Dressing windows can add sunshade, privacy, and a splash of color to your room. To hang window treatments, we often resort to using the curtain rod. Store-bought designs for the latter can be boring and it’s not easy to drill holes in the wall. For those living in a home rental, dorm, or apartment, drilling holes may not even be an option.
Fortunately, there are clever hacks to hanging the curtain in your room without using the curtain rod. Best of all, you don’t need to worry about drilling any holes or spending unnecessarily. Check out these inspiring ideas below.
1. Nails
This is not going to be the prettiest curtain rod alternative that you can make use of. Even so, it is something that you can choose to do when you need to hang a curtain quickly. It will be possible to simply nail your curtains to the wall so that they can cover your window. All this will require is some nails and a traditional claw hammer.
If you use nails, then it is going to limit the functionality of the curtains somewhat. Curtains are designed for you to be able to open them and move them out of the way. If you hang them with nails, then they will be stationary. You won’t be able to move the curtains when you wish and this can be a bit of a nuisance.
Regardless, this method will work just fine. If you don’t have a curtain rod, then this method will allow you to hang the curtains very quickly. They won’t go anywhere and you’ll be able to keep your window covered. If you don’t plan on opening that window or using those curtains, then this method can be just fine.
Pros:
It won’t take long at all for you to hang curtains this way. Simply drive a few nails into the wall and hang your curtains on them. It is always going to be an option in a pinch. Most people will have a hammer and some nails that they can use to do this.
Cons:
You won’t even be able to move the curtains to see outside. This will prevent you from opening the curtains to let in sunlight. It isn’t the most practical solution that you could choose. You will likely only want to do this if you are desperate to get a curtain up for the night without having to go to the store. This can also ruin your curtains.
2. Tree Branch
This is either going to seem like a really neat idea to you or it is going to sound absurd. It is possible to use a tree branch in place of a normal curtain rod. You will need to pick out a branch that is sturdy enough to hold the curtains while also being thin enough to be practical.
It can be tricky to find the right type of branch, but once you do, it should work out well enough. The most common reason that people choose to use this method is that they think tree branches look nice in their homes. It has the capability of giving a room a very natural vibe.
If you want to go with a sort of earth-centric vibe in your interior design philosophy, then this makes a lot of sense. You will just want to make sure that it meshes well with the other items that you have in your room.
You won’t really be going out to a store to buy a tree branch for this purpose. You’ll need to look for one on your property or elsewhere that will work nicely. It may wind up being simple to find the right branch to use, but it could also be an annoyance. It largely depends on your luck and what you have available to you.
Pros:
People who like to use natural elements in their homes will really like this. A tree branch can make for a very interesting curtain rod alternative. It is likely going to catch people’s eyes when they are visiting your home. The uniqueness of this option is part of what makes it so appealing.
Cons:
One of the biggest cons of this method is that finding a tree branch that will look nice and work well may not be easy. If you don’t have any good tree branches on your property that you can repurpose in this fashion, then it is going to become annoying really fast.
To add to this, the tree branch may not stay strong enough to be used this way for very long. You can treat it to try to keep it strong, but it will largely depend on outside factors.
3. Copper Pipes
One of the most common things that people use as a curtain rod alternative is a copper pipe. Copper pipes are interesting because they can provide you with a very unique look. Many people are drawn to the look of copper, so using a copper pipe as a curtain rod is going to be appealing.
There are plenty of people who wouldn’t even know that it wasn’t designed as a unique type of curtain rod in the first place.
All that you really need to do is get yourself a copper pipe. It should be thin enough to be able to fit through the loop of your curtains. This will allow you to hang the curtains effectively. You will simply be using this copper pipe instead of a traditional curtain rod.
The part of this method that makes it less practical is that you will likely have to go out and buy a copper pipe. It isn’t as if people have copper pipes sitting around their home for no reason at all. You would have to specifically choose that you want to use copper pipes instead of curtain rods to hang your curtains.
This is a choice that people make for purely aesthetic reasons, so it’s a design decision rather than one based on practical need.
Pros:
The overall look of copper pipes is something that will appeal to many people. These pipes can be used in exactly the same fashion as a curtain rod. As long as they will fit your curtains, they will make for a perfect substitute. Many people like the look of copper pipes much more than the look of normal curtain rods.
Cons:
You could simply buy a curtain rod that is made out of copper. This would ensure that it is the right size for you to use for these purposes. You’ll also need curtain hooks or another hook solution to be able to make use of this method. If you already have the hooks, then you won’t have to worry.
4. Rope
If you want to avoid using a curtain rod, then you could consider using a rope to hang your curtains. The rope is very sturdy and thick, making it something that could potentially hang even heavy curtains. You will need some type of hook for this method to work properly.
If you already have hooks for your curtains and just need a substitute for a rod, then a rope is going to work out nicely.
Depending on the weight and size of your curtains, you will either want a thick rope or a thin rope. Some of the thicker ropes will be ideal for heavier curtains. You may encounter problems properly inserting the rope through the curtains if it is too thick, though.
Try to find a rope that is strong enough to handle the weight of the curtains without being so thick that it will be impractical to use for this task.
Once you have found the rope, the general idea is going to be simple. You just need to tie the rope to the hooks and you will be good to go. As long as your rope is able to hold the weight of the curtains, it should wind up working just as well as a normal curtain rod.
This is a pretty simple solution that can actually look kind of neat, depending on your sensibilities.
Pros:
A rope can actually look pretty good if you like this style. It will work well enough to replicate what a curtain rod can do. This won’t be a hard method to pull off either. As long as you have the right materials, you will be able to make use of this method to hang your curtains.
Cons:
Most people are not going to have rope just sitting around their home. It may not be practical to go to the store just to purchase some rope when you could have simply bought a curtain rod. The practicality of this method largely depends on you having rope already. Also, whether or not the rope will look good as a curtain rod alternative is a subjective matter.
5. Coat Hangers and String
This is another interesting DIY option that you can consider doing. If you don’t want to have to go out to buy a curtain rod, then you could try to repurpose some of your old coat hangers that are taking up space in your closet.
If you position these coat hangers properly, then they can act as hooks that you can hang your curtain on. You will also need some string for this idea to be effective.
Running the string through the curtain like you would if you had a curtain rod is how you need to start. Once this is completed, you can tie the strings to the hooks of the coat hangers from earlier. The coat hangers will need to be secured to the wall somehow to make this work.
You should be able to attach them to the wall or the window frame without too much trouble.
Once you have finished attaching everything, you should be able to hang your curtain up. This may not work as easily if the curtains you are trying to hang are somewhat heavy. For lightweight curtains, this should be enough to effectively hang them.
This is an option for hanging curtains that won’t cost you any money so long as you have the proper materials sitting around.
Pros:
You won’t really have to spend any money on a curtain rod if you make use of this method. Also, it gives you a reason to use those old coat hangers that you have had forever. This is a pretty simple concept and it should be pretty easy to pull off when trying to hang lightweight curtains. It is simply reliant on you having the materials to do the job.
Cons:
This idea isn’t really going to look all that professional. If you care about how things look in your home, then you likely are not going to want to pursue this idea. It can be a good idea in a pinch when you need to hang a curtain for the sake of privacy. It isn’t a solution that is going to look good long term, though.
