Bedroom Window Treatments: Hardware & Hanging Ideas

When deciding how to hang your draperies, consider the bedroom's dimensions. Here, floor-length draperies topped by a valance create a strong vertical line that makes the standard 8-foot ceiling seem higher.

Ordinary tie-tab sheers gain importance when hung from iron drapery hooks installed in the ceiling. Puddling on the floor, the sheers emphasize the height in this tropics-inspired bedroom. They also downplay the inexpensive pleated shade that provides privacy.

When it comes to window treatments—and design in general—contrast invigorates and adds verve to a room. The chocolate and cream windowpane-check draperies hang from finials that pop crisply against the walls.

To filter light for this casual dining spot, a double-sided, full-length panel of black silk organza is mounted inside the window frame. Bronze silk valances are positioned 12 and 24 inches in front of the panel, creating a layered effect. This stepping-out technique makes the 5-foot dormer appear shallower and provides a snappy contemporary backdrop for modern furnishings.

In this small bedroom, purchased sheers hang from swing-arm rods to suggest an extension of the wall. One also doubles as a window treatment. The rods can swing closed to hide the closet door, a practical measure if the door is ill-fitting or if you want to soften the architecture.

Even the simplest drapery hanging setup can add interest. These purchased curtain panels are accessorized with iron rings that clip to the top of the fabric.

These chunky curtain rings are a throwback to the natural, earthy decorating style of the 1970s. They balance the strong vertical impact of striped, pinch-pleat draperies.

The curtain rods are extra-long so the curtains can be pulled completely to the sides. This allows the plantation shutters to be fully operable.

In keeping with the graceful look of the Italian silk fabric, these unlined panels are simply gathered and tied over the rod and allowed to slightly puddle on the floor. Pineapples—a popular 18th-century symbol of hospitality—appear as finials on each rod.

To balance wide horizontal wall stripes, a curvy canopy support and arched curtain rod draw the eye upward. The custom rod and floor-length draperies turn the ordinary window into a focal point. To give draperies body to stand out from the wall, choose stiff fabric and use lining and interlining.

A straight valance and pleated Roman shades in cottage-style fabrics are the focal point of this comfortable bedroom. The straight lines of the window treatment complement the curvy lines found elsewhere in the room, such as on the headboard.

Window treatments can be repurposed and hung as design solutions. Unusual denim—striped canopies stretch over the beds in this small alcove bedroom, an idea inspired by traditional camping tents. Attached to simple metal curtain rods, the canopy embellishments transform the room's weakest design element—the steeply sloped ceiling—into an asset

Large, cavernous rooms are common in new homes, leaving homeowners searching for ways to make such overwhelming spaces more inviting. In this bedroom, the visual space shrinks when floor-length draperies and deep cornices in a large floral print frame the windows.

The bold color draws your eye so you don't notice the large dimensions of the room. Neutral fabric would have the opposite effect, making the windows seem farther away from the bed.

Simple linen valances are the perfect toppers for a series of French doors. The valances are suspended from modest hooks screwed into the top of the wall. Their placement also makes it easy to open and close the doors without the treatments getting in the way.

Layer contrasting fabrics to add depth to window treatments, and ensure your placement allows both to show. Red and white checks peek out from behind a scalloped matelassé window treatment. Patterned sheer curtains add privacy.