12 Unconventional Ways to Hang Curtains Without a Rod

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You may be moving into a new place or thinking about redoing your current one. When the furniture is in place, window treatments are next up. Many people prefer curtains to frame their windows but they don’t want to invest the time or money into putting up a rod to hang them from.

Hanging curtains on a rod can be cumbersome and a little too permanent for someone who likes to change their décor on a regular basis. That being said, there are several creative ways that you can grace your window with curtains without having to use a traditional curtain rod.

Check out some of the following ideas and see how you can include them in your next makeover.

How to Hang Your Curtains Without Using a Rod

1 – Hooks

There are a number of hooks you can use to hang your curtains. First, you can check out the self-adhesive curtain hooks that you can find where the curtain rods are sold. You will have to take your time with this project and carefully measure the distance between the grommets that are on the curtains.

Once they are in place you just have to place each eyelet ring on your curtains right on the hooks.

2 – Drawer Pulls

You can find antique-looking drawer pulls in the kitchen section of the hardware store that can be used just like a hook. Find a drawer pull that is just the right size for the eyelet hole in the curtain so it can slip right on.

You can find an assortment of styles – modern, country, abstract – as well as a myriad of colors. You should be able to screw the drawer pull right into the wall just as you would on a cabinet or desk drawer.

3 – Rope

This option is perfect if you have a country décor and need to hang curtains with a western or country pattern. The first thing you need to do before selecting your rope is to measure the width of the curtains you will be hanging. If you have two panels you only have to measure the width of one then double it.

Find a sturdy rope that will easily fit through the top opening of the curtain. If you are buying your rope in a craft store, a fabric store, or hardware warehouse, once you have the right width you can ask for it to be cut the length that you need it.

Make sure to get several extra inches on both sides. You will have to screw in a hook that can support the rope. You can wrap the rope around the hook to secure it and let it hang down.

If it’s a wide area you are covering you may need to place a hook in the middle of the wall to hold the curtain or nail the curtain to the wall so it won’t fall. You can use a small but sturdy nail or tack to hold the middle up.

4 – Tree Branches

Using a tree branch to hang your curtains is a nice way to add a touch of nature to your décor. While the tree branch doesn’t have to be shaped perfectly, just make sure that it is strong enough to hold your curtains. If the curtains are made from a heavy material you will need a branch that is nice and sturdy.

Once you find a tree branch you would like to use, break off or saw off any small twigs or branches on it. Once the branch is free of any extra growth you will want to get it even smoother by running sandpaper over it.

In order to hang your curtain you either need to a bracket on each side where you will be hanging the branch, or cut two pieces of the branch and them to each side so the branch can rest on these pieces.

5 – Sports Equipment

If you have an athletic décor, there are several pieces of equipment you can use to replace traditional curtain rods. Baseball bats, hockey sticks, golf clubs, and even an oar to a boat are interesting candidates. Look for equipment that the curtain can slide over.

You can add a finial at the end so that the curtain doesn’t slide off when opened or closed. Some ideas include baseballs when using bats and pucks when using hockey sticks.

Golf balls would work perfectly with golf clubs and there are a number of ocean-related options when using a boat oar.

6 – Nails

If you want to keep things nice and simple and you have a simple curtain made out of a lighter material you can just use nails. Look for nails that are long enough so you can drape the curtain directly over each one.

Make a straight line of the nails using a ruler to make sure the line is straight. You can then hang your curtain in a straight line or create a ripple effect letting the curtain hang in between nails.

7 – Copper Pipes

Copper pipes can give a simple touch of elegance to a modern décor. You will find these pipes in any home décor store and while you are there you will need to pick up brackets to hold the pipes in place.

You might also want to check out something like a vintage-looking doorknob or drawer pull you can add to each end to finish the look off and keep the curtain in place.

8 – Upholstery Tacks

If you are renting a place and don’t want to drill any holes in the wall you can hang your curtains directly on the wall with upholstery tacks. You would not be able to pull the curtains open but you could get materials to use to tie back the curtains and use tacks to attach those to the wall as well.

There are so many inexpensive materials you can find at your local dollar store that would make this easy and inexpensive to put together.

9 – Command Hooks

There are a number of different styles and sizes of the easy-to-use Command Hooks. These hooks were created so you can hang any size picture or decorative items on your wall without making a single mark. The instructions are on each package and they are easy to use.

Once you want to remove the item from your wall it comes off without a hitch (or a hole!). These would work if you want to hang your curtains an don’t want to use a traditional curtain rod.

You can use a number of them to hold curtains that are lightweight or a little heavier.

10 – Wire

A moderate to heavy gauge wire could also be used in lieu of a curtain rod. It is another quick, easy, and inexpensive way to hang your window coverings. You will need brackets or something on each side of the wall to wrap the excess wire around.

You also want to find some tie-backs if you want to pull each side of the curtain back to let some light in.

11 – Yardstick

Using a yardstick as a curtain rod would be a great way to decorate a man-cave or the bedroom of your favorite handyman. This would be simple to put into place and you could even use measuring tape as tie-backs for your curtain.

12 – Plastic Animals

A very creative crafter online took a couple of plastic elephants from a dollar store and was able to turn them into curtain holders. She sprayed them gold, cut them in half and mounted them on the wall.

Then she took each end of the curtains and draped them over raised elephant trunks. You could even use several of them across the wall and create a draped effect.

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