Tips For Hanging Curtains

Curtains are much like a chameleon blocking out sound, light, heat, and cold. Add that to the character and personality they add to a room and youve definitely got the makings for a classy chameleon. Check out these tips for hanging curtains.

Have you ever wondered what the difference was between curtains and drapes? Today the terms seem to be freely thrown around but there really is a difference.

Traditionally windows would be covered with one of three types of curtains. An over drapery was only for decoration, a draw curtain was designed to block out light, a sash curtain was used to filter the light. In formal rooms these styles had valances added to hide the hardware and they were given the more formal name of drapes.

Today we tend to think of curtains as anything that was unlined and drapes as anything that can be closed to provide privacy and block the light. But realistically we do tend to merge the two without a thought to whether we are working with a curtain or a drape.

Dont get all caught up in terms. They matter not. Instead look at all your window treatment options and choose what will work for you. You can hang sheer fabrics that are made from fabrics such as lace, silk, or cotton either as your main curtains or with heavy materials.

1. Add a curtain on top of a Venetian blind.
2. Add a sheer curtain behind a set of drapes
3. Use sheers to design a valance or swag on the top of your drapes
4. Use your sheers to filter light in an office. Create a valance using the same panels in either the same color or in an accent color.

Whether you are designing your own curtains or purchasing off the shelf dont be afraid to mix it up a bit. You can create something thats all about you and your personality with just a little bit of extra thought. Suddenly your guests will be remembering everything about your home decor.

For example French Country fabrics combined with fancy curtains or a window treatment will look terrific in a formal country dining room. Gingham prints combined with silk sheers look terrific in a more casual dining room. These are just a couple of ideas that dont necessarily fit the traditional line of choice.

If you are trying to decide on the length of your curtains theres an unspoken rule that can help. Shorter curtains are more informal, more relaxed where as long drapes are considered formal and much dressier. Here are some tips relating to links:

1. Formal drapes should reach no more than 1 inch from the floor and actually touching the floor is preferred.
2. Curtains that will be short should touch to the bottom of the window sill.
3. If you want your office or den to look more sophisticated add drapes that reach no more than 1 inch from the floor.
4. If you have an ugly window or even an ugly wall you can use drapes to disguise it and give the wall some charm. Turn ugly into beauty in no time at all.
5. Dont make the mistake of choosing window coverings that are at an awkward length. If more than 1 inch of floor shows they look awkward. A perfect fit has your drapes just touching the floor and you can easily adjust just by lowering the rod a bit.
6. If your window is too short then attach your rod below the ceiling molding and let them hang to the floor to create an illusion of a larger window.
7. If your window is too long use a bold valance and a wider width to balance out the window and draw attention away from the window itself.
8. If your window is too narrow you can give the illusion of width by using a rod and window coverings that are larger than the window creating an illusion of larger.
9. If your window is too wide and overpowering the room you can use several panels with alternating color to break up the window. You can also tie back center panels, outside panels, or all of them to create a focal point.
10. If you have more than one window in the room they can be a bit overwhelming especially if they are on the same wall so break them up by using different tones of the same color on each window.

You might also consider doing a stained glass feature on this too large window. It can become the feature of your room and suddenly it wont seem too big.

If you are on a tight budget you can create some interesting window dressing without spending a great deal of money. Raw material, round rings, safety pins, and some instant sew. With just a little bit of creativity you can throw together something that looks fabulous without spending a dime.

By now youd have to agree that there are all kinds of tricks for hanging curtains.

Joanne is an author of Decorz.com. If you're looking for more curtain & drapes ideas for your home visit http://www.decorz.com.

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