There are tons of great curtain ideas to make your bedroom, living room or even kitchen look fantastic. With such a wide choice of fabrics and designs, your real problem might be making a decision! But once you've decided on the kind of curtains that you want, you'll need to hang them. Not to worry though, we're here with a simple step by step guide on how to hang your curtains!
Step One: Measure, Measure, Measure!
The first thing that you'll need to do is measure your window. You'll need the measurements of the window itself (vertical and horizontal), as well as the measurement from the top of the window to the floor. These measurements will tell you how large your curtains should be, as well as how long your curtain rod will need to be. In general, curtains should be either exactly the window to floor measurement or a couple of centimetres longer. Curtain rods should be around three to five centimeters longer than the width of the window.
However, if you're not happy with the size of your window, you can use optical illusions to give you a different look. Adding a few centimeters to curtain length lets you mount drapes above the window frame (making the window look taller), and adding a few centimeters to curtain rod length lets you mount drapes further outside of the window frame (making windows look wider).
Step Two: Get Your Materials
You're going to need a curtain rod, and there are various styles of rods. The majority of these will be mounted on the wall above the window. Some styles are mounted to a window frame, but these carry the danger of splitting frames and are harder to install, so wall mounted rods are a better choice. Most rods will come with the attachments that you need to install them. You'll also need some dry wall plugs, possibly some fixative, a spirit level, a screwdriver, a drill, and a sturdy ladder.
Step Three: Get Started!
Once you're ready with all your materials, you'll need to measure and mark where you want your curtain rod to be. Do make sure that you use a spirit level to check that the rod will be straight. Remember that walls and floors aren't always straight, especially in older homes! Once you've marked the position, and you're satisfied that your measurement is correct, use the drill to make small pilot holes. These don't need to be too deep, and you can always make them deeper if necessary!
Step Four: Plugging and Screwing
Once you have pilot holes you'll need to press in the dry wall plugs that you have bought. These will stabilise the screws and make sure that your curtain rod doesn't fall down! If you're screwing into a brick (outside) wall, then you may also need some fixative to keep the plugs steady. Your local hardware store should be able to advise you on this. With the plugs installed, you can now screw in the curtain rod attachments. An electric screwdriver will make this easier (and faster), but this can also be done by hand.
Step Five: Mount the Rods and Curtains
Depending on the style of curtain rod you bought attaching the rod to the wall can vary. Generally, rods simply lift or clip onto the wall connectors. Make sure your curtain rod is level and stable, and then hang your curtains! You will need to attach connectors to your curtains, and these come in various styles: hooks, rings, or even holes directly in the curtains themselves. You can now stand back and admire your beautiful new drapes!
Step Six: Maintenance
Curtain rods and attachments should need very little maintenance. It's always worth checking every now and again that connectors are still firmly screwed into the wall though (particularly with older dry wall or crumbling brick walls). Curtains themselves should be taken down and washed about once every six months to avoid too much dust collecting in them. If you, or someone in your home, suffers from allergies, then you might want to wash your curtains a little more often.
Money Saving Tips:
If you're looking to save a bit of cash whilst redecorating there are a couple of things to keep in mind. Having curtains cut to your desired measurements saves you time, but don't forget to take the extra material with you. You can use this for matching cushion covers, for example. Also, thicker, light blocking material can get expensive. It's worth looking for a cheaper, thinner material and then adding a layer of backing material behind, since this usually works out cheaper.
Curtains are a practical decision, since they maintain your privacy and keep light out and heat in. However, they're also a stylish choice, since adding curtains can make your room look completely different! Whatever your reasons for wanting drapes, hanging curtains is simple, and should take you only around half an hour. Don't forget to check your household insurance policy before you begin though, since accidental damage coverage, or even coverage in case you take a fall off that ladder, is important for any DIY project.
Main subject: curtains
