On hooks, on eyelets, or on a drawstring – we will tell you how to beautifully hang translucent curtains in any room. We show options with and without a cornice.
Light-flowing curtains give the room a special coziness, make it more airy and bright, and let the sun through, gently scattering its rays. Translucent and transparent fabrics are used both together with blackout curtains and separately – in any room in the house. In the article, we tell and show how to beautifully hang tulle on hooks, fishing lines, ceiling cornice,s and other methods. Choose the right one.
General Rules
To make tulle look beautiful on the window, remember a few important rules:
- Calculate the fabric with a margin, because with rare exceptions, you will gather it into folds. Take it so that the width of the canvas is about 2 times the desired width of the curtain on the window.
- If the curtains are long and not up to the windowsill, it is better that they do not touch the floor. Let there be a distance of 2-3 cm – this is more practical.
- When choosing a tulle material, consider both the overall style of the room and the characteristics of the fabric. Some hold their shape well and are suitable for textured drapery, some will create the effect of lightness. Some can absorb odors or collect dust – keep this in mind if the curtains are hanging in the kitchen.
- Color matters, too. For rooms with south-facing windows, it is better to choose cold shades of white, light gray, and blue. For the northern side, they are warmer (cream, ivory, pearlescent white, biscuit).
- If two windows are close to each other, you can cover them with one single curtain so as not to visually divide the space into separate sections.
Types of cornices
A cornice is the main way to attach any curtains, including tulle. And how they are fixed depends on their design.
There are the following types:
- A barbell is the most common, classic option. The cornice is a long crossbar with a circular cross-section. The barbell is made of different materials, you can choose the right option for any style and color scheme. Sometimes it is deliberately highlighted with a contrasting color to add dynamics. Wooden models are popular.
- String – The structure consists of two fasteners and a string stretched between them. It can be made of stainless steel or any durable polymer material. Such a fastening is not suitable for heavy curtains, but it is ideal for tulle made of any material.
- A tire is an aluminum or plastic strip that is attached to both walls and ceilings. There are sliders inside the bar that the hooks cling to. As a result, we get a rail mechanism. The main advantage of the tire curtain rod is that it is flat, you can hang the tulle high, almost to the ceiling or directly on it.
- Baguette – A bar or string along with all fasteners is hidden behind a decorative panel. It is selected for the overall design, it can be light or dark, voluminous or smooth, with stucco or carved elements. A baguette is most often made of wood or MDF
Attachment Methods
Different types of fasteners are used to fix light curtains on windows. Most often, the basis is a curtain rod, but there are ways to fix the fabric without it.
How to beautifully hang tulle on curtain tape on hooks
Hooks are a budget-friendly and common attachment option. Stores sell ready-made sets with a different number of parts, so you can match any size of tulle. They are lightweight, and inconspicuous, and most importantly, they make it easy to gather the fabric into a drapery.
To secure the fabric to the hooks, you will need curtain tape. This is a special braid that is sewn to the upper edge of the tulle fabric. The width of such a strip is chosen based on the density of the curtains. Tulle is made of light materials, so the minimum one is suitable for them, from 3 to 9 to 10 cm. Also, the tape already has holes for plastic hooks.
So, the algorithm is as follows:
- Choose a curtain tape for the width of the curtains.
- Sew it to the top edge.
- Tie knots on both sides so that you don’t accidentally pull out the laces later.
- Pull up by the knots of the laces, form the desired drapery with your fingers (there can be both large graphic and lighter, barely noticeable folds).
- Attach hooks, and they, in turn, fix them on the cornice.
How do you calculate the number of hooks you need? On average, one for every 7-10 cm of fabric is recommended. If the folds are more voluminous, the distance can be made a little smaller.
If we are not talking about special hooks for curtains, but about ordinary ones, then they can be used to fix the fabric without the participation of a cornice: for example, on a country window with a wooden wall. To do this, simply hammer in the desired amount at an equal distance, and sew loops made of strong fabric or thick elastic to the curtain. Then hang on the hooks. It is better to match the color of all details to the tone of the trim and/or textiles so that they do not catch the eye.
On grommets
Eyelets outwardly resemble classic rings for cornices, but the latter are more massive, they are usually used for heavy curtains, which other fasteners may not withstand. Tulle, on the other hand, is lightweight, so it is easier to attach it to eyelets. They consist of two parts, are fixed on the upper part of the canvas, and holes are cut for them. You can hang the canvas directly on the cornice, threading it along the entire width of the curtain, or on hooks, and then attach them to the crossbar.
The design of eyelets depends on your idea. You can match them to the color of the cornice or even the curtains themselves to camouflage. Or, on the contrary, make them contrasting to get an additional accent. This option works best with large rings – they are more visible.
On the hinge
If you want to minimize metal textures and not weigh down the curtain rod, you can use hinges instead of eyelets. There are models where they are already sewn in. If not, you can attach them yourself, just choose the same or the most similar fabric in color and texture.
On the Drawstring
This method is similar to the previous one in that the fabric is used and the fastening is part of the canvas. However, unlike the loops, the drawstring is not a separate element, but a continuous “tunnel” of fabric. A rod cornice is threaded through it (other types are not suitable due to their design).
Important: the diameter of the drawstring should be a couple of centimeters larger than the diameter of the curtain rod so that you can move the curtain freely.
Stretch ceiling
The installation of a stretch ceiling makes it possible to make a hidden cornice, including with lighting. There are different ways to mount it with or without fasteners in the membrane. But in any case, the ceiling cornice is installed at the stage of repair, while the canvas has not yet been installed. Then you can hang the tulle on a tire or string, usually using loops or special hooks for this.
Is it possible to hang tulle on a stretch ceiling when it is already installed? It is not possible to attach it to the canvas. The easiest way is to make a regular wall cornice. It is also possible to mount brackets high on the wall, just below the ceiling, and mount a crossbar on them.
On the line
This method is suitable if you need to hang light curtains where there is no curtain rod and the ability to make one. For example, on the balcony or on the country terrace. The scheme is very simple:
- Drive nails into the wall or crossbar on both sides where the curtains will end.
- Take an ordinary thin line, thread it through the needle, and go through the stitches along the entire length of the canvas. If you don’t want to make holes in the material, you can attach the line with small clips.
- Tie the ends of the line on the hammered nails.
This gives you a simple mount that can be removed at any time. Just keep in mind that the line, although strong on its own, will not withstand a lot of weight. Therefore, choose the lightest tulle fabric possible (for example, organza, not linen). It is also a good option for how to hang short tulle beautifully without installing a curtain rod.
Velcro
An express method that is suitable for light curtains is to glue them directly to the surface with special Velcro fasteners. The main advantage of the method is that it does not require making holes either in the wall or in the fabric. But at the same time, you need to understand that this is not the most reliable fastener, which, even under a low weight, will not last as long as a cornice or at least the same line. Therefore, tulle is most often fixed on Velcro as a temporary measure.
Tip: If you don’t like the way the top of the curtains is fastened with Velcro, cover the edge with a decorative strip of fabric, such as velvet or lace. This will make the window look more aesthetically pleasing.
Types of draperies
The drapery makes the textiles decorative and cozy. There are several schemes on how to hang tulle with pleats beautifully.
- Radial – this drapery option is suitable for light flowing fabrics like organza, and you need a lot of material, about twice the width of the cornice. Folds are formed at the top, and they diverge downwards in straight lines. The easiest way to create a beam drapery is with curtain tape. This design is universal, suitable for any style: from classic to minimalism.
- Pencil – this technique produces smaller, but at the same time voluminous folds. They are thin, of the same width, and resemble pencils, hence the name. Drapery is used if you need to give textiles additional volume.
- A sideboard is a more complex scheme that requires manual stitching of the material. A light filler is also added to the pleats to increase volume. It is formed not at the uppermost border of the canvas, but by stepping back from it by 7-9 cm.
- Bow – the fold consists of two folds that look in opposite directions. Visually reminiscent of a bow. But it is only suitable for dense fabrics, so it is more often used for drapes. From tulle, translucent linen is suitable for this method, for example.
- French drapery is complex, but very beautiful visually, suitable mainly for the classical style. The curtain is sewn vertically with cords, with the help of which small wavy folds are formed.
But for tulle with a pattern, you don’t need to make a drapery – because of the folds, the pattern will be distorted and the whole meaning will be lost.
