Expert Advice: Everything You Need to Know About Drapery Hardware
Shopping for window treatments is one of the most popular aspects of any home renovation.
Fabric stores are fun.
Designers love them.
Homeowners love them.
The best window treatment fabric stores are more like art galleries than fabric stores.
Sadly, people don’t get as excited about selecting drapery hardware. After spending all that time choosing the perfect drapery fabric, there is no more enthusiasm left for selecting curtain rods, finials, holdbacks, brackets, rings, etc.
Which is a shame. Choosing the right OR wrong drapery hardware can make OR break your interior’s design.
That’s why I contacted Zana Dodig from Drapery Curtain Rods to help me craft this Expert Guide to Selecting Drapery Hardware.
You might think that simply choosing your curtain fabric is the end of the age-old window-treatment debate, but it’s only just the beginning. You also have to consider all types of hardware and how it can affect the overall look and functionality of your window & window treatment.
There are many different kinds of curtains/draperies. They vary in weight, shape, material, size, etc. All of these factors play a big role in the selection of the hardware. For example, the weight and size can impact the rod while the color and pattern can impact the wholesome outlook. Let’s take a look at all of these aspects in closer detail:
Interior Design Toronto : How does the weight of the curtain fabric impact the rod selection?
Zana Dodig - Drapery Curtain Rods : The weight and size of the curtains and draperies fabric is directly proportional to the diameter of the rod. If you’ve chosen a heavy fabric or if your window span is quite large, then make sure that your rod is at least 1.5” or more in diameter. Of course, the diameter can be less if you’re working with a curtain made out of light or sheer fabrics.
If you’re going with layered curtains where one is made out of heavy fabric while the other one is sheer, then you’ll have to get a dual curtain rod where the front rod is thicker and the back rod is smaller in diameter.
But as a thumb rule, your curtain rod should be at least 1” thick if you want it to look qualitative.
Interior Design Toronto : How does the curtain rod material define the aesthetics of the whole set up?
Zana Dodig - Drapery Curtain Rods : For typical traditional curtains with pleated tops, rods are simple, seamless, and interspersed with hooks to hang the fabric from. Most of the time, they’re not even visible.
However, if you’re working towards a contemporary aesthetic, then you can go for a decorative curtain rod that’s made out of either wood or metal. They’re installed on the wall with the help of brackets and give off a modern aura.
Interior Design Toronto : What is the general rule for selecting curtain rod brackets? Is there a difference between brackets for heavy drapes vs. sheers?
Zana Dodig - Drapery Curtain Rods : Brackets are the supports that attach your curtain rod to the wall. If your window span is small, then you simply need two of these on either end of the window for perfect support. However, if your window width is beyond 96” then you definitely need to have a central bracket, or the rod might start to sag.
Brackets come in either 5/8” or 1” widths, and you must choose one depending on the heaviness of your curtain fabric and the size of your window span. 5/8” brackets are reserved for sheer curtains, while t 1” ones are for heavier drapes and rods that span between 1.5” – 3”.
Interior Design Toronto : Where should I place my curtain brackets?
Zana Dodig - Drapery Curtain Rods : Note that the placement of your curtain brackets dictates how much light comes into the room. If the brackets coincide with the edges of the window, then your drapes will bunch up inside this frame.
Also note that the further the rod extends beyond the window span, the more light will be able to enter the room when you draw the curtains to the sides.
Interior Design Toronto : What if I have an odd-shaped room? What if I want to use a single set of drapes to cover two windows situated close to the corner of a room? Any other "odd" configurations?
Zana Dodig - Drapery Curtain Rods : If you have a polygon-shaped window which you want to cover with drapes, then you should opt for elbow-shaped brackets. These are placed along odd corners in order to align the rod to the wall.
Note that you must measure the angle of your window corners so that you can match them to the angle of the elbow bracket. You can also find elbow brackets that can are flexible enough to accommodate several angles.
Interior Design Toronto : What kind of hardware is required to hang the brackets & rods?
Zana Dodig - Drapery Curtain Rods : Curtain brackets are installed into the wall above the window with the help of screws. You just drill them into the assorted spaces within your bracket, and they’ll be fixed on the wall.
Interior Design Toronto : Are there maximum curtain rod lengths...just in case I decide to buy a mansion with gigantic picture windows?
Zana Dodig - Drapery Curtain Rods : Curtain rods come in standard sizes. They’re generally available in three size ranges that include: 28”-48”, 48”-84”, and 66”-120”. Anything with a bigger span is considered extra-long.
Note that brackets should be placed every 30” to 36” inches to prevent the rod from bowing or sagging.
Interior Design Toronto : What about the walls that they are being hung upon? Will that impact the hardware selection?
Zana Dodig - Drapery Curtain Rods : If you’re going for typical curtain rods with brackets, then you’ll have to drill them in. This is obviously going to damage the wall.
If you live in a rental or simply don’t want to drill into the wall, then go for command hooks instead of brackets. You can find some that are specifically designed to hold curtain rods. They simply stick to the wall without damaging it at all.
Interior Design Toronto : Are all curtain rods created equal in terms of longevity/performance?
Zana Dodig - Drapery Curtain Rods : The quality of a curtain rod depends upon the material and the size. The ones made out of plastic are definitely going to be less durable than the ones made out of wood or metal. In terms of metal rods, quality is also determined by the diameter. A 3” rod is most certainly going to be more qualitative than a 1” rod.
Interior Design Toronto : How is the cost of a curtain rod determined?
Zana Dodig - Drapery Curtain Rods : The exact price of a curtain rod is determined by the material, the rod size, the hardware requirement, and the style. The price also varies depending on the amount of labor used during installation. For example, simple curtain installation for a fixed window might cost $20 while a full professional bay window installation might cost up to $3000.
Interior Design Toronto : Is curtain rod installation better left to the pros?
Zana Dodig - Drapery Curtain Rods : It’s not that hard to install curtains if you’re tool savvy and know how to handle a drill. You can easily find man tutorials that can guide you in the process. However, if you want a clean, qualitative finish, then it’s best that you leave the work to the professionals.
Interior Design Toronto : What are the technical and design-related aspects of hardware selection (finials, holdbacks/tiebacks, rings, etc.)?
Zana Dodig - Drapery Curtain Rods :
Finials
Finials are the end accessory that caps off the curtain rod. They have both decorative and functional qualities as they’re very beautiful and keep the curtain rings from sliding off the rod.
Note that finials are not used for inside-mount rods. You must also ensure that your curtain rod and finial diameter match with each other. A 1” finial won’t fit a 3” rod and vice versa. You also need to do some research on whether or not you want to opt for a finial that requires screws vs. a finial that doesn’t.
Rings
Curtain rings come in the form of either circular clips or sewed-in rings that are fashioned atop the curtain. They’re one of the most popular methods of hanging draperies.
The technical aspects of curtain ring selection include measuring the diameter of the ring. It should be an inch or wider than the rod so that you can easily maneuver the curtains in each direction. Each ring should be 5” to 6” apart for proper curtain movement upon the rod.
Professionals recommend going for 7 drapery rings on a 50” wide rod pocket panel, and 13 rings for a 100” wide rod pocket panel.
Holdbacks/tiebacks
A curtain holdback is a decorative accessory that is used to split the curtain span from the middle and keep it open in an artful fashion. They are made out of a soft cloth with rings on each side that are snapped into a hook attached to the wall.
The hook of the tieback is installed approximately 30” to 32” above the floor. It should be installed 3” away from the end of the curtain end and is usually drilled into the wall like the brackets. However, you can also find some stickable ones if you don’t want to damage the wall.
If you’re not a fan of the traditional curtain tie-back aesthetic, then you can find many contemporary designs made out of wood and metal. They’re unconventional and don’t even require hooks to be installed into the walls.
End caps
Curtain end caps are an alternative to decorative finials. They’re simple, sophisticated, smaller, simpler, and don’t stand out too much. They’re like a cap that can be screwed at either ends of a curtain rod to provide a more finished look. Just like finials, you just need to make sure that its diameter and screwing mechanism matches with that of the curtain rod.
Medallions
Medallions are like oversized knobs that are used to hang curtains instead of the conventional rod. In looks, they resemble finials but have a horizontal orientation. They’re exquisitely crafted and feature detailed designs.
The technical aspect of installing medallions is that you need to determine the right amount of distance between each knob. This distance is called swag. It must be wide enough if you want the curtain to fall deeply in-between each knob. This minimum distance should be 17”.
Interior Design Toronto : When it comes to style, are there styles of finials/holdbacks/rings/end caps/medallions/batons/wands, etc. that are more elegant, casual, modern, etc.?
Zana Dodig - Drapery Curtain Rods : Finials, medallions, and traditional tie-backs are usually used to embellish vintage, classical, transitional, or retro style interior design.
End caps, curtain rings, and – are simpler, and thus give off a modern, minimalist aura. They’re more elegant and casual. However, these days you can also find modern finial designs as well.
Interior Design Toronto : Are there different levels of quality in drapery hardware? Does price reflect that quality?
Zana Dodig - Drapery Curtain Rods : Once again, material, size and the level of detailing reflects the quality of the hardware. Something made out of plastic or composite materials is definitely going to be priced lower than something made out of wrought iron or other types of metal.
Interior Design Toronto : What are the most popular style of drapery hardware, between finials/holdbacks/rings/end caps/medallions/batons/wands?
Zana Dodig - Drapery Curtain Rods : The answer to this question depends on your personal preference. If you are a person who is attracted to sleek, cosmopolitan, and refined interior designs, then you’ll definitely find end caps and rings to be more appealing than the traditional medallions, holdbacks, and finials.
This is everything that you need to know about buying drapery hardware. We hope this guide is helpful and answers most of your curtain installation related queries!
About the Author
Zana Dodig loves interiors and everything related, from decorating to organizing and remodelling. Her favourite part of interiors for the last 20 years have been window coverings. She works as a window treatment consultant and writer at DraperyCurtainRods.ca and PrestigeDecor.ca.
