John and Ro's home (shown above) is full of great small space solutions, but one that's made a deep impression on us is their wall-to-wall sheer curtain. Hung across a set of standard living room windows, it visually expands their apartment and softens the hard edges of a boxy layout. This is a surprisingly simple project to pull off...
All it takes is a tension wire, turnbuckles and (this is the part that can be hard to find) a lot of sheer fabric. Maxwell wrote a great set of step by step instructions for hanging wall-to-wall curtains, and if you're on a budget, Sarah Rae offers some good advice for crafting big, cheap curtains right here. For more budget resources, you can also try this post.
RELATED LINKS
• How to Hang Curtains Across Any Space
• Good Question: How to Hang Wall to Wall Curtains?
• Design Dare: Floor to Ceiling Drapes in a Bright Color?
Photos: Jon Crawford-Phillips, the Shade Store
© 2009 Apartment Therapy
This room looks so nice, good job
view Gigi818's profile
I think this would look better if less light traveled through the fabric. With fabric this sheer, there's no illusion about what's going on: the two windows seem to be saying, "what, you don't like us? look at Miss Fancy thinking she lives in a place with big windows. why don't you go live in Fancytown if you don't like it here with us?"
view thebradseed's profile
lol bradseed!
I like the look of it a lot- great job! However (and maybe this relates to bradseed's comment), I like looking out windows. I would be annoyed that it was harder for me to go look out the window. Either hide the 2 distinct windows better, or maybe just make it easy to access them.
Regardless, a really nice, clean look!
view CozyLittleCave's profile
I think it looks good here but I'd be worried that it'd end up looking like a hotel room.
view bkk's profile
I'm not seeing how this "visually expands their apartment and softens the hard edges of a boxy layout."
Boxy layout? Not sure what this even means. Most rooms that people live in are either square or rectangular ... like a box. Maybe altering the studied symmetry of their furniture arrangement could make it feel less boxy?
Letting in more unfiltered light would also visually expand their space.
view mirandabee's profile
People in Eastern Europe do this all the time (often with lace curtains--we needn't discuss that choice). In addition to softening a room, it also acts as a screen for windows and a wee bit of insulation in the winter!
view lafleurepuisee's profile
Don't like the big black TV poking through the wall of soft sheer white.
view ngnerd's profile
You can get pretty cheap sheer panels at Target...
view nwu's profile
ikea panels are even cheaper and - please don't make this mistake - come in packs of 2 instead of 1, like at target. I know have 6 orange curtains, when i only needed 3 and can't take them back
view chusmabilly's profile
I did this with Ikea sheers in my bedroom, covering up two windows, one with security bars, and I love the look. Definatley made the room look bigger, and lighter, sort of like a light box, the curtains suffuse the light, and provide plenty of privacy. I wouldn't want to do this to any window with a view, but this was not the case with mine. Very easy and cheap to do.
view msmezzo's profile
HELP! My apartment livingroom windows overlook a parking lot. I have a room divider covering them. The room divider is simple blond wood with paper squares. I have drapes covering each side and matching valances on the top. It looks great during the day but at night it looks dull. How can I lite the screen from the back. I had thought of white christmas lites. Anybody have any ideas?
view DKOSS's profile