You can close a troublesome gap between curtains and walls by installing a wrap around curtain rod and hanging curtains that are longer and wider than the window they cover. You can attach the sides of your curtains to the walls adjacent to a window using tape, pins, or Velcro strips.
Magnets. You can sew some little magnets in small pouches of fabric and then sew them on to the back side of the curtains. You would need to have them at the same height on both curtains so when the curtains are closed the magnets can touch.
Apply 2 or 3 small velcro strips to your drape and the wall on both sides of the window. When the light comes in from the sides of your drapes, using velcro to hold the drape against the wall will prevent any light from coming through.
To simply keep the curtains closed, place the magnets just inside the vertical edge where one panel meets another. To seal all the curtain's edges to the window opening, position the magnets across both sides and the bottom, if not the top of the curtain as well.
But you may be wondering how exactly drapery rings work. It's actually quite simple. You just hang them from a metal pin that's in the back of the drapery. Some drapery rings also have built-in clips, allowing you to hang the drapes without needing to insert pins into the fabric.
Typically, these require a ring every 5-7 inches of panel width, or if they have Back Tabs, then a ring at each back tab and on either end. That is all. CWF PRO TIP: Figuring out the spacing of rings on flat panels is more art than science, and it is based on how full or how flat you want your panels to appear.
To keep the curtains closed, place magnets inside the vertical edge where one panel meets with the other. Seal all the edges of the curtains around the window opening, then place the magnets on both sides and at the bottom.
Light blocking strips (called Light Blockers) are available on most Blinds.com roller shades and can be ordered at the same time during the configuration process. Roller shades naturally have large gaps to the sides of the fabric so these light blocking strips are the perfect solution for maximum light control.
The measurement should be the length of the pole excluding the finials. Don't forget to allow for the fabric to overlap - this is an additional measurement, normally 2.5cm that allows the hanging curtains to overlap in the middle when they are closed.
Weighted drapery tape is easy to install and is particularly good for sheers. Simply lay it at the bottom of the hem across the width of the curtain. You can tack it with a couple stitches at the ends to hold it in place. Vinyl covered weights are great for outdoor curtains because they can withstand getting wet.
As a general rule, drapes will be open during the day, so make sure the curtain rod extends at least four inches on each side of the window's inside frame. To create the illusion of a wider window, extend the rod up to 10 inches beyond the window's frame.
Choose a drapery ring with an inside diameter ½ inch larger than the diameter of the pole or rod. For example, if you have a 1-inch diameter rod, the appropriate ring will have an inside diameter of 1 ½ inches. A ring with a smaller inside diameter will make it difficult to move the drapery along the rod.
You will always place a clip on either corner of the curtain panel and then evenly space the remaining clips in between those two.
How wide should curtains be? To ensure that curtain panels look ample when closed, they should have a combined width that is 2 to 2.5 times the width of the window/rod. That means if you are ordering Grommet style or Rod-pocket style, the total drapery width should be at least 2 times the window/rod widths.
It depends on factors such as window length, but more often than not, curtains look best when touching the floor. However, how low you want your curtains to hang will determine what you want to achieve. In reality, different decorating styles employ varying curtain lengths.
As a general rule of thumb, the heavier the fabric, the heavier or sturdier the hook should be. If you're using a heavy to mid-weight fabric, metal curtain hooks or brass curtain hooks will be the most suitable choice. If your fabric is lighter, something like cotton for instance, you could use plastic curtain hooks.