Drapes, Liners, And Curtain Rods: How To Make Them All Work
If you've seen those lushly decorated windows where there is a flowing, sheer liner and heavy drapes, you know that you can't just toss those on a curtain rod and call it a day. In order to be able to open the drapes but keep the liner closed, the two window coverings have to be installed or used in a specific manner. The problem is that you need to be able to pull back the drapes without also pulling back the liner, and if you've got only one curtain rod up, you have to make a few changes.
Add a Tension Rod
One of the simplest is to just get a tension rod from a home goods store (you can find these in the section with the curtains and drapes). The liner would sit on the tension rod while the drapes would still sit on the main curtain rod, and you could move them separately. Thread the liner's loops, or whatever it uses to stay on a curtain rod, onto the tension rod and install the tension rod inside the window space. Some tension rods require you to tighten a screw to brace the rod; those can be kind of awkward, so the ones where you simply push one side in a bit to move the rod into place should be easier to use.
Dual Curtain Rods
Another option is to replace your current single curtain rod with a double rod. This has a secondary rod under the main rod; the liner would go on the secondary rod and the drapes on the main rod. These are available in both tension-rod form and permanent-installation form.
Hooks and Curtain Clips
Yet another option, if you can't replace the rod and don't want to mess with a tension rod, is to install hooks along the top of the window and hang the liner from those. Use curtain clips to hold the liner panels back if you want to open the liner, since the hooks, obviously, won't let you move the liner at the top. If you're concerned about how those hooks might look when the drapes are open, you can also install a window valance that matches the drapes. This will hide the top few inches of the curtains, as well as the hooks and rods.
You may be able to find tension rods and dual curtain rods at drapery stores, too, so head over to one as soon as you can to check out the selection. You'll be able to find a method that works for you and that doesn't require any more installation work than you want to deal with. Contact a business like Cameo Draperies & Blinds for more help.
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