In the same way that metal curtain poles have developed into a fashion statement on their own, the same can be said of the wood curtain pole, albeit to a slightly lesser extent
20 years ago wood curtain poles were no more than broom handles with a ball end. Now they can truly enhance a room and complement the rest of the furnishings in that room
The trend towards wood curtain poles being regarded in this way is partly due to the willingness of the consumer to move in this direction, but it has also been helped by 2 important developments in the manufacture of wood curtain poles in the UK and the Far East.
The first such development in that of Resin finials that can be made to look as if they were carved wood, and the second development that very much goes hand in hand with the first is a major advancement in the finishing technology for a wood curtain pole that not only makes the poles look classy and impressive, but can also create a matching finish on the new resin finials to match (using special primers).
The resin finials started off in traditional designs such as pineapples and pomegranates, but soon advanced into designs and shapes that are more contemporary, such as a ball end that has a pattern of leaves or circles, for example.
Likewise the finishing at first looked back to the past where special blends of paint gave traditional long-forgotten finishes using old-fashioned methods. One exponent of this was Holbein collection. Then a company called Resina (for obvious reasons) developed these finishes still further so that they could be used on resin finials to match the wood curtain poles.
Then other companies such as Byron & Byron took the finishing into the semi-contemporary arena by adding colours such as antique white and gilt to new finial designs.
Finally, a company in China introduced wood poles with resin finials into the UK in good quality finishes at a fraction of the price that the UK had been able to provide. The distributor in the UK, Copes, worked with them to produce new colours such as Modern Gold, and all of a sudden you had superb wood curtain poles with a contemporary feel and at a reasonable price.
Derek Brown
17 Montserrat Road, Basingstoke, Hampshire,
UK - RG24 9PF
Tel: 0800 011 4322
Email: d.c.brown@ntlworld.com
URL: http://www.curtainpolesunlimited.co.uk/
About Author
Curtain Poles Unlimited has over 20 years experience working with curtain poles and curtain tracks, and can help you with general or technical advice. Just call our customer service number 0800 011 4322 any time of the day or night with your curtain pole or related product query, or e-mail us from the Contact Us link, and one of our experts will respond back to you.