Curtain Header Types: 9 Styles Compared Side by Side

The header is the top construction of a curtain panel, the way it grips the rod. Nine headers make up 99% of what ships in the US, from the $59.99 pinch pleat Liz Linen configures on demand to the $200+ goblet pleat a workroom builds by hand. The window treatment glossary catalogues each in one sentence.

The comparison table below scores each header on fullness ratio, rod compatibility, drape character, cost impact, and best use case. For the fabric decision that precedes the header decision, the complete linen curtains guide covers the four fibers Two Pages carries and the weight math behind each.

How to Read This Table

Two Pages catalogues nine header styles across the linen, cotton, velvet, and blackout collections. The Two Pages header style guide illustrates each style in the configurator. This table pulls the six numbers and behaviors that decide which one belongs on your window.

Fullness ratio is the multiplier between rod width and total panel width. 2x means 120 inches of panel on a 60 inch rod. The Two Pages measurement guide walks the tape-in-hand method.

Rod compatibility flags which headers glide on a traverse rod versus which stay stationary. Drape character reads sharp geometric versus soft undulating versus flat. Cost impact tracks the surcoût on the Liz Linen configurator today.

Header	Fullness	Rod compatibility	Drape character	Cost impact	Best for
Pinch pleat	2x	Straight, traverse, track	Sharp triple fold	Base $59.99/panel	Daily open-and-close
Grommet	1.5 to 2x	Straight only	Soft undulating	Base $59.99/panel	Casual bedrooms
Rod pocket	1.5 to 2x	Straight, stationary	Gathered top	$75.99/panel ready-made	Stationary decorative
Tab top	1.5x	Straight only	Casual gathered	Custom quote	Cottage, farmhouse
Back tab	1.5 to 2x	Straight, stationary	Flat modern top	Custom quote	Minimalist bedrooms
Ripple fold	2x	Ceiling track only	Continuous S-fold	From $119.99/panel	Wall-to-wall glass
Goblet pleat	2x	Straight, decorative	Formal cup shape	Custom quote via consult	Formal dining, living
Cartridge pleat	2x	Straight, traverse	Cylindrical column	Custom quote via consult	Contemporary minimal
Flat panel	1x	Any, stationary	Flat, unpleated	Lowest, ready-made	Small stationary windows

Sounds like a lot of math. In practice, four to six of these numbers decide the panel width you configure. The rest is style.

The 5 Everyday Headers

Five headers cover 90% of residential US installs. Pinch pleat, grommet, rod pocket, tab top, back tab. Each ships ready-to-hang on straight rods. Each fits inside the Liz Linen product family or its neighbors on the Two Pages catalog.

For most US windows, the answer is pinch pleat. That is the default. The rest are exceptions with a reason.

Pinch pleat

Pinch pleat is a header construction with sewn triple folds at the top of the panel, hand-tacked into place. The number that matters: 2x fullness, applied automatically. A 60 inch rod carries 120 inches of pleated panel.

The header ships with hooks that clip into rings or traverse carriers, so it works on every rod system Two Pages sells. Base price sits at $59.99/panel on Liz Linen with the pinch pleat option checked in the configurator. Best for daily open-and-close bedrooms and living rooms where the panel actually moves.

Grommet

Grommet is a header with metal rings punched through the top hem, spaced roughly 6 inches apart. Sounds obvious. It changes the rod you can buy.

Grommets slide directly on a straight decorative rod at 1.5 to 2x fullness, delivering a soft undulating drape that pinch pleat does not match. They do not work on traverse rods or ceiling tracks: the rings glide on the pole itself, with no carriers to clip into. Liz Linen Drape Grommet ships at $59.99/panel, same slub linen blend as the pleated variant. Best for casual bedrooms.

Rod pocket

Real talk on rod pocket: it is a sewn channel across the top hem that slides directly onto the rod, no rings, no hooks. Fullness runs 1.5 to 2x depending on the pocket sizing.

The tradeoff is that rod pocket does not move. It works on stationary decorative installs, not on windows opened and closed twice a day. The Liz Linen Ready Made Privacy Curtains Pinch Pleat Unlined pack sits at $75.99/panel for the closest ready-made comparison. Best for accent panels on small windows or over sheer under-layers.

Tab top

Tab top uses fabric loops mounted above the top hem, threaded onto the rod. Fullness locks at 1.5x because the loops space themselves along the rod.

The look is casual gathered, sometimes called farmhouse or cottage. Straight decorative rods only, no traverse compatibility. Not currently a direct configurator option on Liz Linen, ships from Two Pages as a custom quote via consult. Best for casual cottage rooms with visible rod hardware.

Back tab

Back tab uses fabric loops hidden behind the top hem, threaded onto the rod. From the front, the panel reads flat against the wall.

Fullness runs 1.5 to 2x depending on the tab spacing. Straight rods only, effectively stationary because the loops do not glide smoothly. The Liz Linen Drape Soft Top variant at $59.99/panel covers the modern flat-top read with a similar visual profile. Best for minimalist bedrooms where the header should disappear.

The 4 Specialist Headers

Four headers ship from workrooms and premium collections. Ripple fold, goblet pleat, cartridge pleat, flat panel. Each answers a specific rod, room, or aesthetic problem the everyday five cannot.

Fullness climbs on three of them. Price climbs with it.

Ripple fold

Ripple fold is a track decision. Full stop.

The header attaches to carriers on a ceiling track, producing a continuous 2x S-fold rhythm across the entire span. No breaks, no visible hooks, no gap where two panels meet. Liz Linen Ripple Fold Drapery ships at from $119.99/panel, double the pinch pleat base. Best for wall-to-wall glass, floor-to-ceiling sliders, and any install where the panel needs to disappear when open.

Goblet pleat

Goblet pleat forms a stiffened cup shape at the top of the panel, hand-finished with interior stiffening. Fullness sits at 2x, similar to pinch pleat, but the top reads formal and sculptural rather than crisp geometric.

Two Pages quotes goblet via consult, not the direct configurator, because the hand-stiffening adds workroom hours. Straight decorative rods with visible finials, never traverse or track. Best for formal dining rooms and living rooms with 10 foot ceilings where the header itself becomes part of the trim.

Cartridge pleat

Cartridge pleat forms a cylindrical column at the top of the panel, softer than goblet but more sculptural than pinch pleat. Fullness locks at 2x.

The look reads contemporary minimal, a favorite in transitional interiors that want structure without formal weight. Custom quote via Two Pages consult, workroom-finished. Compatible with straight and traverse rods. Best for contemporary rooms with clean-line hardware.

Flat panel

Flat panel has no pleats and no gathering. Fullness runs at 1x, meaning the finished panel width equals the rod width.

Cheapest header on the ladder, ships ready-made, and reads flat against the wall. Best for small stationary windows or narrow accent panels. Honestly, on any window over 96 inches drop, flat panel reads as unfinished. The header cannot fill the vertical field without pleat depth.

Header × Rod × Room Decision Matrix

The table above answers what. This matrix answers which one for your rod and room. Four scenarios cover 80% of residential installs.

The drape character column matters more than most owners think. Sharp geometric folds read modern minimal. Soft undulating folds read transitional. Flat or gathered read casual or formal depending on the fabric weight.

From Header to Ordered Panel

Nine header names, one product family that ships four of them on the same fabric. This last card maps each header to its Two Pages product page and the base price on the configurator today.

Pinch pleat is the default answer for daily open-and-close windows. Grommet is the default for casual bedrooms with straight rods. Ripple fold is the specialist answer for wall-to-wall glass on a ceiling track. Every other header sits in a niche of style or budget.

Frequently Asked Questions