Types of Curtains: Headings, Styles and Uses

Patterned full length curtains below a lit pelmet — Patterned curtains under a lit pelmet, which hides the track and heading.

What are the main types of curtains?

Curtains are grouped by heading first, then by fabric and lining. Two curtains in the same fabric can look completely different with a pinch pleat heading and a wave heading. When people search for curtain design ideas, the heading is usually what they are reacting to in the photo.

The table below compares the headings we make most often. Fullness is the amount of fabric compared with track width. Stack back is the space the curtain takes up at the side when open.

Heading	Look	Fullness	Runs on	Stack back	Best for
Double or triple pinch pleat	Tailored, formal, upright folds	2 to 2.5 times	Track with hooks	Medium	Living rooms, majlis, bedrooms
Wave or ripplefold	Soft, even S shaped folds	2 to 2.5 times	Wave track with spaced gliders	Compact	Modern villas, motorized tracks
Eyelet	Deep, rounded tube folds	1.5 to 2 times	Pole	Wide	Casual rooms, kitchens, children's rooms
Pencil pleat	Tight gathered top	2 to 2.5 times	Track or pole	Medium	Traditional rooms, budget refresh
Goblet pleat	Rounded cups at the top	2 to 2.5 times	Track or pole, fixed position	Wide	Formal rooms, curtains rarely drawn
Tab top or rod pocket	Relaxed, gathered on a pole	1.5 to 3 times	Pole	Wide	Sheers, static dress curtains
Roman curtains (roman blinds)	Flat panel, horizontal folds	Flat, no fullness	Headrail inside or outside recess	Sits above window	Recessed windows, kitchens, bathrooms

Pinch pleat curtains: the tailored classic

A pinch pleat heading gathers the fabric into groups of two or three folds, stitched together at the base and held with stiff buckram inside the heading. The result is crisp, upright pleats that fall into regular columns. Double pinch pleats look lighter and more modern. Triple pinch pleats look fuller and more formal.

Pinch pleat curtains need 2 to 2.5 times the track width in fabric. They hang from hooks on a ceiling or wall track, and they suit heavier fabrics such as velvet, linen blends and lined blackout curtains. This is the heading most clients choose for a formal living room or a majlis, and the one most market price lists use as a reference. One Dubai competitor listed pinch pleat blackout curtains from AED 500 for a 2.5 x 3 m window in November 2026. That is a market example only. We quote in writing after a home visit.

Close up of a wave curtain heading clipped to a ceiling track — A wave heading on a ceiling track. Even, deep folds and a smooth glide on every run.

Wave curtains and ripplefold: what is the difference?

Wave curtains hang in continuous, even S shaped folds that look the same from inside and outside the room. The heading is a flat tape with snaps or hooks that clip onto gliders spaced at a fixed distance along a dedicated wave track. That spacing is what makes every fold identical. Ripplefold is a trade name widely used for the same snap tape system, so in practice the terms mean the same look.

Wave curtains need about 2 to 2.5 times fullness, depending on the spacing chosen. They stack back tightly, which keeps more of the glass clear on a wide window, and they run very smoothly, which is why they are the default for motorized curtains. The look is clean and contemporary, so it suits newer Dubai villas, apartments with floor to ceiling glazing and rooms with minimal furniture. Wave curtains must be ordered with the correct track. They cannot be hung from a standard hook track and look right.

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Eyelet curtains: casual and easy to use

Eyelet curtains have metal rings punched through the heading and slide directly over a pole. They form deep, rounded folds and need less fabric, usually 1.5 to 2 times the pole width. They are easy to open and close by hand and easy to take down for washing.

The downsides are practical. Eyelet curtains stack back wider, because the rings sit together on the pole. The pole sits below the top of the curtain, so light escapes above the heading, which is a problem for blackout bedrooms. Eyelets also need a pole rather than a ceiling track, so they suit kitchens, children's rooms, rentals and informal family rooms more than formal spaces.

Pencil pleat, goblet, tab top and rod pocket

These headings are less common in new Dubai homes but still have a place.

Pencil pleat

A gathered tape with cords that you pull to create tight vertical folds. It is the most adaptable heading, works on a track or pole, and needs 2 to 2.5 times fullness. It looks softer and less structured than pinch pleat.

Goblet pleat

Each pleat is shaped into a rounded cup, sometimes stuffed so it holds its shape. Goblets are dramatic and formal. They do not stack back neatly, so they work best as dress curtains that stay open, framing a window in a dining room or majlis.

Tab top and rod pocket

Fabric loops or a sewn channel slide over a pole. Both are relaxed and simple, but they are hard to draw daily because the fabric drags on the pole. They are mainly used for static sheers or decorative panels.

What are roman curtains?

Roman curtains is a common search term for roman blinds: a flat fabric panel that pulls up into soft horizontal folds. Unlike curtains, a roman blind has no fullness. It sits inside or just outside the window recess and stacks above the glass when raised. You can see our made to order roman blinds and the roman versus roller blinds guide.

Roman blinds suit recessed windows, kitchens, bathrooms, window seats and anywhere a full length curtain would get in the way. They can be lined with blackout lining, and they pair well with dress curtains on either side. As a market example, one Dubai competitor listed blackout roman blinds from AED 375 for a 1 x 1.5 m window in November 2026.

Which curtain fabric and lining suits each type?

Heading and fabric have to work together. A heavy velvet suits pinch pleat or goblet, because the structure supports the weight. Linen and linen blends look natural in wave or double pinch pleat. Light voiles and sheers suit wave, pencil pleat or rod pocket, and need more fullness, around 2.5 to 3 times, to look soft rather than thin.

Lining changes how a curtain hangs as much as it changes light. Standard lining adds body and protects the face fabric from sun. Blackout lining blocks light and helps with heat gain on sun facing windows. Interlining, a soft layer between face fabric and lining, gives heavier, fuller folds for formal rooms. Read more in our blackout curtains guide and fabric guide.

Velvet and heavy weaves: pinch pleat or goblet, lined or interlined
Linen and linen blends: wave or double pinch pleat, lined to protect from UV
Voile and sheers: wave or pencil pleat, unlined, 2.5 to 3 times fullness
Printed cottons: pinch pleat or eyelet, lined, pattern matched across widths

How do you choose the right curtain design for Dubai homes?

Start with how the room is used. If the curtains are opened and closed every day, choose a heading that runs easily: wave or pinch pleat on a ceiling track. If they are mostly decorative, you can choose a more structured heading and a longer finish. If the window is recessed or above a sink, consider a roman blind.

Then think about the Dubai conditions. Strong sun fades unlined fabric quickly, so lining is worth it on any south or west facing window. Air conditioning vents near the window can make light curtains move, so weighted hems help. Tall villa windows and double height rooms usually call for wave curtains on a motorized track. Sand and dust collect in puddled hems, so a floor clearing finish is easier to live with.

Finally, consider the track. A ceiling track with a wave or pinch pleat heading hides the mechanism and blocks light at the top. A pole with eyelets is a visible feature. Our curtain track guide covers the options, and the living room curtain design guide shows how proportion and colour come into it.

Getting the heading right on a made to measure order

Every heading changes the fabric quantity, the track and the hooks, so it has to be decided before anything is cut. On our home visits across Dubai we bring header samples as well as our fabric library, so you can see a pinch pleat and a wave side by side in your own light. We write the heading, fullness, lining and finish length into a specification, and every curtain is inspected and photographed before it is delivered and fitted on the agreed date.

If you want to measure first, use our curtain measuring guide. When you are ready, book a home visit or message us on WhatsApp.

Written by The Fabric Room team
We measure, make and fit upholstery, cushions, curtains and blinds for homes across Dubai. Questions about your own piece? WhatsApp us or book a home visit.

FAQ

Questions people ask

What is the most popular type of curtain heading?

In Dubai villas and apartments, pinch pleat and wave are the most requested headings for made to measure curtains. Pinch pleat suits formal and traditional rooms and heavier fabrics. Wave suits modern interiors, wide windows and motorized tracks because the folds are even and the curtain stacks back tightly. Eyelet is popular for informal rooms and rentals.

What is the difference between wave curtains and pinch pleat curtains?

Wave curtains form soft, continuous S shaped folds using gliders at fixed spacing on a wave track. Pinch pleat curtains have stitched groups of two or three pleats that form upright columns on a hook track. Wave looks cleaner and more modern and stacks back tighter. Pinch pleat looks more tailored and formal. Both use 2 to 2.5 times fullness.

Are ripplefold and wave curtains the same?

In practice, yes. Ripplefold is a trade name that is widely used for the snap tape wave system, where the curtain clips onto evenly spaced carriers on a dedicated track. The finished look is the same: even, rippling folds that look identical from both sides. The important part is that the tape, gliders and track are matched as one system.

Are eyelet curtains good for blackout?

They are not the best choice. The pole sits below the top of an eyelet curtain and the rings leave small gaps, so light escapes above the heading. For a dark bedroom or nursery, choose a pinch pleat or wave curtain with blackout lining on a ceiling track, or add a blackout roller blind behind the curtain.

What are roman curtains?

Roman curtains is another name people use for roman blinds. They are flat fabric panels that pull up into horizontal folds and sit inside or just outside a window recess. They use much less fabric than curtains and suit kitchens, bathrooms, window seats and recessed windows. They can be lined for blackout and paired with side curtains.

Which type of curtain makes a ceiling look higher?

Any full length curtain hung from a ceiling track will make a room look taller, because the eye reads one unbroken line from ceiling to floor. Wave and pinch pleat headings suit this best. Keep the finish just clear of the floor and choose a fabric that tones with the wall for the strongest effect.

Which curtain type is easiest to motorize?

Wave curtains are the easiest and most common choice for motorized tracks, because the gliders run smoothly and the folds stay consistent every time the curtains open and close. Pinch pleat can also be motorized on a suitable track. Eyelet and tab top curtains on poles are not practical to motorize. See our motorized curtains page for options.

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