When you think of luxury drapes, a grand setup of elegant floor-to-ceiling draperies paired with rich flowing sheers is one of the wonders that likely comes to mind. Reminiscent of the lush, sheer curtains you’d find in upscale hotels, this method of layering a set of sheers on rods behind a set of decorative panels is as functional as it is beautiful. While front panels are sometimes designed to be stationary and decorative, they can also be functional, giving you control over your room’s lighting and privacy.
As ideal as it sounds, this type of layered drape can cost a pretty penny. Even with the new double rod (or a DIY single-to-double rod conversion) and pre-made panels, everything you need to create two complete layers can really be added. Thankfully, it’s easy to fake a double layered drapery look with just one existing curtain rod. The base is incredibly straightforward: just slide four curtain panels onto a rod with two sheers in the center and a solid panel on the outside. By creating this solid-intense-brutal-solid layout, you can run two sets of drapes almost as you would if they were separated on two rods. Because you don’t need to buy double rods and extra panels for two full layers – or spend time, energy and money patching holes or Hang the curtain rod properly – This easy faux double layer hack makes for an affordable approach to luxe layered drapes.
Slide solid and sheer drapery panels onto the same rod for a versatile setup
To fake the look of layered drapes, add two of your sheers to the center of the rod, pulling them together to create space at the ends. Next, slide a solid drapery panel to the outside of each to bookend a pair of sheers in the center. Re-hang the rods and even out the ripples so that everything looks uniform and neatly juxtaposes your desired width. Open the shears for a full view or close them when you want filtered light with privacy. When evening falls, you can close the solid panels, pushed together to darken the room or Blackout curtain effect. Keep in mind that, because the shears always take up bulk space in the middle, it will never be 100% blackout — but, if they’re tight enough together, you should have very little light falling through.
What makes double layer drapes super high end is a lush, full silhouette. To accomplish this, use extra wide sheers and solid panels for added fullness, especially on large windows. Alternatively, you can double up on two or both sets of narrow panels to achieve the heavier look you’re going for. However, the more shears you add, the more width the solid panels will take up when closed — so, if light is a major concern, keep the shears to a minimum. If you plan to keep the outer solid drapes as static decorative panels, you can load up on lush sheers to your heart’s content.
