Clever Ways to Use Curtain Hardware That Have Nothing to Do With Windows

There’s a certain genius in repurposing things for uses they weren’t originally intended for. Today we’re turning our attention to the world of curtain hardware. Sure, all those rods and brackets are good for hanging curtains…but they’re also good for a lot of other things, too. Let’s take a look at some of our favorite uses.

I’ve long been a proponent of the pot rail as an elegant kitchen storage solution, and as this DIY from Style at Home proves, curtain rods and brackets are a great way to create a pot rail, even one that stretches the length of a rather long space.

There’s no denying the beauty and romance of a canopy bed—but canopy beds can also be really expensive. To get the look on a budget, try mounting a pipe frame from curtain rod brackets.

Tension rods are de rigeur in the bathroom, but if you’re looking for something that will hold up your shower curtain and also impart a touch of class, try a ceiling-mounted curtain rod. Mount much higher than you would expect, almost at the ceiling, and it draws the eye upward and visually heightens the space.

Dina Holland of Dina Holland Interiors did this in her bathroom (above), giving her tub the style and presence of a picture window.

Another way to use curtain hardware in the bathroom is to create a towel rail. I’m particularly partial to this DIY from A Beautiful Mess, which combines curtain rod brackets and lucite rods for a very luxe look.

Interested in other repurposing ideas?

• Brilliant Ways to Use Drawer Pulls & Handles You’ve Never Thought Of
• 15+ Uses for Tension Rods You’ve Never Thought Of
• 20+ Ways to Use Shelf Brackets That You’ve Never Thought Of

Really, curtain rod finials aren’t too far from wall hooks, and when you find them, all you need to do is drill a hole and insert a two-way screw (if they don’t have screws in them already). This can make for a clever and very appealing display of wall hooks, as seen on Hemlangten.

This photo from Cedar Hill Farmhouse shows a finial pressed into service as a towel hook. Follow the link and you’ll find detailed step-by-step instructions.

IKEA’s DIGNITET wire curtain hanging system is equally good for displaying art, as seen here on Livet Hemma.

For a more hefty and permanent system, you could create something like this one from Designer Trapped, where Tasha mounted a rod to the wall with curtain hardware, and then created a series of frames designed to hang on the rod.

In this DIY from The Bird and Her Song, curtain rod brackets are used to mount wooden dowels in front of a kitchen window. Pots hung from the dowels make for a beautiful kitchen garden—and a great way to grow things, with or without an outdoor space.