When you motorise a curtain, the first real decision is how the fabric should open. There are only two ways: side open and centre open. Most people never think about it until the track is in front of them — but it changes how the curtain looks, how many motors you need, and how the finished room feels.

This short guide explains what a side open curtain is, the two situations where it is the clear right choice, and when centre open is better. We are a direct curtain motor importer, and these are the setups we install every week.

What is a side open curtain?

A side open curtain is made in one single piece. The motor grabs the fabric and pulls the whole panel across the window, gathering it into a neat stack at one edge. So the curtain travels from one edge of the window to the other, and when it is fully open the fabric sits bundled on one side.

A centre open curtain is the opposite. It is made in two pieces, and the two panels meet in the middle of the window. When you open them, each panel pulls back to its own side — so the fabric splits and stacks on both edges instead of one.

In short: side open = one panel stacking on one side. Centre open = two panels splitting to both sides.

When side open is the right choice

For a normal single window, side open is the default. One curtain motor pulls one panel, and the whole curtain opens and closes smoothly.

But there are two situations where side open really earns its place.

1. Corner windows

A corner window bends around the corner of the room. You cannot run one straight track across the bend, and a centre open curtain would look awkward at the corner. So we use two side open curtains — one panel for each section of the window, each with its own motor.

The result is a clean, even look. Each panel stacks neatly at its own edge, and the corner of the room stays open. In the video below, two motors run two side open curtains across a corner window to give the room exactly that look.

2. Extra-wide curtains (more than 20 feet)

The second reason to go side open is width. A single motor can only pull so much fabric evenly. Past roughly 20 feet, one motor starts to labour and the panel does not move smoothly.

The fix is to run two motors, both side open, on a single remote. To the eye it still looks like one continuous curtain — but behind it, two motors share the load and pull in the same direction, so the whole curtain opens and closes as one from a single edge.

Here is a real installation of exactly that: a wide curtain running on two side open motors, controlled together.

For the full picture on matching a motor to width and weight, we have a dedicated guide on choosing a curtain motor for heavy curtains.

Side open vs centre open: which do you need?

In most homes the answer comes down to two things — the shape of the window and the width of the curtain.

  • A normal straight window with one panel — side open.
  • A wide window where you want the fabric to stack on both sides — centre open.
  • A corner window — two side open curtains, one per section.
  • A very wide curtain past 20 feet — two side open motors on one remote.

Not sure which fits your window? Send us a photo and the measurements on WhatsApp, and we will tell you in a minute whether side open or centre open is cleaner — and how many motors you actually need.

What it costs

A side open curtain costs the same as any motorised curtain, because the price is set by track length — PKR 28,000 for 5 feet, 30,000 for 10 feet, 32,000 for 15 feet and 34,000 for 20 feet, with professional installation at a flat PKR 3,000. See the full curtain motor price list, or compare the motors we stock on the curtain motors page.

Quick FAQ

What is a side open curtain? A side open curtain is made in a single piece, and the motor pulls the whole panel across the window so it stacks at one edge when open. A centre open curtain is two pieces that meet in the middle and split to both sides.

What is the difference between side open and centre open curtains? Side open is one panel that gathers on one side; centre open is two panels that part in the middle and stack on both sides. Side open suits normal and corner windows, centre open suits wide windows where you want the fabric split.

When should I use a side open curtain? For a standard single window, a corner window (one side open curtain per section), or an extra-wide curtain where two side open motors share the load. Send us a photo and measurements and we will confirm which suits your window.

Do I need two motors for a wide curtain? Past about 20 feet, yes. One motor cannot pull evenly across the whole span, so we run two side open motors on a single remote — it looks like one curtain but two motors do the work.

Can two curtain motors be controlled with one remote? Yes. We pair both motors to the same remote (and app, on WiFi models), so a wide side open curtain opens and closes as one, from one edge.

Need help choosing?

Side open or centre open, one motor or two — it is easier to decide when you can show us the window. Send us a photo and the measurements on WhatsApp and we will recommend the exact setup, with a real price. The advice costs you nothing.