Here’s An Unexpected, Practical Way to Hang Curtains

Right now, Whether you wish your open concept home was a little more, well, closed — or you’re just looking for a way to create little pockets of privacy, curtains and draperies can provide an affordable solution for faking separation. If you’re torn on the best way to utilize curtains as a room divider, you might want to take a cue from your windows.

Deniz is an interior designer who lives in a 2000-square-foot 19th-century Victorian terrace in London with her husband, their son, and their doodle. Deniz and her husband bought their house in 2017 and lived in it for nearly two years before they started renovations. “This time allowed for us to get a really good feel of the space before doing some changes,” she says in her house tour.

While her home wouldn’t necessarily be considered a small space, Deniz was still faced with challenges when deciding how to maximize every inch of her floor plan. Right off the entryway is a large open space, separated by a wide doorway. “We spend a lot of time as a family in this space,” Deniz says, and the family likes to have company over, as well. So it was important to make each of these spaces feel as functional as possible, with the option to separate them as needed. “One side is the formal sitting room with a fireplace and a bar, where we entertain,” explains Deniz. “The other side is the lounge area with a big sofa overlooking our television.” Since each side of the room has different purposes and styles, Deniz decided to separate them by using a stylish set of curtains. The way she hung those curtains over the doorway is exactly how you would hang them on a window — one panel on each side of the opening.

Deniz used a black tension rod you’d typically use for a closet to hang her patterned panels. Since you can buy a tension rod from Amazon for a little as $12, this method is both budget- and renter-friendly. Another thing to note about Deniz’s installation method is that she used two curtain panels instead of one. This makes the doorway resemble a window even more, and the installation really looks intentional and pulled together for that reason.

“I don’t have a particular name for my personal style, I just try to carefully mix materials, colors, furniture, and art to create a well-groomed scheme,” Deniz says. “My aim is to always achieve harmony and balance.”