You Don't Need A Remodel To Upgrade Your Bathroom. Try This Curtain Tip

When it comes to major home renovations, primary and guest bathrooms are among the most common targets (just behind kitchens). However, this can be a prohibitively expensive project for many. A 2019 report from Harvard University's Joint Center for Housing Studies found that professional bathroom remodels cost $9,400 on average, while DIY projects cost $3,100 on average. You don't need to throw a few months' pay at a remodel to give your bathroom a nice update, though; you can get a lot of bang for your buck with small ideas that pack a visual punch. Swapping basic tile out for a trendy bathroom backsplash can make your countertop pop, and using pleated-style curtains can give your bathtub a much more elegant look.

If you aren't using a barn-style glass door for your shower, the tub will usually have a transparent, waterproof shower liner behind a more durable, decorative curtain. Any pleated window curtains, drapes, or valences that are appropriately sized can be hung on hooks that attach to your shower rod, greatly increasing the variety of designs you can pair in your bathroom without needing major remodels. Meanwhile, the liner is designed to hang over the inside of the tub, preventing excess water from reaching the curtain — and your bathroom floor — and risking mold and mildew growth. This barrier means you don't necessarily need to stick with bathroom-specific curtains.

If you are interested in using pleated curtains to upgrade your bathroom and create a more elegant overall design, you have a ton of options. Almost any type of curtain can be pleated, as this style involves folding and stretching the top of your hanging fabric while using drapery pins and hooks to spread the pleats evenly. Double and triple pinch pleats are both options sewn or pinned at the top of the drapes that create V-shaped and fan-shaped folds toward the base, respectively. Euro or Parisian pleats project their folds forward in clean lines, similar to the fashion of pieces like 1800s skirts, and are better suited to heavier fabrics like silk or velvet. For lighter fabrics like cotton-blend curtains, ripple folds create a continuous wave pattern that's perfect for mounting on smooth-opening tracks, such as a shower curtain rod.

Some options are going to be more decorative than functional, so, for example, you might want to avoid curtains with goblet pleats that utilize cylindrical supports, which won't hold up to being repeatedly opened and closed. However, elevating your bathroom's style can be accomplished through plenty more chic shower curtain hacks. If one pleated curtain isn't enough for you, try hanging one on each side of the shower rod to create a pair that opens like a window. As mentioned, shower curtains are susceptible to mold growth, even when you use fabrics designed for bathroom use, so if you want an especially fancy set to upgrade your bathroom, make sure there's plenty of ventilation to reduce moisture between washings.