Ruffle curtains

I am loving all the ruffle curtains I've seen lately.  Whether they be super-girly pink or a more neutral gray, they are so fun and attractive!

regular curtain rod with finials

corner curtain rod.

inside mount curtain rod

cafe curtain rod with returns

regular curtain rod with finials

Hanging curtains behind a bed

Hanging curtains behind a bed is a great decorative idea.  Curtains can also be used as a headboard. The colors look great if your walls and curtains are contrasting colors.  Custom curtain rods will work, with or without finials.  Cafe curtain rods would be great if you want a return to the wall with no finials or inside mount brackets would work best if you have an alcove.  Use rings or wands if you want to slide the curtains back and forth across the rod.

How to make your windows look larger

Making your windows look larger can really help out a small room. We're covered some of these ideas before in this blog.

One way to accomplish this is to hang curtains farther outside the window. You can hang them several inches higher than the top of the window and let the curtains hang all the way to the floor. You can also buy a curtain rod that is longer than your window width so that your curtains hang several inches (or even feet) to the right and left of the window. It makes the window and the room look bigger.

When you have two or more windows close together, hanging curtains in between the windows to hide the wall between also makes the windows look bigger. It can look like the windows span the entire wall. Use one curtain rod all the way across and have curtain panels not only on the left and right of the windows but in between the windows to cover sheetrock or trim.

You can also have one curtain rod that goes all the way from wall to wall. End mount brackets can help you achieve this look. They replace finials so that your curtains can extend from wall to wall with no spaces at the ends. They also support some of the weight so that you can minimize the number of brackets you need.

When choosing material for your curtains, go with a lighter color and a lighter material. You don’t want black, super-heavy velvet drapes in a small room. Use a cotton or linen, for example, in a light shade of your room’s color.

How to use curtain rods to divide spaces

Using curtains is a creative, budget-conscious way to divide room or spaces in your house. You can choose anything from simple cotton curtains to luxurious velvet drapes. It can divide a home office from a living room. It could hide the kids’ messy play area from your living room. Or, in a loft, it could separate the bedroom from the kitchen from the living area.
Curtain rods are a great way to hang these room dividers. There are three basic ways to hang your curtains with rods.

1. If you are hanging the curtains above an open door frame, the curtain rod can be hung on the wall using standard brackets. The brackets are attached to the wall and the rod is placed in the brackets. This is the same way you hang curtains on a window.

2. Ceiling brackets can be used with your curtain rod to hang the rod from the ceiling. The curtain rod can be as long as you need as long as you have enough support from the ceiling brackets.

3. If you want the curtains to hang from wall to wall, you can use end mount brackets. One side of these brackets is closed and the other is a saddle. You place the curtain rod in the closed bracket and lower it down into the saddle end. You may need one or more brackets to support the curtain rod if it is longer.

You can use decorative finials with options 1 and 2 above. Option 3 uses end mount brackets instead. You can also use rings with any of these options. Holdbacks and/or wands might be helpful if you want to move the curtains to the sides at some point.

Use curtain rods to hang art

Curtain rods are a perfect way to hang art attractively. By using a curtain rod, curtain rings and pincer clips, you can hang art and change it out easily and quickly.

First, measure your space and decide how long your curtain rod should be. A small, simple curtain rod works best. You will also need brackets to support the curtain rod. Secondly, decide whether you want finials, end mount brackets or a cafe curtain rod. Finials will cap the rod in an attractive way. End mount brackets allow the rod to go from wall-to-wall. A cafe curtain rod has returns and allows the rod to be attached directly to the wall with no brackets at the ends of the rods. Thirdly, chose a curtain ring that is slightly larger than your rod. For example, chose 1 1/2" rings with a 1" curtain rod. Additionally, you'll need pincer clips to go on the rings to hold the art.

Place the pincer clips on the curtain rod rings and then place the rings on the curtain rod. You can then hang the art by using the pincer clips to grab the art. The rings can be moved along the curtain rod to be placed in the appropriate place depending on the size of the art. When you get tired of the art, simply take it off the clips and replace it. You'll have a new look anytime you want!

You can see all of these photos on my Pinterest page.

Use a curtain rod to create a closet

If you don't have a closet, you can make one. Use a curtain rod to section off a portion of your room. It could go the whole length of the room and have end mount brackets for hanging. If your room is long, use ceiling brackets to support the curtain rod.

If you have an alcove, you could hang a standard curtain rod above the opening or use a cafe curtain rod to attach to the wall or molding.

How to make a simple canopy bed

I had saved this photo from Domino Magazine (now extinct).  It shows a great idea on how to make a canopy bed using curtain rods and accessories.  You will need:

1. a two-angle mitered curtain rod set - Follow the directions on our web site to measure for these.  Measure from the wall behind your bed to a little past the foot of your bed so the drapes hang past the bed.  Choose your favorite finish!  If you like the look in this photo, choose our matte stainless finish.

2. two end mount brackets

3. six ceiling curtain rods brackets

4.  curtain rod rings - Use 1.5" rings for a 1" curtain rod.  If you have panels similar to this photo (about 48" wide), you'll need 32 rings.  Use 8 rings per panel and you'll need 4 panels, one for each corner of the bed.

Let us know if you have any questions or need help!

Organizing your craft room

I have an office that is really an office, craft room, sewing room and child/husband hangout.  It's a pretty small room, so I have to be organized.  I have the Expedit desk and bookshelves from IKEA.  They are very reasonable and come in different colors.  I also have the Kassett boxes that fit perfectly in the bookcases.

This is a great idea to organize your ribbon.

You can use a curtain rod of your choice with standard brackets and even add finials for interest.  Or you could use end mount brackets if installing your rod in a nook, window or closet.  Top it off with rings and you're done.  You could even put the ribbon directly through the rings and skip the clips.

Another way to organize your ribbon.

Here is a cafe curtain rod with hooks for hanging everything from scissors to marker cups.

I love these galvanized buckets hung on the wall.

Wire baskets can be hung on a curtain rod to hold almost anything.

Books on organizing your craft room:

Organizing Your Craft Space

                      

Good Things for Organizing

Kids' stage at home

Do you have any little performers at home?  Most kids love to sing and dance.  I got this from a customer and thought it was a great idea.



The arched curtain rod is secured at the walls with end mount brackets.  A ceiling bracket is used in the middle to hold the rod in place.  Choose your finish and you are done.