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TailorBox App
Log-in
Contact & About
TailorBox
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tel: 07557 352705
TailorBox App
Log-in
Contact & About
tel: 07557 352705

We help you choose "Student-Proof" IFR fabrics that balance durability with aesthetics. We ensure the fabric meets the specific fire risk for the zone (Type B for Bedrooms, Type C for Kitchens).

You can provide measurements using our guide (Supply Only), or we can send a team member can attend the site to survey tracks and windows for a guaranteed fit (Full Service).

We support your maintenance team with rapid repairs for vandalism. For replacements, we ensure visual continuity using the original fabric (where available) or a closely matched alternative.

We manufacture your order in our Brighton studio. Every item is fitted with a permanent compliance label. Upon completion, we issue a Certificate of Conformity for the batch, ready for your fire logbook.

Track Refitting

Property developers often install tracks low and narrow to save on fabric. This compromises the room's aesthetic and limits natural light. Replacing curtains is the most cost-effective time to correct track placement and upgrade your spaces. Contact us to discuss the process.

Optimising Curtain Tracks & Placement


Here' is where TailorBox excels. We move tracks to the ceiling line and extend the width to create a professional, architectural finish. This makes a dramatic difference.

  • Ceiling-to-Floor: We raise the track to the ceiling line. This draws the eye up, making classrooms feel larger and more airy.

  • Optimized Stack-Back: We extend tracks by 30-60% of the window width. This ensures curtains pull back completely clear of the glazing, maximizing natural light.

  • Correct Projection: We fit brackets with a 40mm - 60mm projection. This allows for airflow behind the curtain (preventing mold) and clears protruding window handles.

Meeting Building Bulletin 100 & NMS Standard 5.

We navigate the complex safety requirements for State Academies and Independent Boarding Schools.

Classrooms & Corridors (BB100)

The Regulation: Building Bulletin 100 (BB100) aligns with BS 5867 Type B for all teaching spaces.

The Risk: Vandalism. Students pick at loose labels or rip curtains.

The Fix: We use Lock-Stitched permanent labels that cannot be picked out. We install Metal Unichord Tracks (no plastic gliders to snap) and Reinforced Headers to ensure curtains survive years of aggressive daily use.

Boarding Houses (The "Homely" Mandate)

The Regulation: NMS Standard 5 requires boarding accommodation to be "comfortable and homely," yet Fire Officers demand strict BS 5867 compliance.

The Fix: We specify "Hospitality-Lite" fabrics (Type B) that mimic the texture of wool and linen to create a "Home away from Home," while satisfying strict fire codes.

Medical Centres & Science Labs

The Regulation: High-risk zones requiring infection control or thermal protection.

The Fix: Medical Centres: We specify Type C (IFR) fabrics. These withstand thermal disinfection washes (71°C) for infection control, meeting private hospital standards.

Science Labs: We upgrade to Type C for higher resistance to open flames (Bunsen burners) and chemical spills.

Heritage Craftsmanship

Standard factory curtains fail in historic buildings. Our high-end tailoring background ensures a perfect fit for complex glazing and listed properties.

Custom Design
Standard contract curtains are utilitarian and generic. At TailorBox, we approach school refurbishment with the mindset of a High-End Tailoring Studio.

  • Statement Pieces: We create design features that impress prospective parents. From complex pattern matching to bespoke headers (Goblet or Triple Pinch Pleat) and hand-finished trims, we create curtains that respect the architectural grandeur of your Main House.

  • The Perfect Hang: Our tailoring roots mean we understand drape and weight. We use superior interlinings and weighted hems to ensure massive stage drapes or tall library curtains hang perfectly, giving a crisp, prestigious finish that mass production misses.

The "Heritage-Match" Service
You don't have to compromise history for fire safety.

  1. Inspiration: Show us the original 19th-century drapes or the school colours you need to match.

  2. Sourcing: We access the whole fabric market to find a BS 5867 compliant match. We work with specialist mills to find modern FR velvets and damasks that mimic the texture and weight of traditional textiles.

  3. Result: You restore the visual history of the room while satisfying the modern Fire Officer.

Optimising Curtain Dimensions

Luxury curtains achieve a premium look through a combination of architectural scale and material density. By manipulating height, width, and depth, they transform a standard window into a focal point that feels intentional rather than utilitarian.

1. Height: The Illusion of Scale

In high-end settings, curtains are typically ceiling-mounted or installed as close to the ceiling as possible.  

  • The Look: By eliminating the visual gap between the top of the window and the ceiling, the curtains draw the eye upward, making the room feel significantly taller than its actual dimensions.  

  • The Finish: Floor-to-ceiling coverage stop between 0 and 1 cm above the floor for a "clean" architectural finish or use "pooling" (adding 5 cm or more) to create a soft, opulent look that hides uneven floors.

2. Width: Volume and Frame Enlargement

Luxury curtains use a high "fullness ratio," meaning the amount of fabric used is 2.5 to 3.0 times the width of the track.

  • The Look: This ensures the curtains have deep, consistent gathers even when fully closed, rather than appearing as a flat, stretched sheet.

  • The Illusion: By extending the track significantly past the window frame (stack-back), the curtains "park" entirely on the wall when open. This makes the window appear much wider and ensures 100% of the glass is clear to maximize natural light.

3. Depth: Preventing "Crushing"

Premium installations account for "projection depth"—the space between the wall and the fabric.

  • The Technical Detail: For modern Wave headings, a minimum fitting depth of 160 mm (16 cm) is required so the "S" folds can hang freely without touching the glass or wall.

  • The Result: Properly projected curtains have a three-dimensional, sculptural quality. When the depth is too shallow, the folds crush against the window, ruining the uniform rhythm of the fabric and making the installation look amateur.

Bottom Line

Luxury curtains look superior because they behave as part of the architecture. The combination of floor-to-ceiling height and generous width provides superior acoustic dampening by acting as a giant fabric "baffle" that softens echoes. The density of the fabric (especially when interlined) provides a visual "weight" that signals quality, while the seamless integration from wall-to-wall or floor-to-ceiling hides the "messy" hardware and corners of the window frame.

We’d love to help. Get in touch to begin:

📧 tailorbox@brightonalterations.com

📞 07955 751896

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TailorBox (sister company: Alma’s Alterations & Dressmaking) — also known as BrightonAlterations.com

1 Alan Way, Brighton, BN2 5PF | 07955 751896