How To Cover A Closet Without Doors In An Aesthetically Pleasing Way

Open closets come with their own set of inconveniences, like dust settling on your clothes, visual clutter on constant display, and the daily maintenance of keeping your things neat and tidy around the clock. While we all dream of maintaining a perpetually tidy wardrobe, there are times we just want to close the door on a messy closet and deal with it another time. If you want to keep your current open closet wardrobe system while having the option to conceal it, using curtains as closet doors offers a good compromise. 

Going beyond their initial purpose as a window dressings, curtains are a convenient and affordable alternative to a closet doors in terms of both form and function. Aesthetically, you get the advantage of curating your room's look through color, texture, material, and pattern. Functionally, curtains free precious floor space usually taken up by the swing arc of a hinge or bifold door. By sweeping the curtains aside, you also get full access to your entire wardrobe, unlike sliding doors where half your closet's contents are concealed. And the process is a relatively easy one: A curtain rod, a set of curtains, and the basic knowledge of curtain installation is all you need to take your closet space from drab to fab.

Select a curtain rod that can fully support the weight of your chosen material, as you will be swiping that curtain open and closed several times a day. While it's perfectly acceptable to install your curtain rod along the top of your closet door, keep in mind that going wider and higher matters. Bumping it 4 or 6 inches higher than the top of your closet will create the illusion of height, a tip that designers swear by to make a small room feel more spacious. Extend your curtain rod's width beyond the frames of your closet if your wall space allows – 6 to 12 inches on either side is a standard rule of thumb, but you can adjust and adapt accordingly to avoid a stretched-out look when your curtains are drawn closed. Once it's properly in place, secure your curtains evenly on their hooks or across the rod. 

The choice of curtain is entirely up to you: Sheer, wispy fabric yields a softer, whimsical look; bold colors and patterns create a punchy, playful vibe; while subdued and neutral shades that match your walls set an elegant theme. Flex your DIY skills by creating no-sew scalloped curtains, or add trims to the sides and bottoms for a more elevated look. Curtain fabrics aren't the only elements you can have fun with. Add store-bought tiebacks or drapery hooks to easily hold back your curtains, or craft your own curtain tieback using affordable Dollar Tree items.