If your goal is to create a modern-style space, having the right curtain rods is vital to staying on-trend. Drapery rods can have a major effect on the impact of a room, so to make ordering drapery hardware easier, we have created a guide to provide assistance and inspiration when shopping for modern curtain rods. When chosen carefully, these rods can capture the minimalist look of modern design and work to tie your entire room together.
Contemporary Curtain Rods vs Modern Curtain Rods
Modern design is easily one of the most misunderstood styles in interior decorating. Very often, the terms “modern” and “contemporary” are used interchangeably, when in reality, they have very different meanings for interior design professionals. Modern style was popularized at the turn of the 20th century and carried through the 1950s, and is characterized by elements that are simple, unadorned, neutral, and monochromatic.
Contemporary design, on the other hand, is ever-changing. While it has roots in various other design styles, contemporary design will always be a reflection of what is trendy right now, and not tied to a specific time period.
Modern design elements are still widely used in contemporary decorating, from open floor plans to clean lines to a natural color palette. Everything in a modern space is based on functionality and efficiency, which translates perfectly to modern curtain rod styles that favor the functional over the ornamental. Collections of contemporary curtain rods will likely incorporate modern design as well.
Modern Curtain Rod Ideas to Consider
In modern interiors, window treatments are key! Simple, straight lines and neutral or clean-lined graphic fabrics can create a terrific focal point in your modern room. However, if you choose drapery hardware that is not in keeping with a modern aesthetic, it can be jarring to the eye and look very much out of place. So, look for curtain rods that have a modern vibe to add personality and functionality to your room.
Minimalist Curtain Rods
Minimalism has its roots in the simple Scandinavian style. The simpler, the better: A minimal curtain rod is preferable so that it blends into a modern, minimalist design and creates less detail. But simple does not mean boring or basic! Beautiful, sleek curtain rods enable you to add a contrasting neutral color to the room or to match your curtain track to other accents. Drapery Rods Direct has many different finishes to choose from in both wood and metal, and every collection has its own simple end cap options. Plain black curtain rods are a wonderful choice for a fresh, modern aesthetic. Silver Curtain Rods While a bright chrome drapery rod may look more futuristic, matte silver creates a more industrial feeling. Both can fit in with modern styling. Sometimes, a metallic splash can do wonders for a room.
Metal Curtain Rods
If you are going for a more organic look, Kirsch Wrought Iron rods, with their soft, Old-World type finishes can be just the thing. Strong and sturdy, they come in a 1” diameter and can be spliced together to span wide areas.
Whether your modern curtain rod comes from a metal or wrought iron collection, all have a variety of finishes to choose from.
Types of Modern Curtain Rods
Kirsch also offers wood curtain rods in several wood-toned finishes, and black and white, to accent your modern or minimalist room. But how do you want the draperies to function? Stationary, or will they be opened and closed every day? Cord control, where you stand in one place and use a pulley and drawstring to open and close the draperies, or a baton you can grab to set your curtains in exactly the right place to control the light? How about hand-drawing the rods on rings? Take a look at the various types of rods you can choose from:
Traverse Rods
Traverse curtain rods, which move along a track and eliminate the need for rings, are wonderfully easy to operate and can be simple and sleek, or more decorative in metal or wood. In some homes and apartments today, there may be a recess or soffit between the window wall and the rest of the ceiling. This is the perfect place to hide a simple traversing rod so the curtains almost appear to float. The look is clean and minimalist.
Extra Long Curtain Rods
Extra-long curtain rods span the entire width of the wall, covering all the windows and the wall with draperies. Because this type of installation does not require many separate curtain panels and chopped-up rods, it can take a “busy” wall of windows and change it into a simple, sleek space. Extra-long rods also make quick work of extra-large windows. You can even add motorization to make opening and closing a large span of draperies easy. All the hardware necessary for these extra-long curtain rods can be purchased at Drapery Rods Direct.
Drapery Hardware for Modern Curtain Rods
To achieve true modern style, each aspect of the curtain hardware needs to be carefully chosen. Brackets and curtain rod finials can do a lot to enhance your contemporary decor. Modern Brackets Drapery Rods Direct offers a wide variety of curtain rod brackets. While you can find pieces that are more traditional or elaborate, there are also modern style brackets to choose from:
This wall bracket from the Designer Metals Collection holds up curtain rods without drawing attention to itself. It is a simple design and comes in multiple metal finishes to match your color palette.
This bracket is a wonderful choice if you hope to achieve something unique with your modern window decorating. The Decorative Ceiling Bypass Bracket attaches to the ceiling rather than the wall. It comes in eight different metal finishes, which allow this bracket to work as an accent color, a contrasting color, or matching color, depending on your preferences. As a bonus, it is also a bypass bracket that is compatible with C-rings. Non-bypass decorative ceiling and wall brackets must always be used at each end of the rod, with the bypass brackets supporting the center. These brackets are also available as double brackets, so you can install two layers of drapery on the window.
Modern Curtain Rod Finials
Perhaps the most important element of the modern curtain rod you choose is the finial or end cap you decide to pair with it. Here are some options from Drapery Rods Direct that are decorative while still offering a minimalist look:
The Harlow finial has a metal base paired with a rectangular acrylic piece. It adds unique detail without attracting too much attention. It’s a finial that’s perfect for modern decorating.
More rustic elements like unfinished wood and raw metal have their place in modern design, and this finial couldn't capture that more perfectly. The Petite Faucet Finial is made from wrought iron and is also available in four more additional rustic metal finishes.
The Elmore Finial from the Designer Metals Collections is the epitome of clean modern design. It is available in eight up-to-date metal finishes.
Have More Questions About Modern Curtain Rods?
Modern style made its debut with Art Deco in the early 20th century, and later mid-century décor, inspired by space travel, was the ultimate clean-lined space. While we are not embracing those trends completely, elements of modern style will never look dated, even as new trends emerge. With the help of modern curtain hardware, you can enhance your contemporary decorating with a modernist flair.
Have questions about the selection of modern curtain rods? Drapery Rods Direct customer representatives are available from nine to five, Monday through Friday. Just give us a call at 800-251-5009 for assistance and advice. We also have resources to be discovered in our help center.