Curtain holdbacks: where to fit them and which to choose
A holdback is the smallest piece of hardware on the window and the one that makes it look finished. Fitted in the right place, it sweeps the curtain clear of the glass, lets in more light and gives the window its shape.
Curtains left hanging straight when they are open cover the edge of the glass, block light and look as if they are still waiting to be dressed. A pair of holdbacks fixes all three. The questions are always the same: holdback or tieback, how high, how far out, and which style. This guide answers each in turn.
Holdback or tieback?
The two words get used for each other, but they are different things.
- An arm holdback is a curved or U-shaped arm fixed to the wall. The curtain sits inside the arm. It holds a fixed line and is quick to use every day.
- A knob or rosette holdback stands off the wall on a short stem with a decorative face. The curtain tucks behind it. It is the most decorative option and the one people mean when they talk about curtain jewellery.
- A tieback is fabric, cord or a tassel that wraps round the curtain and hooks onto a small wall hook. Softer and more gathered, but it creases the fabric and has to be retied each time.
How high to fit a holdback
The classic rule for floor-length curtains is about a third of the way up from the floor, which is roughly two thirds of the way down the curtain. That is the height that gives the familiar hourglass sweep and suits most rooms.
- Higher (around halfway) pulls the curtain into a tighter sweep and lets in more light. It suits tall windows and dramatic rooms.
- Lower gives a softer, lazier drape and keeps more fabric over the wall.
- Sill-length curtains are usually caught back at or just above the sill.
- Wherever you land, both holdbacks go at exactly the same height. Measure from the floor, not the window, as sills are not always level.
The surest method is the oldest: hang the curtains first, gather one back by hand, step back, and mark the spot that looks right before you drill.
How far out from the window
Fix each holdback just outside the window frame, roughly in line with the pole bracket above it. That way the gathered curtain sits on the wall, clear of the glass, and the stack lines up with the pole.
- Too close to the frame and the curtain still covers the edge of the glass, which is the thing the holdback is there to stop.
- Too far out and the curtain is dragged tight across the wall, with the leading edge pulled off line.
- Where the pole runs well past the window to give the curtains room to stack (our stack-back guide covers how much), the holdback moves out with it.
Which style for which window
Once the position is right, the choice is about the look, the curtain and how often it moves.
- Match the pole. A holdback from the same range and finish as the pole makes the window read as one set. Cameron Fuller turns its metal holdbacks to match its finials, and its wooden holdbacks share the pole's timber and hand-applied finish, so either can follow your scheme or be colour-matched to the wall.
- Or go quieter. Against an ornate finial a plainer holdback stops the window looking busy. Cameron Fuller's post holdback, a straight arm on a diamond wall plate, is made for exactly that.
- Heavy, interlined curtains need a holdback that stands further off the wall to hold all that fabric. Look for large sizes and extended arms, such as the Extended versions of the Hallis Artisan Cage, Cannon and Spear.
- Voiles and sheers want a light holdback that will not crush fine fabric, like Speedy's voile holdback.
- Beside a door or in a narrow reveal, a fixed holdback can get in the way. A swing arm holdback pivots: swing it out to hold the curtain, swing it back flat to the wall when the curtains are closed.
Most windows need two holdbacks, one each side. Cameron Fuller holdbacks are priced each. Many Hallis Hudson holdbacks and all Speedy holdbacks come as a pair, and every product page says which, so check before you order two.
Fixing them so they stay put
Every time a curtain is pulled into a holdback it levers on the fixing, so treat it like a small bracket: use the right plug for the wall, find solid masonry or a stud where you can, and use a cavity fixing in plasterboard. Check the maker's fitting instructions for screw sizes; ours are collected on the fitting instructions page.
Common questions
How high should curtain holdbacks be?
For floor-length curtains, about a third of the way up from the floor, which is roughly two thirds of the way down the curtain. That gives the classic hourglass sweep. Go higher for a tighter sweep and more daylight, lower for a softer drape. For sill-length curtains, fit them at or just above the sill. Hold the curtain back by hand first and mark the spot that looks right.
How far from the window should holdbacks go?
Just outside the window frame, roughly in line with the pole bracket above, so the curtain is held clear of the glass and the stack sits on the wall. Fixed too close, the curtain still covers the edge of the glass; too far out, it pulls tight across the wall.
What is the difference between a holdback and a tieback?
A holdback is rigid hardware fixed to the wall: an arm the curtain sits inside, or a knob or rosette it tucks behind. A tieback is a band of fabric, cord or tassel that wraps round the curtain and hooks onto a small wall hook. Holdbacks hold a fixed, architectural line; tiebacks give a softer, gathered look.
Do I need one holdback or two?
One per curtain, so most windows with a pair of curtains need two, one either side. A single curtain drawn to one side needs one. Check whether the product is priced each or as a pair: Cameron Fuller holdbacks are priced each, many Hallis Hudson and all Speedy holdbacks are sold as a pair.
Should holdbacks match the curtain pole?
Usually, yes. A holdback from the same range and finish as the pole makes the window read as one set. A plainer holdback against an ornate finial works well when the window is already busy, and Cameron Fuller holdbacks can be colour-matched to the pole or the wall.