As with most couples diving headlong into their first real estate purchase together, it took weeks of searching before we were able to decide on our little yellow brick condo. One of the major selling points of our unit was the great ceiling detail that helped to separate the kitchen space from the living space in our open concept floor plan. Kim had the immediate idea to use the drops in the ceiling as not only a visual barrier, but an anchoring point for a new idea: curtain tracks. Yes; industrial-strength, hospital-grade, curtain tracks. We decided to go with the aluminum ceiling mount track in the 12′ length (one 8′ and one 4′ section for shipping purposes), and the double wheel carrier to carry the moving load of the curtains themselves.
Sly dog that I am, I initially “put off” the idea, bluffing to Kim that the curtain tracks were a project that would just have to wait. Little did she know, they had already been delivered to my parents’ house in Cincinnati and would soon become one of her Christmas gifts. And did I ever score some brownie points on this one – who knew all it took was a 12′ track of steel? And so we returned home with an abnormally long box, and I was soon put to work anchoring an 8′ length of track into the drop of our ceiling. A quick trip to Ikea provided the hooks that would anchor our curtains (also from Ikea) to the carriers and voila! Our kitchen area can be shut-off from the world, should we choose to leave a few dishes undone and out of sight, or create a cozier atmosphere for a comfortable movie night. (Jack seems to dig it as well!)
The living space division worked out so well, that when the door to our bedroom became an obstacle to Kim from accessing her closet, we nixed the door completely and utilized the extra 4′ of track to curtain off the bedroom. A quick minute with my handy hacksaw, and the curtain was cut to fit the inside of the door frame perfectly.
That pesky early morning light is out of sight when those few precious minutes of sleep are required. The drape also lends us a bit of privacy when guests visit, while still allowing the furry ones the freedom to come and go as they please. At the same time, the crisp, white fabric feels airy and light.
All said and done, we installed both tracks, curtains and hardware included, for around $100. What a small price to pay for a sleek, stylish way of splitting a room or lending a sense of privacy to your space. Not to mention that touch of added texture – always a plus. One room or two? You choose.
by Scott
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