I Discovered a $15 Trick for Making My Cheap Curtains Look Designer

"The secret is in pleat tape, which Dalton threads through the back tabs to help give the top of the curtain more structure. Then, he makes even folds across the top edge of the curtain, adding a curtain clip to pinch each into place. The result: The curtain doesn't sag or droop between the clips, making it look a whole lot sleeker and way more expensive (even though the pleat tape only cost $15!)."

"Like Dalton, my curtains were installed using back tabs, so the pleat tape hack was easy to replicate. (It wouldn't be a great fit for curtains hung via rivets or rod pockets.) Pleat tape is typically sewn into the tops of curtains, which are then pinched into neat pleats using metal prongs. This looks super fancy, but takes a lot of work! In Dalton's hack, he simply threads the pleat tape through the back tabs and keeps it in place with curtain clips."

Back-tab blackout curtains can be upgraded to a tailored, pleated look using inexpensive pleat tape and curtain clips. Pleat tape, typically sewn into curtain tops, can be threaded through back tabs to add structure and allow even folds across the top edge. Clips pinch each fold, preventing sagging and drooping between attachment points. The method mimics sewn pleats with far less labor and cost (pleat tape can be about $15). The approach works well for back-tab hung curtains but is not suitable for curtains hung with rivets or rod pockets.

Read at Apartment Therapy