The Curtain Exchange

What began as the inspired idea of friends who wanted to find a way of making some money while raising their young families is now a great success, with a dozen stores and franchises from Boston Spa in West Yorkshire to Launceston in Cornwall. You can't buy online, but the site provides a comprehensive guide to its services.

SPECIAL FEATURES

Buying Secondhand If you're worried about buying someone else's curtains, don't be. They're all carefully checked and cleaned, and many come from show houses, interior designers' displays, or are cancelled orders, so in some cases they have never even experienced the daily wear and tear of a real home. Expect designer fabrics and a high degree of finish, with linings and/or interlining as standard. The curtains are displayed around the walls of the shops with their measurements clearly displayed on the labels. You can take curtains home on approval to make sure they will go with your scheme, and alterations can be done in house.

Selling Secondhand Curtain Exchange will sell on everything, from very grand drawing room extravaganzas, complete with swags, tails and tie-backs, to simple pairs of small, well-made cotton curtains. If your drapes are acceptable and you agree on a price, they will display them in one of its shops for six months. If it finds a buyer, expect a cheque for about half of the selling price. Curtain Exchange can also collect your curtains, do on-site evaluations and arrange dry cleaning for a small fee.

OTHER FEATURES

Curtain Exchange also sells Readymade Curtains from its own range of over 40 designs, with new designs being added twice a year. The Bespoke Curtains service allows customers to choose from their wide range of designer fabrics and create a special scheme around their existing furnishings. There are many accessories available, from tie-backs and padded bulletin boards, to footstools and cushions, to help to complete the finished look. Branches helps you to find your nearest shop by clicking on a map of the UK.