Balloon curtains, as their name imply, are curtains that are full to the point that they appear to resemble balloons. A balloon curtain is usually located at the top of a window, like valances. Although they are lined, their sides are left open so that they can be stuffed with paper or netting in order to make them look puffy. While they look great in the right room, hanging them can sometimes be challenging.

The trick to making balloon curtains look great is to have a plan. To install balloon curtains, you will need 10-20 yards of nylon netting, a screwdriver, and a 2 ½ inch deep flat rod hardware with screws.

To start with, use your screwdriver to attach the side bracket to the wall. You want to do this anywhere from 2 to 5 inches outside of your windowsill. You might want to use measuring tape to get the measurement exact if it’s important to you.

Pull the side bracket out about 3 inches so that your curtains will stand out a little bit from the wall itself. This is important because since they are balloon curtains, they will be fuller than most curtains tend to be.

Now, thread the flat rod through the curtain. You will usually have a curtain piece that is longer than your window. In fact, this is ideal.

Snap both ends of the flat rod into the side bracket and then pull the fabric over so that it covers the bracket. You want to make sure that the fabric is spaced out evenly in the front. You don’t want any bunching as this will ruin the effect of the curtains.

Next, take about 2 yards of netting and scrunch it into a ball. Using your hands, gently push it into the middle of the curtain. Do this until the entire curtain is filled with the netting. You might have to adjust some of it to make it even or add more if you want it fuller.

You can use other items if you don’t have netting. Stuffing can work in some cases, as can scrunched up newspapers. However, netting is usually easier to work with.  Soft netting will make the curtains appear softer, while stiffer netting will give the curtains a more defined look. Of course, you might not want to use newspaper in a bathroom since the moisture can make the paper lose its shape.

Sometimes, you will have to live with the curtains for a day or two and then readjust the stuffing to your liking.

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