Expertly crafted, we head behind the scenes to discover what makes our MTO curtain poles so special... read more
It’s not every day you get an insiders look into how our products are made, so when Shona, the assistant buyer for home decorating took a trip to the factory where our made to order curtain poles are made, we just had to offer you a fly on the wall sneak peek.
Our curtain pole suppliers are pretty special: Situated in the heart of North London, the factory is steeped in rich heritage of handcrafted poles. With knowledge that has been passed down from generation to generation, this family tradition is in the heart of what makes our MTO poles unique. Each pole is seen as a piece of art rather than just a home accessory, and the factory takes great pride in providing customers bespoke items that offer an extra special something to your interiors.
From the factory to the shop floor, Shona saw just how much skilled craftsmanship and true passion goes into making each and every MTO pole. Join us as we discover step by step how they are made…
– Firstly, the raw materials are sanded by hand and prepared for painting. The lengths are then cut to a bespoke size and holes created. We offer two widths and up to five lengths.
– Poles, brackets and rings, plus all other components then enter the spray booths before being sent through a drying room. These are sprayed up to a total of three times to ensure an even coverage throughout before the hand finishing begins.
– This is where the hard work begins! Our poles and accessories then go on to be hand finished. These vary depending on the type of finish you are after. Our gilt and silver finishes use gold metal leaf that is then flattened before being applied to the surface using a special kind of glue. Buffed or burnished depending on the finish you prefer, the surface is distressed to reveal the colour underneath. We then apply a substance that highlights the narrow lines in the carving. This also helps the pole develop a rich patina over time, giving it a beautiful aged appearance.
Real gold leaf
– Our scratched paint finishes are handled slightly differently. We use water based lime paints typical of the Versailles era and then distress using buffing and abrasion using natural compounds. Gilt or silver highlights can then be applied, before being fixed with a clear lacquer. Again, a wax emulsion patina is applied to the poles. Our poles then go on to be distressed even further by hand!
– Holdbacks and finals are cast in a special wood resin casting. This resin is loaded with wood saw dust giving the accessories a real wood like feel and look and they are finished exactly as they would be if they were real wood.
– Lastly, after our poles are made to your specified requirements, they are wrapped and delivered to you, our lovely customers!
So, what did you learn? Here’s a brief summary of why we think our MTO curtain poles are extra special…
Did you know?
– All our made to order metal and wood curtain poles are all handcrafted in the UK
– The factory use gold metal leaf in their silver and gold finishes
– Our MTO wooden poles develop a rich patina over time, ensuring they age beautifully
– A gilt and silvered pole finishes are handled at least 13 times before being ready to send to store
– Our MTO poles are available in 11 wood finishes, and 4 metal finishes
How’s that for a sneak peek? Expertly crafted from the start, you can see just how much care and attention goes into producing each and every curtain pole and accessory. Built to last, our curtain poles are sure to add a special something to your interiors. Browse the full collection here, and if you want to discover more about our made to order curtains, hop on over to Youtube to watch this fly on the wall documentary about our curtain factory!