substanital drapery hardware--where to buy?

[BeachBum]

I need to buy curtain rods/ rings for new curtains that I bought. My windows are big--one set is about 12 feet and the other is 6.5 feet. Many styles I've seen will not come large enough to fit the 12ft window section.

I'm looking for something more substaintial than what I've seen at my Lowes and Target. I have a pottery barn set for another set of windows and it's fine--but they don't have anything I like for these windows.

I found one I like at Horchow--but I can't pay $7 per ring and $250+ for a rod!

I am totally not set on that style--it just happened to be the first thing I saw that I liked.

Where else should I look?

[BeachBum]

I need to buy curtain rods/ rings for new curtains that I bought. My windows are big--one set is about 12 feet and the other is 6.5 feet. Many styles I've seen will not come large enough to fit the 12ft window section.

I'm looking for something more substaintial than what I've seen at my Lowes and Target. I have a pottery barn set for another set of windows and it's fine--but they don't have anything I like for these windows.

I found one I like at Horchow--but I can't pay $7 per ring and $250+ for a rod!

I am totally not set on that style--it just happened to be the first thing I saw that I liked.

Where else should I look?

[DDowning]

Smith & Noble?

http://www.smithandnoble.com

[DDowning]

Smith & Noble?

http://www.smithandnoble.com

[eb1]

Look at the Chris Madden Casual Hardware at JCPenney:
http://tinyurl.com/yrld5v

If you combine the 86-120" rod with the 40" extender, you can span over 13 feet. These rods are substantial too--thick--and come in a variety of finishes with your option of finials. They're on sale right now, with free shipping--totally affordable compared to Smith&Noble and similar vendors. Usually, you can find these components in a JCPenney store too if you want to look in person, though the in-store prices are usually slightly more expensive than the online prices.

I got these for our 12-foot+ window and am pleased. They actually may look a little big on a smaller window (mostly because the finials are pretty big), but height plays into that too, and as long as the big window and small window are in the same room, you probably want them to match so need to go with the scale of the larger window.

GL!

ETA: Looks like they're running low on color choices in the extender rod, but am not sure if that's just a temporary issue. We ordered ours a few months ago and there was a bigger selection.

[eb1]

Look at the Chris Madden Casual Hardware at JCPenney:
http://tinyurl.com/yrld5v

If you combine the 86-120" rod with the 40" extender, you can span over 13 feet. These rods are substantial too--thick--and come in a variety of finishes with your option of finials. They're on sale right now, with free shipping--totally affordable compared to Smith&Noble and similar vendors. Usually, you can find these components in a JCPenney store too if you want to look in person, though the in-store prices are usually slightly more expensive than the online prices.

I got these for our 12-foot+ window and am pleased. They actually may look a little big on a smaller window (mostly because the finials are pretty big), but height plays into that too, and as long as the big window and small window are in the same room, you probably want them to match so need to go with the scale of the larger window.

GL!

ETA: Looks like they're running low on color choices in the extender rod, but am not sure if that's just a temporary issue. We ordered ours a few months ago and there was a bigger selection.

[karolyp]

We just put window treatments on our sliding glass door and whew - what a job! The door is about 14 feet long and we ran into the same problem as you - not finding hardware that could fit it. I wanted to cover the door myself because having drapes/hardware made would cost about $5,000 - money I do not have!!

The other problem we ran into was if we found hardware that was long enough - it would probably sag in the middle from not having enough support, and if we put up extra support brackets, then the curtains would not be able to slide open, kwim?

So what we decided to do was split the size in half and get 2 7ft poles and go from there. I can post pics if you want - just let me know.

[karolyp]

We just put window treatments on our sliding glass door and whew - what a job! The door is about 14 feet long and we ran into the same problem as you - not finding hardware that could fit it. I wanted to cover the door myself because having drapes/hardware made would cost about $5,000 - money I do not have!!

The other problem we ran into was if we found hardware that was long enough - it would probably sag in the middle from not having enough support, and if we put up extra support brackets, then the curtains would not be able to slide open, kwim?

So what we decided to do was split the size in half and get 2 7ft poles and go from there. I can post pics if you want - just let me know.

[BargainMomforLuke]

I've been there & done this. Definitely stay away from Lowes or Target. You will end up needing to get new rods if you go with something that appears flimsy.

The best rods I've found for the $$$ were from Linens N Things. The brand is Beme & the style is Decopolitan. These are the thicker Beme rods. They are $40 for the longest rods(using a 20% off coupon) & 10 Beme ring clips cost $6.40 with the coupon. The longest the rods extend to is 12' & they also have a double rod adapter. These rods are awesome & hold up my heavy silk dupioni drapes. The last 2 links are the rods I have in my house & they look a lot more expensive than $40.

http://www.lnt.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2224282&cp=2167013.1331965.1334498&filter=yes&fCat=1334498&fbrandid=97124&fpricesort=priceDescending&parentPage=family

http://www.lnt.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1922594&cp=2167013.1331965.1334498&view=all&parentPage=family

http://www.lnt.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1922592&cp=2167013.1331965.1334498&view=all&parentPage=family

http://www.lnt.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2186487&cp=2167013.1331965.1334498&view=all&parentPage=family

http://www.lnt.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1922593&cp=2167013.1331965.1334498&view=all&parentPage=family

http://www.lnt.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1922595&cp=2167013.1331965.1334498&view=all&parentPage=family

http://www.lnt.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1922591&cp=2167013.1331965.1334498&view=all&parentPage=family

[BeachBum]

Thanks guys. Really great suggestions I hadn't thought of!
I'm also glad to know that JCP and LNT have happy customers--I would have assumed that they were about the same as Target.

[jd11365]

My friend bought a huge wooden dowel from Home Depot and put finials on the ends. Looks JUST like what you would pay a lot of money for!

[BeachBum]

So I went today and looked--which was tough with a squirmy 20 mo old that had to sit the car an hour before we got there (ugh).

I found what I really wanted at a fabric store that makes drapes. The brand is antique drapery company. But priced out it was about $700. Yikes. But these are our formal living room windows and they do need something grand---or "important" as the sales clerk said. HA.

So next I went to Penny's. They had something similar, but not quite as big. The rods were 1 3/8 vs the 2" rods etc etc. Upclose the colors were a little fakey looking vs the really nice look on the expensive ones. But, they penny's ones were only $220 for everything. So I bought them.

When DH gets home I'm going to make him hold them up to give me a fashion show. I know the Penny's ones aren't as nice as the other ones--but I'm not goign to be comparing them side by side---I just want them to look good installed. I'm hoping that from far away the finsh looks nice etc.

It's so hard to know what to do. I mean, I really hate it when I try to save money then end up hating my cheaper version. But I also hate to overpay for things.

[eb1]

My two cents...honestly, I think whatever you hang on those rods is much more important than the rods. If you can only tell by looking closely that the finish is "fakey," then that very likely won't bother you when you hang them up high because no one is going to be close enough to scrutinize them--eyes are going to be looking at the curtains/drapes anyway. So as long as you don't feel that they are cheap-looking, I say you made a good buy! Seriously, after buying our window hardware, obsessing, and hanging it up, I pay no attention to it.

[bunnisa]

We have a set of 3 french doors that will require one long and substantial rod. We're going to buy stair railing from Lowe's (cut it to whatever length you need and paint/stain) and adding screw-on finials to the ends. If you don't have enough room to carry the railing in your car as one piece you can cut it into two and screw it back together when you get home.

Total cost: about $30 - 50.

...blessed wife and mama to two & one due this summer!

"And children are always a good thing, devoutly to be wished for and fiercely to be fought for."
-Justin Torres