[TheForge] Arched Window Curtain Rods

Wed Apr 9 14:25:01 2003

You've gotten some good responses already.  But I have a slightly
different perspective.

First of all, it's not clear to me from what you've told me that she
DOES want the rings to slide on the rod.  

Here's my idea:  FIX the rings to the rod so they will not move.  Now
use a rope on either side of the curtains, just below the lower ends of
the rod, to gather the curtains and open them WITHOUT moving the rings
along the rod.  This will result in a slight lifting of the center of
the curtains as they spread, rather than a dropping of the center as
would happen if the rings moved along an arched "traverse rod" (which is
what they're called in the drapery biz.).  The effect should be quite
elegant.

For added elegance, make the rod from a pipe, and run the rope from one
side to the other through this pipe.  For example, if you wanted the
rope pull on the left side of the window, you'd attach the rope to the
left window frame, just below the left end of the rod-pipe, then  loop
the rope around the back of the right drape and back to a pulley on the
right window frame.  From the pulley the rope would run up through the
rod-pipe and down to about 3' above the floor on the left, then back up
to a pulley on the left window frame, around the back of the left drape
and back to the left window frame.  Lastly, you'd tie a knot in the loop
of rope just below the left pulley.  Pull down on this loop and the
draperies are gathered and spread.

Possibly with some fabrics, the motion of the rope across the draperies
would be a problem.  In this case, mount small "pull" rings (as opposed
to the rings on the rod) on the back side of the draperies such that
when the draperies are gathered, these pull rings will line up neatly. 
The ends of the rope, in this case, would not be attached to the window
frame, but would be attached to the center pull ring and run through all
the other pull rings before passing through the pulley.  This approach
has the advantage of giving the drapery designer some extra control of
how the draperies will look when they are gathered up (i.e., opened). 
Should be ELEGANT!

Did that description come out clear?

Bruce 
NJ

>>> [email protected] 04/09/03 07:11AM >>>
Good Morning!!
Another new question:
I have a request from an Interior Designer (someone I have been working
with for several years) for arched curtain rods that go over an arched
window, of course.

The rod and return design are easy enough and fabrication is easy
enough, the question she asked is:
"How do we keep the curtain rings where we want them?" In order words
she wants to be able to pull the drapes open and closed on the rods.

My first thought was magnets on the curtain rings, or notching the top
of the curtain rod.

Any other thoughts?

Ray Miller
Cincinnati

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