loose swatch cannot. Review how the curtains hang, stack and close, as well as how they look.

Where roman blinds form part of the same scheme, check visual coordination and clearance separately. Matching fabrics do not mean identical construction or performance.

Name the person authorised to approve samples and record the approval date. Any later substitution should have its own written approval.

Schedule installation around site readiness

Work backwards from the date the rooms must be operational. Allow for the final survey, sample review, technical queries, fabric availability, manufacture, installation and snagging. Ask the supplier for current lead times rather than inserting an assumed turnaround into the programme.

Set clear release points. Fabric approval does not necessarily authorise manufacture if dimensions or fire documentation remain outstanding. State who can release the order and what must be complete first.

Before installation, confirm that:

• Fixing surfaces and any reinforcement are ready.
• Finished floor levels and mounting positions are settled.
• Dusty work is complete and decoration is sufficiently dry.
• Access, storage and protection arrangements are agreed.
• Electrical supplies are available where required.
• Room closures and other contractors’ visits are coordinated.

The Health and Safety Executive’s work at height guidance explains the need to plan work and use suitable access arrangements. Build this into the installation plan, particularly above stairwells or in double-height spaces.

Allow time after fitting to check movement, overlaps, floor clearance and controls. Photograph the completed installation and record any outstanding adjustments before handover.

Send a brief that makes the next decision easier

A useful enquiry includes the window schedule, plans, photographs, performance requirements, preferred finishes and programme. Mark unknowns clearly and ask the supplier to list assumptions and exclusions in the quotation.

For curtains for commercial interiors, this makes quotations easier to compare and reduces avoidable changes later. Send us your project information and initial fabric ideas to discuss a made to measure scheme. Agree the survey, approval and installation responsibilities before placing the order.

Frequently asked questions