How to Use Curtains to Close Off a Cold Room

Many homes features doorways from one room to another, some leading to rooms that aren't often used like a formal living room. When the weather turns cool, these extra rooms can get downright cold. One solution for this problem is to hang a curtain in the archway between the two rooms. It isn't permanent, which means the extra room can be opened up at another time and heated for special occasions, but closed off again when not in use. The real advantage of this solution as opposed to building a door is that it costs much less.

Things You'll Need

• Curtains
• Curtain rod
• Draft protector
• Clothes pins

Instructions

1. Buy curtains that are longer than the doorway is high. You need some extra space above the door's arch. You also want the curtain to touch the floor with some fabric left over. This will allow you to tuck the curtain under a weighted draft protector. You can tie the curtains back when you want to open the room up. Look for a heavy curtain that you can push a curtain rod through rather than attach with hooks.

2. Get a sturdy curtain rod. An iron rod that you can push the curtain through works well, because it doesn't require curtain hooks and is solid enough to hold the heavy curtain. Additionally, select a rod that sits closely to the wall---maybe 2-inches or so away. The closer to the wall the curtain is, the less cold air will come through.

3. Measure a spot on the wall just above the archway of the door. It should be about six inches or so above the doorway. The curtain should hang higher than the doorway, because you don't want the cool air to escape through the open crack at the top between the doorway and the top of the curtain.

4. Hang the curtains.

5. Get a draft protector. These are normally used to prevent the cold air from coming in under the door. They're weighted, usually with a soft pliable material that is bendable and long like a snake. Buy at least two and tuck the curtains under them. This will keep the draft to a minimum.

6. Keep the curtains shut tightly by clipping them shut with clothes pins. You need several so that you can clip the curtains closed from the top to the bottom. The other option that you have is to sew ribbons on each side of the curtain and tie them shut. Aesthetically, this is more pleasing. Choose ribbon that matches your decorating scheme and is thick enough to sew without fraying.

References

• Apartment Therapy: Curtain Space Dividers from Apartment Therapy and Beyond
• Shelter Pop: Curtains and Drapes 101
• Apartment Therapy: How to Hang Curtains Across any Space
• Apartment Therapy: The Room Behind the Curtain

Resources

• Apartment Therapy: Using Curtains to Divide Space