Kate’s lovely cottage in Ascott-u-Wychwood had one draw-back. In winter, the heat from the open fire in the sitting room would escape through the open banisters and up the stairway.
We put a curtain across the stairs to block the draught and, with a track along the beam above the open banisters, we closed them off with a full length curtain, held back with a simple rope tie-back. One unforeseen advantage – the mess under the stairs can easily be hidden by releasing the tie-back when the vicar comes to tea!