Have you ever thought about a fresh change that you can do easily in your home? For example, do you remember the movie called Gone With The Wind (1939)? You may realize the glamorous curtains that were used instead of doors inside of the Victorian-era houses. Or have you watched the Buster Keaton movie called Sherlock Jr. (1924)? You may remember the classic American house’s rooms in that movie. The long basic curtains were used instead of doors. Or do you remember the long emerald curtains that were used to divide the living room and the dining room instead of a door in the movie called Leave Her To Heaven (1945)? Or did you realize the long chick white, yellow, and navy blue curtains used between rooms in the ballroom in the movie called The Leopard (1963)? If you are interested in curtains, then you are in the right place. It is easy to do and very chick. We are talking about the curtains you can use instead of doors.
This may sound a little bit crazy, but curtains can be used as doors, too. Doors are movable, solid entranceways. They are actually a barrier. And mostly the word ‘barrier’ has a bad connotation. They can be sometimes a hindrance. But at least they protect us. Have you ever thought about a soft, warm, cheaper, and user-friendly protector to use instead of a door? Curtains conceal the things behind them. But they are not dark, solid barriers. They are a fresh and fashionable solution for narrow spaces, especially for narrow hallways. If you are very interested in decorating your home with elegant curtains, let’s start to answer some main questions: why should you use curtains instead of doors, which types of curtains to use, where to use them, how to hang them, and where to buy them? So here is our guide. After reading our guide, you can decide whether to use doors or curtains for your house.
Why should you use curtains instead of doors?
1. To gain more space:
Gaining more space is actually the main reason to use curtains instead of doors, especially if your house has so many doors close to each other. Unfortunately, the doors of some old houses and some small apartment flats are generally very close to each other. And this situation makes the hallway darker and looks more crowded. To feel more comfortable you should get rid of some of these doors and use curtains instead of them. The curtains will make the hallway lighter and fresh. And if you also need to break up large spaces, this is the best solution you can try. This makes it a room divider. You may easily have a personal corner for you. You can use curtains for your living room, dining room, pantry, or even kitchen. Or you can use them for a room in a room, like a clothing room. But we don’t suggest using them for your bedroom and bathroom for the privacy of your life, especially if you live in a crowded family.
2. To be stylish:
This is a great chance for you to show your designing house skills. You can be as creative as you want. Sometimes doors can be irritating and dull. But curtains give you a chance to be free about interior design. From now on, your living room can be more lively. And there won’t be any problem with the irritating creaky door sound. Curtains will change the whole aura and your house will be more stylish and warm.
3. To change something in your life:
If you are just bored and need a change in your life, this can be a great idea. This is easy to do and you will be satisfied with the final result.
Which types of curtains to use instead of doors?
This is a very important question, too. We can also ask the same question in a different way: What to consider when buying a doorway curtain?
1. Measurement:
The length of most of the doorway curtains is generally nearly 50 inches (127 cm) wide or 70 inches (177.8 cm) wide with a drop of 90 inches (228.6 cm). Or it could also be 39 inches in width and 79 inches in length (100 cm to 200 cm). We don’t usually recommend shorter curtains. It should be either the same length as the door length or a little bit longer than that.
2. Fabric or type:
Pencil pleat curtains, eyelet curtains, sheer white curtains / tulle curtains, string curtains, and knitted door curtains (mostly polyester is used) are the most used and preferred types of curtains used in doorways. They are mostly 100% polyester or polyester blend. So let’s talk about all the curtain types we mentioned above one by one:
- Pencil Pleat Curtains: Curtains with pencil pleats are just timeless. Fabric folds are collected firmly to form a kinda cylindrical shape that looks like a line of pencils. Some people may tend to consider pencil pleat curtains a little bit old-fashioned. But they are just so warm, cozy, and vintage that they can give your home a new aura. You can easily use them for your dressing room, pantry, and maybe for the living room.
- Eyelet Curtains: Eyelet curtains have a more modern look than pencil pleat curtains. Eyelet curtains hang from a pole and they have metal rings at the top. They are thicker than other types, too. And that makes them very appropriate for bedrooms, living rooms, and being a room-divider.
- Sheer White Curtains / Tulle Curtains: Tulle curtains are very elegant and dreamy. The addition of tulle curtains to a room provides warmth and light dispersion even they are used as doors. But because of being transparent, they are not appropriate to use for your bedroom, for example. They are mostly great for the hallway and pantry.
- String Curtains: If you don’t want something plain, then you are in the right place. String curtains are full of energy and good vibes. They are very colorful and cute, too. They are generally used for the kitchen and dining room.
- Knitted Door Curtains: A very different one from the other types. The knitted or knitting door curtains are very warm and elegant. They can be used very well for your house’s living room. They are more natural than others, too.
3. Color:
The color is all about your house’s interior design. So we cannot offer you great color combinations. But if the interior design of your house is too basic and dull, curtains are the best way to change this situation. You can choose some vivid colors or patterns for the curtains you will use instead of the doors. Blue and white might be a great idea for this. Or some bold colors like red or yellow would change the whole atmosphere. Or if you just want something plain, then earth tons are for you. They can match with any color very easily. And the curtains with earthy tones like brown, beige, and white are the most chosen ones for houses.
Where to use them?
We have tried to answer this question so far. But to be more precise and clear, we will combine the information here:
1. Living room:
The living room is the place where everyone gathers. So living rooms should be lively, warm, and cozy. The curtains are just there for this job. You would not want to accommodate your guest by opening the door and then closing it again. And when you just go to the kitchen, the door will be closed again, and there will be no connection between you and your guests. This is an everyday situation we face. Doors are sometimes very irritating, especially in living rooms. The doors make the rooms darker and withdrawn. The curtains, on the other hand, make the room guest-friendly, elegant, and warm.
2. Kitchen:
The kitchen should be comfortable and not very dark. We recommend you choose the string curtains for your kitchen. Because a full curtain can be dangerous. As you know kitchen means fire and oil. String curtains will make your kitchen lively and more spacious.
3. Dining room:
After a very tiring day, you will want to relax by eating delicious food in the dining room. This is also where your guests will eat the food. So it should be full of energy. Again a string curtain or knitted curtain would fit really well.
4. Pantry:
Pantry is generally the most filled part of a house. It is full of supplies, gadgets, and many more things that are very useful for our lives. So this room needs to be protected really well. A light-colored pencil pleat curtain would fit well for your pantry.
5. Dressing room:
The dressing room is a personal space of a house. You can use a thick and modern eyelet curtain for the dressing room. It will emphasize the room’s privacy.
6. Others:
Besides all those rooms, curtains can be used as very different doors. For example, you can use a curtain instead of a wardrobe door. This is a very fashionable way to hide your outfits, and very beneficial, especially if your bedroom is small. You can also use the curtains as a room divider. If you have a very large room and want to use it more wisely, you can choose to use the thick eyelet curtains. You can also use curtains for your home movie theater. If you have this type of room in your house, then you should definitely choose long red velvet curtains. Or if your house is more extravagant and has a ballroom, you should use long golden and navy blue velvet curtains with white tulles. You can also use a curtain instead of your bedroom door, if it is suitable, for example, if you live alone.
How To Hang The Curtains Over The Doorway?
In this part we will share the steps to hang a curtain instead of a door with you:
Step 1: Remove the door
The first step is to remove the door by using a cordless drill or screwdriver. But the doors are generally very heavy. So it should be better to get help from someone.
Step 2: Measure the area
This step is very important to buy or sew your own curtain. Generally, the curtains are hung inside the door frame by using a rod. So you should measure by starting from the upper side of the inside of the frame and finishing it to the down to the floor. But if you choose to use a curtain pole, which is a better way to use for wider doorways, you should measure by starting a little bit above the door frame. By the way, if you will sew your own curtain, it is important to measure the width of the doorway as double-sized.
Step 3: Choose the curtain
It is the most enjoyable step. Because now, you can use your imagination and creativity. Look at your room, and find out which color is the best to choose. Then go to the store or visit a website and buy it, or sew your own curtain, or ask your tailor to sew it. There are lots of ways in this step. You should choose the most appropriate way for you.
Step 4: Use the rod or the curtain pole
You decided whether you will use a rod or pole in the previous steps, and now, in this step, you should assemble the rod inside of the frame or the pole above the door frame which means to the wall. You can use a power drill, again.
Step 5: Hang the curtain
And now you are finalizing the process. You should hang the curtain you chose before. And that’s it! You, now, have a curtain instead of a door.
Step 6: Use a curtain holder (optional)
This step is optional. For better use of your curtain, you can choose to add a holdback inside the frame. This will hold the curtain tidy. It is especially very handy for the curtains used in the hallways.
Comparison: Doors or curtains?
| CURTAIN | DOOR |
| Cozy and soft | Solid and dark |
| Lots of types, or fabrics to choose from for every room in a house | Mostly single style for each house |
| Creative and fashionable | Basic but handy |
| Not recommended for bedrooms, bathrooms, and entrance door | Can be used for every room in a house |
| Not a good idea for crowded families or families with children (because they are generally very curious) | Ideal for everyone |
| Very affordable | More expensive than curtains |
| Can be used as a room divider in very large rooms without reducing the space | Can be used as a room divider but it will make the room look darker and smaller. |
Where to buy them?
You can buy curtains for your doorway from anywhere. You can even ask your tailor to sew them. After combining the information you need, you can just easily order from websites, too. Those pieces of information are the measurements, the color you want, where to use them, and the type of curtain. So after all those steps, now, we are sharing 5 beautiful and elegant curtains below that are available on Amazon:
1. WARM HOME DESIGNS 2 of 108″ (Width) X 108″ (Length) Wall to Wall Cream Ivory Embossed Room Divider Curtains with 2 Tie-Backs. Total Width is 216 Inches (18 feet). Length 9 Feet. EV Ivory Wall 108″
Price: $85.95. Buy on Amazon.
2. WARM HOME DESIGNS Pair of 2 Extra Large 108″ (Width) X 108″ (Length) Wall to Wall Sheer White Room Divider Curtains with 2 Matching Tie-Backs. Total Width is 216 Inches (18 feet). K White 108×108
Price: $49.95. Buy on Amazon.
3. XZGDEN Dressing Room, Fitting Room Curtain with Pole Free Installation Shading Privacy Protection, Thick Material for Bedroom Kitchen, 15Sizes DIY Temporary Locker Room
Price: $304.07. Buy on Amazon.
4. ZHUAN String Curtains Door Doorway Dense Acrylic Beads Chains Home Split Decorative Wall Panel Hallway Living Room, J, 100 200cm 124strands
Price: $173.99. Buy on Amazon.
5. Hysunland Macrame Curtain for Doorway Room Divider Door Curtains, Woven Wall Hanging Tapestry, Bedroom Door/Window Decoration, Wedding Photo Backdrop, 37.5″ W x 79″ L
Price: $40.99. Buy on Amazon.
