Saturday, September 5, 2009

Elegant Wooden Curtain Rods

There are some very unique and fashionable curtain rods designs available today. Many of the major high street stores have a large collection of cheaper models that are typically imported from the far east. These are mass produced for the western market and while they may look the part, the quality is suspect at best. You get what you pay for as they say. The materials used are generally plastic and inferior wood that will start to show signs of wear quite quickly. Cheap wood will grain as the rings slide across from constant use, and can even splinter and chip, making opening and closing your curtains much harder. If the curtains snag on the wood it is easy to start pulling too hard on the fabric and cause damage.

Better quality rods are made by the smaller independent stores who hand craft their goods to order. The cost is a lot more but you will getting a quality item that will be far more durable and pleasing on the eye. It is also more satisfying to know you have a bespoke rod that someone has taken the time to create. Popular choices are made from ash, oak and maple wood. These are hard wearing and can be shaped into all sorts of intricate styles to suit the room they will be going into. Waxing and varnishing protects the wood and allows for deeper, richer colors to come out. Matching the rings is a good way to complete the overall package.

Wooden finials are the most elaborate part, and you can custom order the way they will look. Exciting creations can be made by talented craftsmen, and wood is easy to work with. The results can be spectacular, and are worth the expense. If you choose this route then try to get someone who is recommended, or at least ask to see some of their past creations. Many online specialists have catalogs and photos to browse through, which makes this process easier, and there usually customer testimonials that highlight their work. Just bear in mind that any online retailer is not going to put up any bad reviews of their products, it would not be very good for business would it?

Looking after any wooden rods is quite easy. If they become damaged you can always try to repair them yourself. Regular varnishing will help them last longer and keep them looking the part as well. It is also possible to change the finials, they are only screwed on and you can take them off in no time. Changing the finials is a quick way to create a new look, and on their own they don't cost so much. If the colors don't match exactly you can always paint or varnish until they do match.

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Probably one of the most overlooked features of window are the curtain rods and finials. For a lot of people this is the last thing they think about if they’ve chosen a curtain that covers most (if not all) of the curtain rod anyway. Who cares what it looks like? Well, someday you may fall in love with a curtain style, such as a button tabbed curtain, that prominently displays the rod underneath. You don’t want a $2 tin stick beside your adorable window treatments, you need something that makes a similar statement as the curtains.


This overlooked feature can really bring pizzazz to your décor and needs to complement both the window and the curtains you have chosen, as well as be appropriately functional.


Hardware for window treatments is available in a wide variety of styles. Some curtain rods are designed to be covered by the curtains, while others are best displayed prominently due to their highly decorative nature. If the rod is meant to be featured you could hang the curtains from decorative rings sewn into the top panel. Considering both the curtain and the rod at the same time will save you the disappointment of having pieces that don’t complement each other.


Today’s Lesson: Do you know what finials are? They are the decorative ends on the curtain rod. I didn’t know their official name for several years. I just called them “ends of the curtain rod.” They can be wooden, wrought-iron, glass, or plastic.


The most standard types are:

* hook
* the onion (or ball)
* the swirl
* the dagger

Finials can range widely in price, from the $2 plastic pieces to $100 very heavy fancy pieces. Consider your budget but also know that what you choose will make a certain statement in the room and that statement will last longer than the effects of spending a little extra money. You also have to be sure the finials will fit where you are hanging the curtain. Consider the shape of your window and the molding around it. In some cases there just isn’t room for large fancy finials, nor is it always appropriate for the style of curtain you’ve chosen.

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Curtain rods are the foundation for window treatments in the home. Knowing how to spruce up your windows with decorative curtain rods can transform a room. Curtain rod styles range from traditional to contemporary and add a finished quality to a living space. By adding these simple window decorations, you can change a room’s style quickly and inexpensively to make a casual or elegant statement with window treatments and accessories.

Much like a large painting, your window can become the focus of your room. Treated like a functional work of art, your windows can draw attention away from any flaws in the room and focus on outside views, or on the framework of the windows curtains, rods, valances, and other accessories.

You can choose from a large selection of colors, finishes, sizes, and materials of decorative curtain rods to match the style of a home and window treatments. Featured finial designs for decorative curtain rods from The Curtain Rod Store are hook, torch, onion, beaded ball, twist, ball, leaf, and glass onion. Most styles are available in black, nickel, antique white, and antique brass finishes. Matching holdbacks are available. All rods include hardware, and come in complete sets. The rods are easy to mount, and are durable and adjustable. Sizes are available in adjustable lengths from 28 to 120 inches.

In addition to decorative curtain rods, you can elegent up your windows with sheer curtain panels, valances, window curtain hardware, decorative curtains, magnetic curtain rods, magnetic blinds, curtain rod rings, decorative accessories, and magnetic shades.

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When you are doing the interior decoration of your home, you have to take care of the minutest of details. Not that you had to be told about this, but here is a check list that might just help you to effectively manage the decoration of your home. Decorating one's own home is a very exciting and pleasurable activity. One can derive immense joy in creative thinking and placing various kinds of objects strategically – right from the furniture to the walls to the curtains and even the curtain poles. Here is how you can start off:

You may or may not have a fair idea before starting the project of home renovation. Hold on! Before you decide the wall colour, it is better you decide a theme for your room, or just visualise how you want it to look like. A vague vision is also acceptable. Next, depending upon the vision you cherish, you can select a wall colour that will go along with your plans. Probably you want a bright room with a little ethnic touch, or you want to go for a modern and chick look where less is more.

Having decided the wall colour, you can then go for the furniture, fixtures and fittings. But hold on before you select the curtain poles. Before getting the curtain poles, it is better you decide on the curtains. Select a material and print that best suits the theme of the room. Then accordingly select the curtain poles. You can buy curtain poles that match with the curtains as well as the walls or look similar to the furniture. This makes the curtain poles look in line with the whole room.

Curtain poles may be just another piece of fixture in your room, but they have a critical role to play too. If they are a mismatch, then they will stand out and look out of place. This can spoil the entire beauty of the room – so be careful while you select your curtain poles.

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