When we think of curtains we immediately think of window coverings. Of course curtains do a great job of giving us privacy from the outside world, but that’s not all they’re great for. They can be used for so much more within the home and you can get really creative with them. So today’s little decor idea for big impact is unusual ways to hang curtains in your home.
What I love about using curtains in unusual ways is that it’s practical, affordable and done right, it can look so stylish and impactful. There is also a certain softness that curtains bring to a room and of course all that fabric means instant texture to lift your room. But one word of caution – done without intention and thought, curtains can look messy, add clutter and look like they’re there because you couldn’t think of anything else! So before you hang a curtain, consider the fabric, length and look you’re going for.
5 creative ways to hang curtains in your home:
1. Curtains as room dividers
Curtains are a simple way of dividing up a room. You may have one long living space where you want to create sections or you may need to divide a shared kids room or to separate a bed area from the rest of the room. I’m not talking about taking any old curtain pulled out of the loft and hanging it up. With some thought and creativity, curtains can be used stylishly and effectively as room dividers as the pictures above show. Nothing tacky about any of these curtain dividers right?
2. Curtains as closet doors
Hate your closet doors or your closets in general? This could be the answer for you. You can replace the doors with curtains or get rid of the entire closet and create an open wardrobe system behind the curtains. The curtains will add texture to your room and will be a lot cheaper than a new closet. Make sure to go for curtains that cover the entire height and width of the wardrobe space otherwise they will end up looking messy and cheap! My favourite way to pull off this look is to go across an entire wall in a bedroom.
3. Curtains to conceal storage
Curtains are so handy to discreetly hide ugly or untidy storage. You might have some open storage full of stuff that you need but it’s a bit of an eye sore. Or you might be able to look in to an untidy storage area from one room to another. Wherever you have things that you’d rather not keep visible, adding a curtain to hide it can be a quick and easy solution that looks intentional too.
4. Curtains instead of a door
Curtains make a great alternative to a door or doorway in connecting rooms. They are a softer option to a door and allow light to flow between the rooms, especially if one of the rooms is dark. The curtains can of course be left open or closed as needed.
5. Curtains as wall coverings
There are various ways in which you can do this like using curtains to hide an ugly wall or even an ugly feature on a wall. Or when you hang curtains around the room (even on windowless walls) you can get that plush hotel look. Or you could try one of my two favourite curtain design tricks. Firstly, if you’ve got small windows, using curtains that go beyond the windows on both sides and stretch across the entire wall will make the windows seem larger. Or if you have low ceilings, hang the curtains as close to the ceiling as you can and the room will appear to have taller ceilings – you can easily use this little trick on windowless walls too.
Curtains can be used to cover open bathroom cabinets or laundry areas or to create tiny nooks within a room like a small desk area or a baby crib area. These are just some of the ways that you can use the humble curtain to elevate, define or conceal a space. The uses are many but the key to getting this look right is the way in which it’s put together.
Are you tempted to try hanging a curtain somewhere in your home, other than on a window?
Image credits: 1 | 2 – source unknown | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8
Where do I buy the rods or rails, I’m in canada
Hi – which rails? IKEA generally have a good selection but depends on which ones you want.