Next silly curtain hanging question

12 years ago

Still trying to figure out how to hang my curtains in the living room. I have a triple window that takes most of the 12-foot width of the room. I was planning on buying an adjustable metal rod from BBB and hanging 84" long pleated panels (JCP Supreme) on rings so that they would nearly come to the floor.

The problem I just realized I might have is that to hang the rod at the right height, I won't be able to install a center bracket. Will the rod be able to span all the way across without sagging? The curtains will almost always be open. Also, would it make a difference if I got a three-piece rod or a two-piece? (BBB has both.)

If I hang the rod higher, I can use a center bracket, but then I would have to buy longer curtains (and hope I can return the Supremes to JCP since it's over 90 days now). In addition, I'm not sure how it would look - my window frames are dark metal, and the architecture around the window has a concrete beam up over the windows - I'd have to hang the curtain rod on the beam, and it seems like it's too many dark horizontal lines... Hard to describe, a picture is worth a thousand words!

Here's the bare window...

Here's a mock-up with the rod & rings going across just above the window, but below the concrete beam. Can't use a center support bracket this way.

Finally, here's a mock-up with the rod mounted on the concrete beam. Can use a center support bracket here (though my super will love me forever for making him drill through the concrete THREE times!). Just for fun, I mocked up grommet curtains instead of rings...

Thank you in advance! Any advice (or reassurance!) is greatly appreciated!!!!

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Comments (7)

mamabear2010
12 years ago
I really like the look of the first picture. I do think you will need a center support beam. Is there a way you could get a strong hook or something to go into the ceiling part of the window in the center? I don't know if that makes sense...
kimiko232
12 years ago
I'm weird. I don't like the beam. How about putting the curtains up as high as they can go and then putting a large shade or bamboo shade behind them (right at the rod line) and let them hang down long enough to cover up the beam. I don't know if you can get one that long. But, I know you can get them in six feet lengths. You don't have to use them, but it will cover it up. Everything in your room is the same height (lower slung). So, I think it will bring up your room. Also, I'm a hater of skinny drapes. It should be luxurious. I'd double up on the curtains on the sides to cover up the wall as it's not doing anything for you (as in artwork or anything). Good luck!
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gwbr54
12 years ago
I agree with kimiko -- your room is narrow, so you need a horizontal line more than the vertical lines of the drapes.
graywings123
12 years ago
and hanging 84" long pleated panels (JCP Supreme) on rings so that they would nearly come to the floor.

Long panels need to come to 1/2 inch from the floor. Shorter than that and they are not going to look good.

Your mock ups don't account for the A/C unit jutting into the room. It seems to me that you need to mount the rods so that they are as wide as possible to give the panel on the left a place to go when the A/C unit is running.

For a 12 foot wide rod, you will need at least one, maybe two support brackets. You CAN mount support beams under the concrete beam by mounting the bracket(s) on blocks of wood painted to match the wall.

You could mount the rod on the ceiling. You would still need support brackets.
OKMoreh
12 years ago
I agree with Graywings: a rod of this length must have intermediate supports, probably two.

I had a similar situation years ago, but in an older building where there was a balcony door between the two windows. Since I wanted the door to remain usable, I placed supports between the door and the windows on either side, and used a door panel and a short tier over the transom so that the wall was almost completely covered by the curtains.

The instructions with the curtain rod said to use THREE intermediate supports. That would have been completely unfunctional in my layout, but since the curtains were very sheer, it wasn't really necessary.
charlikin
Original Author
12 years ago
Thank you, everyone, for your feedback!

It's funny - I'm always reading advice that says to hang curtains high, yet I also liked the first picture better than the second one. I have high-ish ceilings - about 103".

Regarding length - from the bottom of the concrete beam to the floor is 88", so with the rod hung just under them plus the ring, I figured the 84" would end up about an inch from the floor. If I got a 95" length, I'd have to hang them about where I show them in the second picture. I don't really want to get custom drapes, nor am I handy with a sewing machine to hem anything. (Seriously - you should see the skirt I attempted to sew in junior high! ;-))

I was planning to have the rod go almost wall to wall - there's not a lot of wall left on the sides to push back the drapes, so I would probably end up using holdbacks - esp. on the side with the air conditioner. I also like a fuller look, so I was getting four panels - two on each side. (In the photos I show two of the panels hanging down the middle, but I doubt I could actually get them to hang that tightly and not block my view. It's not much of a view - the buildings across the street and a few trees - but I like having it open.)

How do you close drapes on rings when there is more than one support bracket???
ellendi
12 years ago
How about roman shades? You can get three of them. There are different styles. Some curve slightly to have added interest. It seems that you want to keep them open anyway. If you need privacy, then get the ones that work. If not, I think the stationary ones are cheaper.

Next silly curtain hanging question

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Next silly curtain hanging question

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