Ask Alice: about curtain poles, benches and light tubes

I have very heavy, interlined curtains in the bay window of the sitting room which have been hanging from plastic rails. They are obviously too heavy, as the rail is constantly being pulled off the wall. I have been researching the cost of replacing the rails with metal poles and am horrified to find that the standard price is more than £400. Have you any suggestions?
Gina Baldwin, by e-mail.

Heavyweight curtains do require substantial poles and brackets. But there are alternatives. First, have you thought of removing the interlining from the curtains? This might make them light enough for their plastic poles. If you want to keep the curtains as they are, Rob Hudson (07967 848 467) is a London-based craftsman who can make you a custom-built steel pole, complete with brackets, finials and rings from about £200, including installation, for an average window, all within one week.

Alternatively, you could consider replacing your curtains with blinds; often thought of as rather bland and cold, Roman blinds made up in a patterned fabric can look quite sumptuous. You can also soften the look by adding a fabric pelmet and even some light fabric curtains.

I have an awkward, empty space in an alcove in my living room, near the French windows to the garden. There is not enough space for a chair without blocking the windows. A bench might be the answer, but I can't find anything suitable.
Davina Herriot, Ilford.

Have you seen the Pig Bench, £850, by Benchmark ( www.benchmark-furniture.com). Reminiscent of a vaulting horse, it stands on short, oiled-oak legs and has a chunky suede top. It also produces a minimalist bench called Mi-bench, £690, made from a single, solid plank of fumed, oiled oak. Both of these are handmade.

If you are seeking something more romantic, how about an old garden bench, softened with cushions. Petersham Nurseries ( www.petersham-nurseries.co.uk) and the salvage specialists LASSCO ( www.lassco.co.uk) both have a lovely selection of irresistible antique benches in wrought iron, steel or wood.

Seeing your answer about dark rooms made me wonder about light tubes; why did they not catch on? Would they be suitable for a living room made dim by adding a conservatory? And why do they have to go up to the roof? Couldn't they just go through an outside wall?
S. Venables, e-mail

Yes. Solar tubes work by collecting maximum light via prisms and reflectors in the external dome and channelling it along a tube with a highly reflective internal surface to enter the room through a diffuser. The most effective installations are positioned on a well-lit area of roof. But they are perfectly effective through a wall, provided that the wall receives a good dose of daylight through the day. The best light will be achieved with a south-facing wall, and the shorter the length of tube required, the better the result. They are available from SolaLighting ( www.solalighting.co.uk, 0845 458 0101) and cost from £250.

E-mail: askalice@independent.co.uk