How to Use Regular Curtains as a Shower Curtain

If you’re looking to give your bathroom an instant and dramatic update, using regular curtains as a shower curtain is an easy, high-impact way to bring style and beauty to your space.

I’m so thankful for our beautiful freestanding tub that we added when we renovated our ensuite bathroom about ten years ago. It feels so good to know that making timeless choices in this space really paid off, because I still love everything we did in this space. I’ve always felt like the tub wasn’t quite getting the treatment it deserved with the standard shower curtains I’ve used in here, though, and I’ve finally figured out the perfect solution. Home really does take time! I recently added full-length custom ticking stripe curtains around the tub, and wow, what a difference they made. They bring such grace, elegance, and even a little bit of drama to this space and I’m still not over how impactful this change has been even though it was such a simple project to execute. This decorating trick isn’t just for stand alone tubs though! If you have a regular bath/shower combination, using custom curtains as a shower curtain can elevate your entire bathroom instantly. Here’s everything you need to know to make regular drapes work as a shower curtain.

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Creating Beautiful Shower Curtains: Maximize the Length of Your Fabric

When it comes to shower curtains, the more length you have, the more beautiful they will look in your washroom. There are two things that you can do to increase the length and introduce a little bit of drama to your shower curtain game: Raise the shower curtain rod, and have your custom curtains made long enough to reach all the way to the floor.

Most shower curtains are hung on a rod that is place 72-78″ off the floor, with a typical store-bought shower curtain only measuring about 70″ long. This leaves several inches of space at the bottom of the curtain, and is a real opportunity to turn an everyday, basic bathroom into a beautiful design moment.

First, raise your shower curtain rod up as high as you can. This is the same rule that applies to the hanging of all decorative window covering rods that you use throughout your home decoration journey. The higher they’re hung, the better they look.

Next, you’ll want to be sure to measure accurately for your new custom curtains. Complete this part of the process carefully, as you want the curtains to just graze the floor for the most elegant, high-end look.

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Measuring for a Custom Shower Curtain

To measure accurately for your new shower curtain, you’ll need a tape measure. If you’ve never used a tape measure before, we have a handy guide that will walk you through everything you need to know to measure with confidence for any decorating project throughout your home. You can read that here: How to Properly Use a Tape Measure (And Other Measuring Tips)

Measure the width of the opening of your shower enclosure for a standard tub and shower combination, or record the circumference of your curtain rod if you have a freestanding tub like we do to get the width needed for your curtain.

To measure the length of your curtain, measure straight down from the bottom of the curtain rod, all the way to the floor. Keep in mind that your curtains will be hanging from rings, which will fall slightly below the rod, so deduct about 3/4″-1″ off the height measurement to make sure that your curtains don’t drag on the floor once they’re hung. Ring diameters vary, but most only fall about 1/2″ to 3/4″ below the rod, so this deduction will create a lovely, floor-grazing effect without dragging.

If you love the look of a puddled curtain, I would recommend saving that for the living room, dining room, or bedroom, and sticking to curtains that fall just slightly above the floor in the bathroom. Bathrooms accumulate so much dust and hair, and this will keep your curtains cleaner, and also make vacuuming and sweeping so much easier.

A Single Curtain or Two for Symmetry?

Whether you go with a single curtain covering the width of your shower enclosure is really up to your personal preferences, as well as the space you’re working on. I went with two curtains for my standing tub because of the way the curtain rod hangs from the ceiling and splits the rod into two sections.

If you know you’ll want to keep your curtain closed at all times, a single curtain can be practical for keeping water in the shower and for ease of use. If you have beautifully laid tile in an interesting color or pattern in your shower that you’d like to show off, using two curtains can work well and allow you to frame it out stunningly.

If you decide to use two identical curtains that open in the middle, most plastic shower curtain liners can be cut down the middle without much trouble to accommodate.

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My Go-To Styles for Custom Curtains

When it comes to custom curtains, I typically stick to the same style, which I think best reflects the polished look that I think of when I think of custom draperies. First of all, I typically get at least a light liner for all my custom curtains to give them a more substantial look. I do think that this is optional for a shower curtain, and a slightly more casual unlined curtain is totally fine for a thicker fabric with a bit of weight to it.

For the header style, I always go with either a double pinch pleat, triple pinch pleat, or a French pleat because I love the tailored, elevated look this always brings to a space, and honestly, it never lets me down.

These curtains pictured here are the Loxley Yarn-Dyed Cotton curtains from Neutral curtains in navy blue. Use my code CREEKLINEHOUSE for 25% your Neutral curtains order.

Hanging Regular Window Curtains on a Shower Curtain Rod

Hanging your custom curtain on your shower curtain rod is very simple, but takes a little bit of planning. Rather than using regular shower curtain rings, you’ll need to use the same type of metal rings that you would use to hang regular curtains. You can easily find rings in black, gold, or chrome to match your shower curtain rod. (These are the ones I used, available in multiple finishes)

You may need to remove your curtain rod to put the rings on, depending on the style of rod that you’re using. Once the rings are in place, you can reattach the rod and prepare to hang your curtains. Use the hook provided by your curtain manufacturer to hang the curtains from the rings. Insert the hooks into the back of your header, then attach your curtain liner (if you’re using one) to the back of your curtain by sliding the hooks through the holes at the top of your liner or just clip the hooks onto the top of the liner to hold it in place. You can find extra long shower curtain liners if necessary, to make sure the liner can stay tucked into your tub to keep the water in.

Read next: How to Get New Curtains to Hang Straight

Finally, hook your shower curtain and liner onto the rings, stand back, and enjoy your transformation!

I’m so thrilled with what a difference these curtains made in our ensuite, and I’ll definitely be using this trick again in our main bath when we update it. This might be one of my favorite decorating tricks yet!

Pictured in this post: Curtains (use CREEKLINEHOUSE for 25% off)| Chrome Rings | Tub Filler | French Market Basket

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