Tiebacks and Trimmings: How to Style Your Curtains

Tiebacks and trimmings are the accessories of the curtain world — easy to overlook, but genuinely transformative for how finished a curtain looks, and one of the simplest ways to add a personal touch without committing to a whole new fabric.

What tiebacks actually do

Beyond holding curtains open elegantly during the day, tiebacks let more light into a room than curtains left to hang loose at the sides, and they protect the fabric from creasing against a windowsill or radiator. Styles range from simple woven bands to elaborate tasselled and beaded designs, so there’s a huge range between understated and statement.

Matching tiebacks to your room

• Classic and traditional rooms: tasselled or rope tiebacks with decorative detailing suit period properties and more formal curtain styles well.
• Contemporary interiors: a simple woven band or a drum-style tieback with clean lines keeps the look understated and modern.
• Smaller windows: a more delicate, modestly scaled tieback avoids overwhelming a smaller curtain.

Trims and braids

A decorative trim or braid stitched along the leading edge or hem of a curtain adds a tailored, finished look, and is a good way to introduce a contrasting colour or texture without changing the main fabric. Trims range from a subtle tonal braid that barely stands out, to a bold contrasting design that becomes a real feature of the curtain.

Coordinating across a room

Many tieback and trim collections are designed to coordinate with each other — a matching tassel, cord, and braid within the same range — which makes it easy to bring together tiebacks, cushion trims, and curtain edging in a cohesive look, rather than picking each element separately and hoping they work together.

Our advice

Choose your curtain fabric first, then bring it to your consultation so we can hold trims and tiebacks up against the actual fabric in your room’s light — small details like these are much easier to get right in person than from swatches alone. See our guide to curtain heading styles for other finishing details worth considering alongside tiebacks.