How wonderful it is to return to your warm and cozy home after a hard day at work. There, where everything is yours down to the last detail: sweet and dear. The uniqueness, charm, comfort and warmth of each home is given by its design, including textiles. Tapestries on the walls, covers on the sofas, tablecloths on the table, curtains on the windows - everything matters. All this can be created with your own hands. All you need is desire and a little patience. And no matter what the house is, curtains have always been and remain an indispensable accessory in any living room. But when decorating the interior in one style or another, it is very important to choose the right curtains, as well as curtain rods for them. It deserves special attention, which is gaining more and more popularity.
Advantages and disadvantages
The design has its advantages and disadvantages. The advantages include:
- saving living space;
- ease of installation;
- long service life;
- Can be used anywhere in the room;
- The cornice is available in 2 options: ceiling and wall;
- installation of decorative elements at your discretion;
- low cost;
- nice design.
The invention of new materials has returned relevance to such cornices.
Design disadvantages are associated with the characteristics of the materials. A string longer than 2 meters may sag if an additional bracket is not installed. If it is not coated with an anti-corrosion compound, then in conditions of high humidity it will become covered with rust. When attaching a standard cornice, masking (installation of a decorative panel or drapery) may be required.
Tire cornices (rail)
Device and features
The main element of a tire curtain rod is a panel made of metal or plastic with a complex profile. In its lower part there are longitudinal slots through which hooks with the canvas suspended from them slide freely. The number of grooves can be up to four, which expands the choice of curtains used. The most advanced models are equipped with a small electric motor and a remote control. Rail systems have a wide range of prices, but their main segment is in a range acceptable for most buyers.
Tire curtain rods have high strength and wear resistance. Most of them are lightweight. This allows them to be attached to “double” walls with a surface made of plastic or plasterboard, but the fasteners must be included in the elements of the supporting frame made of profiled metal or wooden slats.
Kinds
The classification of rail cornices is based on their design features and the type of materials used.
Tire curtain rods for fastening
Tire cornices are located at the very junction of the ceiling and wall. The relative lightness of their design suggests two possible installation options.
Ceiling mounted. It was the bus models of curtain rods that were originally developed for mounting to the ceiling. This is facilitated by their wide, almost flat shape, which facilitates simple and reliable installation on the ceiling.
Tire cornice with mounting to the ceiling.
With wall mounting. In cases where the load-bearing capacity of the ceiling is insufficient, rail cornices are attached to the wall. For this purpose, special brackets with an L-shaped supporting part are used.
Tire cornice fastening to the wall.
Tire curtain rods according to the presence of baguette
Tire cornices can have a classic design with a strict design or be decorated with a decorative baguette.
Open. Open models have only a utilitarian purpose. They are suitable for strict interiors in the constructivist style or should be hidden by the upper edges of the curtains attached to them. Their main advantage is reliability and functionality at minimal cost.
Tire cornice without baguette.
With baguette. The purpose of the baguette is to hide hooks and brackets from prying eyes, which may be discordant with the rest of the interior of the room. When choosing the right model, this decorative element serves as a beautiful frame for curtains.
Tire cornice with baguette.
The advantages of this option:
- The entire area of space around the window looks harmonious without technical details visible to the eye.
- The decorative panel, enclosing the space, reduces the amount of dust falling on moving and rubbing surfaces. This improves glide and increases the service life of the product.
Tire curtain rods by material of manufacture
Tire curtain rods must be as strong as possible with a minimum dead weight. Wear-resistant plastic and aluminum meet these criteria. Both options are highly reliable, but have a number of design and operational features.
Plastic. Plastic cornices can have from one to four longitudinal grooves. They are easy to install and do not cause maintenance problems. They can be painted in various shades, but the classic color is absolutely white.
Plastic tire curtain rod.
Their main advantages are:
- High aesthetics, especially when using a side decorative strip.
- Minimum thickness for ease of installation and optimal use of space.
- Light weight with significant load-bearing capacity.
- Durability. Polyvinyl chloride plastic is one of the most resistant structural materials, capable of maintaining its structure when exposed to moisture, ultraviolet radiation and frequently changing temperatures.
- Low price compared to metal models.
Aluminum. Aluminum is easy to bend smoothly. It can be used to make complex products for arched or non-standard window openings. Metal is superior to plastic in strength and durability. It can withstand shock loads more easily. You can attach additional equipment to it, including an electric drive. Aluminum curtain rods are slightly more expensive than plastic curtain rods.
Aluminum cornices can be made from the following types of profile:
1. I-profile is used to make single-row busbar curtain rods.
Aluminum cornice made of I-profile.
2. KS profile is used for the manufacture of double-row cornices.
Aluminum cornice made from KS profile.
3. The CKS profile has three parallel grooves and is used for three-row cornices.
Aluminum cornice made from CKS profile.
What types of string cornices are there?
Now there are beautiful string cornices on sale for every taste. Designs in several rows (2-3) are intended for the use of multi-layer curtains. For example, in a bedroom where you want to hang tulle and thick curtains, you will need a 2-row design. If you additionally want to install a lambrequin, it is better to install a 3-row cornice.
They are versatile, neutral in style and easy to install.
The strings range from 3 to 5 meters in length. It can be adjusted if desired. The peculiarity of the design is that if the string is slightly sagging, it is enough to tighten the bolts into which it is inserted.
The brackets can be brackets or steel angles. Depending on the design of the room, you can choose decorative brackets:
- vintage;
- with inlay;
- gold plated;
- in transparent plastic;
- imitating vegetation;
- in the form of geometric shapes.
The simpler, the more relevant is the motto of many modern designers.
Advantages of a string cornice
What is the attraction of simplicity? What makes string cornices popular and in demand?
A huge number of positive aspects is the determining factor.
Compact design. Minimum space required, easy to install. Isn't this what you are striving for?
The string cornice is an inconspicuous interior detail. All attention will be focused on the “weightless” curtains that seem to hang in the air.
Strings for every taste. They can be of any color and any coating. You can choose them in gold or platinum color, copper or silver shades will satisfy all non-standard wishes. Decent appearance is expensive.
Product versatility. Ceiling or wall strings - strings accept all options. They function perfectly in any area.
The optimal price category is the strongest trump card. The affordable price, supported by popular use, is a clear and undeniable advantage.
How to choose?
When choosing a suitable design, the following recommendations are taken into account:
- String cornice is designed for curtains made of light fabrics. If heavy, dense canvases hang on it, sagging of the string is inevitable. The situation can be corrected by installing an additional bracket in the middle. But then the curtains on the left and right can only be moved to the center.
- The structure is not installed in openings longer than 5 meters. The optimal length is 3-4 meters.
- If you need to divide your living space into zones, you can purchase ceiling string cornices.
- It is better to pay more, but buy a string coated with a protective compound.
- The design is suitable for rooms with stable temperatures and low humidity levels.
- You can choose options for the bathroom, toilet, small utility rooms.
These points must be taken into account when choosing a suitable design. String cornices are great because they allow for many design options.
A string curtain rod is an inexpensive but trendy way to decorate a window space.
Definition and design features
String cornices are a structure consisting of two or more brackets, which also act as tips, between which a steel string (several strings) is stretched (pictured).
Brackets (calipers) can be mounted on:
- walls;
- ceilings.
Ceiling and wall string cornices have a maximum length of 3-5 meters (in this case, additional intermediate brackets are installed).
To hang curtains, not one string, but several can be used. In this case we are talking about the structural differences between single-row and multi-row structures. There can be from two to three rows and this is determined by the general concept of the interior design of a certain room, that is, how and how many, what curtains will be hung.
We also note that ceiling cornices can visually expand the space of a room, so their use is relevant in rooms with low ceilings.
Features of operation
This type of curtain rods is not able to withstand heavy loads (the curtains will sag), so they are used for hanging light fabrics (chiffon, organza, veil, silk, tulle, taffeta, cambric, muslin, veil and the like).
In order to increase the decorative properties, string cornices are in some cases equipped with a baguette strip, behind which the cable and fasteners are hidden. Hooks or clips are used as fasteners on which curtains are hung (pictured).
There is another original way to disguise brackets and fasteners - using transparent plastic, from which the main elements of the string cornice are made. As a result, it seems that curtains made of light fabrics are simply floating in the air (pictured).
Brackets are made in various styles and colors; they can carry both functional and decorative loads (in this case, brackets of very original shapes are used, which you can see in the photo).
A variety of materials are used to decorate brackets:
- various types of wood;
- ceramics;
- glass;
- polymers;
- composite materials.
String ceiling and wall cornices can have not only the classic steel string on which curtains are hung. There are a number of other color options, such as copper, chrome or brass plating. In most cases, the strings are also coated with a layer of protective varnish.
The main area of use of this type of cornices is rectangular window openings. It is not recommended to use strings in window openings of complex shapes, for example, bay windows, ovals, arches - this is a complex and technically irrational design, and hanging curtains in this case is problematic.
Undoubtedly, curtain rods with a cable (string) have a lot of undeniable advantages, among which, for example, are low price, ease of installation and versatility, which allows this design to be used for hanging curtains in rooms with almost any design.
How to make a string cornice with your own hands?
You can make and install a wall-mounted string cornice yourself in one day. It will be closed because the string will be disguised under the wooden panel. Instead, you can use strong wire or fishing line, and steel corners are suitable for making brackets. An additional 2 MB of bolt will be required.
- The pine plank is burned with a blowtorch and covered with a varnish composition.
- Holes are drilled in the bolts.
- Using brackets, the string is attached to the decorative strip through the holes in the bolts. The bolts are placed in brackets. The nuts are tightened.
- To fasten fabric panels, special metal hooks are used, and if they are not available, metal clips are suitable.
String designs are ideal for high-tech, techno, minimalist interiors, as well as more classic Provence or country.
Tubular curtain rods: types, photos
They are made from metal, plastic and wood. Metal tubular cornices can be made of aluminum, bronze, steel and other alloys. There are round tubular cornices made of ferrous metal or aluminum alloy, laminated with a thin film that imitates wood species. These are the cheapest of this category.
Pipe cornices - a traditional way to decorate a window
Section: round or square
Basically, tubular curtain rods have a circular cross-section. This is a classic. But there is also a square section with corresponding square “rings” for hanging curtains. They look stylish and are suitable for interiors decorated in modern trends: art deco, loft, minimalism.
Square tubular curtain rods look stylish.
But how convenient they are to use, how well such “rings” will slide, that’s the question. Everything can be fine if the surfaces are perfectly sanded and adjusted. If there are even the slightest irregularities... It’s easier in this regard with wooden curtain rods. They can be varnished. Then normal sliding is ensured. Although, no one bothers to varnish the metal...
Sales forms
There are two forms of selling curtain rods made from pipes. The first is a ready-made kit, which includes brackets, pipes, rings, and tips. This is how they usually sell wooden or plastic curtain rods, some metal ones.
You can choose a pipe of any color and diameter, and then select the ends
The second form is everything separately. This is more typical for metal models. Buy a pipe of the required diameter and brackets. For curtains, a thicker pipe is usually used - 22 mm or more, for tulle - less. There are many different tips for decorating them. Different in price, shape... For thin, tulle-like ones, they take ordinary plugs, but for the first row you can choose something more elaborate (if such a decoration suits the style of the room).
There are many tips, different styles, colors, prices
With this form of sale, there are also several types of rings and clips for attaching curtains. They are also purchased separately. After all, these rings are not always needed, since there are ways to hang curtains without additional fastening - on eyelets or loops.
How to install a string cornice?
Tools you will need:
- perforator;
- drills taking into account the features of the wall or ceiling;
- hammer;
- pencil;
- roulette.
The installation instructions are simple, the work is carried out in stages.
- Take the necessary measurements and make markings on the ceiling or wall where the support and intermediate brackets will be installed.
- Use a puncher to make holes at the marked points.
- Insert the dowels and screw in the fasteners.
- The string is pulled into the holes of the tips, one end is fixed in the sleeve. When the base is assembled, the tip is attached.
- Install intermediate brackets. The string pulled through them is fixed with a sleeve placed on the support brackets.
- Using a tension device, pull the string all the way.
- The excess string is cut off with metal scissors.
A curtain or other curtains are secured to the string and masked with a strip if desired.
Curtain rods made from string curtains have a wide range of possibilities for combining with different interiors due to their invisibility.
Main features
String cornices have several features in their structure, each of which carries its own functional and semantic load, so it is very important to place emphasis on the most important points
- The string is a very thin but strong steel thread - a fundamental element of the structure. In appearance it is identical to a musical string, especially a guitar string.
- Cable mounts can be mounted on ceilings, walls, or even in niches.
The string can be tensioned:
- near the window;
- between opposite walls (this option will turn the curtains into a screen or partition);
- at the sloping wall of the attic;
- between walls that are absolutely not parallel to each other.
Low and compact rooms organically include string cornices into the interior - both ceiling and wall. Ceiling string cornices are the perfect option for windows. Replace your old cornices with ceiling strings, and you will notice how the new trend will update the interior. In addition, ceiling suspensions significantly increase the height of the room.
- Brackets, holders, calipers are additional structural elements, an important part for attaching the cable.
- The distances are very varied (the length of a string cornice can be very impressive, even five meters is not the limit for them).
- The number of cables can vary, and in some variations a three-string cornice is the perfect look. The strings are easily cut with metal carving scissors; they can simply be cut with ordinary wire cutters.
- The strings are attached using special hooks or clips.
- The coating can be anything - from modest steel to luxurious gold, reminiscent of ancient jewelry.
Interior use
A string cornice is convenient because it can be used for different types of light curtains and in almost any room. They look great in the bathroom, where the linen, mounted on beautiful decorative hooks, moves easily and freely.
They are very thin, almost invisible behind the folds of the material, and are placed at a short distance from the wall or ceiling.
The ability to be used anywhere in a living space allows you to zone the space at your discretion. By camouflaging it with a drapery or strip that matches the wall or ceiling, it feels like the curtains are suspended in the air.
Since such a device requires almost no space, it is suitable for the most modest rooms in size and height.
This is an excellent option for garages and other utility rooms where various materials need to be protected from dust. At the same time, curtains also perform an aesthetic function, hiding from view work corners with a bunch of tools.
Thanks to their simple design, they fit perfectly into classic style, hi-tech and minimalism.
This is also a good idea for decorating children's rooms, when children want to create a cozy corner. A string curtain rod for curtains in a nursery, which can be installed fairly quickly, is a real godsend for restless kids. The light from the lamp will not fall into the eyes when the child falls asleep, but is afraid to remain in the dark. The advantage of string cornices is that they create the illusion of a wall, while occupying a very small amount of usable space.
Curtains with string are used in the dining room or kitchen, living room, bedroom. Such curtains are especially convenient for balconies and loggias, glazed verandas in a country house.
How to attach to curtains
Usually the hooks are attached to a special tape, previously sewn to the upper edge of the fabric, which already has loops for this purpose. Hooks for curtain tape do not come with it, but they can always be found in specialized stores. The following video shows how to assemble the braid:
Sometimes (this method was mainly used 20-30 years ago) the loops are sewn directly on the curtain, at the very top, without using tape. In this case, it is advisable to strengthen the upper part of the curtain with an additional narrow (2-3 cm wide) strip of fabric. The only drawback of this method is the scrupulousness and monotony of sewing on a sufficiently large number of hooks.
How many loops need to be sewn or used on the tape is decided individually. The optimal distance between hooks is 10 cm. The larger it is, the deeper the folds on the curtains will be when they are drawn, and vice versa, the smaller the distance between the loops, and therefore the hooks, the less expressive the folds will be.
We also offer below a video on how to attach hooks to curtain tape before hanging the curtain on the ceiling cornice:
When the cornice is a ceiling rail, attaching curtains to hooks becomes the only option. Hooks for ceiling curtain rods are usually not included with the rail. They are bought separately, inserted into the tape and then strung into the cornice itself, as in the video:
Operating rules
Installation of the structure does not take much time, and the curtains and drapes, carefully chosen to match the tone of the furniture and wallpaper, fit perfectly into the interior of the room. In order for the string cornice to continue to serve for many years, you need to do the following:
- review components and replace those affected by corrosion;
- do not try to install the string on suspended ceilings;
- avoid heavy curtains;
- Wipe the headset regularly with a soft, dry cloth;
- if dirt or other substances get in contact, wash the string with soapy water and wipe dry;
- try not to use brackets and holders with complex shapes, which are difficult to clean from dust from all sides.
The only limitation is that such curtain rods can only withstand light fabrics.
They are suitable for silk, tulle, taffeta, organza, muslin or light cotton, linen, lightweight jacquard. It is important that the surface of the string does not remain wet. Despite the protective layer, corrosion may appear on the metal. The situation becomes more complicated if the string is masked with a baguette strip, which is difficult to remove. Therefore, this point must be taken into account.
The fastening of the curtains is very compact, invisible and allows you to freely move the fabric along the window.
The main decorative element is the bracket
The photo shows various bracket designs.
A string cornice is simple, but it can also be effective. The decorative nature of the design is given by the brackets, or rather the design in which they are made. If the brackets are stylized into intricate geometric shapes, floral motifs, arrows, peaks, then very interesting solutions are obtained.
The use of materials that look like patinated gold, silver, antique brass or bronze increases the aesthetic value of the string cornice. In this case, the fabric is also selected accordingly - noble colors, expensive in appearance. It can be translucent chiffon, taffeta, airy organza. This creates an externally lightweight but stylish window design.
Choice
Typically, string curtain rods are not used for hanging thick drapes and curtains together, since they will pull the string with their own weight, which will spoil the appearance of the window space. When choosing a cornice, you should take this fact into account, especially if the curtains have already been purchased. Each cornice has its own production load.
It is preferable to use a wire cornice for curtains made of lightweight fabrics: tulle, organza, silk, satin, light jacquard, linen, cotton. If it is impossible to replace already purchased heavy curtains, you need to choose a curtain rod with a thicker cable (string).
Combination with textiles
Due to their designs and distinctive features, string products are ideally combined with weightless types of curtains. A steel string is attached to a durable structure to the ceiling or wall. Not too heavy textile fabrics are hung on a wire cornice , since due to the heavy weight of the curtains, the strings sag and do not look aesthetically pleasing.
The strings can easily withstand chiffon, tulle and organza, as well as any other lightweight new materials. For tapestry, printed and velvet curtains, it is necessary to install a double-row or multi-row cornice.
Thanks to cornices with strings, translucent textiles float in the air and are not held on by anything, because the thin string is almost invisible.
Decorative clips or hooks are used to attach curtains. They are made in different colors or with a metallic shade that will suit any room interior.
The shape of the window is an equally important characteristic for choosing the type of cornice. String products and metal curtain rod holders are great for rectangular windows.
Application
When assembled, the finished structure is very light in weight, practically hidden from human eyes, and during operation has no wear at all. The metal cable of the product can reach a length of four or even six meters - an ideal option for windows of non-standard length, since it does not require connecting profiles, unlike classic options. It can be arranged in two or three rows, creating an interesting multi-row composition.
Under heavy load, steel thread can sag over time, so it is preferable to use it with light fabrics (organza, tulle, taffeta, voile). Most often, these window systems are used with low ceilings; they are also indispensable for bay windows, when with the help of intermediate brackets the cable can easily change its direction.
