I made the mistake of buying uninteresting, lackluster curtain hardware for my living room; a decision that I rushed to make after massive renovations and on a limited budget. This is an easy blunder to fix, but since I hate the thought of installing new hardware and making even more holes in the wall, I've been trying to come up with ways to rework what I already have.

The brackets themselves are pretty tasteful, but the rod and finials leave little to be desired. Rope? Tension wire? Nails? Its seems I'm not the only one trying to think of creative ways to work around the typical rod and curtain combo.

1. Talk about getting creative, these burlap drapes are hung from copper pipes. Can you guess what holds them in place? Those rod brackets are actually plant hangers!
2. Does your home have a nautical flair? Perhaps you'd like to jazz up your window treatments with a rod made from rope, complete with a boat cleat as the rope anchor. Head over to Vintage Revivals for the complete tutorial.
3. Using a tree branch instead of a rod is so perfect in this nursery, but it definitely doesn't have to be limited to a child's room. Take away the adorable fabric bunting, perhaps remove more of the smaller limbs, and I can see this fitting in perfectly in a rustic or bohemian decor. You could vary this look depending on what color you choose to paint the branch, or you could even keep it all-natural.
4. From the complicated to the simple, how about just using nails? I love this idea if you want sheer coverage and don't plan on changing the curtains placement or moving them out of the way. It looks like the curtains are simply mismatched lace tablecloths.
5. These curtains hung by nails look slightly trickier to do, but a perfect idea for windows that already have a shade or blind (or when a radiator is situated under the window). The curtains can't be moved easily from side to side, but add a finished look to what would otherwise be a ho-hum window treatment. I think the nails have a forged iron quality which compliments the shade and room. Michael from Inspired by Charm gives you a step-by-step tutorial, from sewing the curtains to how he tackled the installation.
6. & 7. Whether the curtains are for your window or as a romantic canopy around your bed, it doesn't really matter. Using a simple and affordable tension cable means you can hang curtains anywhere. Maxwell gave us an awesome tutorial on how to accomplish this in any room, in any space, and actually makes it look easy!

MORE CURTAINS ON APARTMENT THERAPY:
• How To: Hang Curtains Across Any Space
• 5 Affordable & Unusual DIY Window Treatments
• High & Low: Drapes, Curtains, & Window Coverings

(Images: 1. Apartment Therapy: Casey's Artful Loft , 2. Vintage Revivals, 3. Less-Than-Perfect Life of Bliss, 4. Somethings Gone Awry, 5. Inspired by Charm, 6. Somethings Gone Awry, 7. Modern in MN)

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