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The Tracks In Our Home

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!)

curtain_tracks2_web2

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.

curtain_tracks4_web

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.

curtain_tracks3_web1

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.

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  • Danielle10.26.09 - 10:55 AM

    I love this idea for Closets also!! Awesome idea!ReplyCancel

  • Scott10.26.09 - 3:30 PM

    Thanks, Danielle! I can’t recommend Curtaintrax.com enough. Shoot us a photo if you end up with some curtains for closet doors!ReplyCancel

  • Robyn11.12.09 - 4:56 PM

    Hi Scott,
    What awesome pictures! The best I have seen of our track and carriers. We are still using curtaintrax.com, but are slowly migrating to curtain-tracks.com. Check out our new website! I am contacting you today to see if you would allow us to use your images in our gallery on the new site. We really would like to include your images.
    Best Regards,
    RobynReplyCancel

  • Stephanie2.23.10 - 5:51 PM

    Wow! this is perfect for my apartment!! we have a corner breakfast nook and would love to use this idea for sheer/linen pulled back curtains!

    I went to the curtaintrax.com site but there were soo many choices, may I ask which specific track you used? I know you purchases the lengths in 8′ and 4′.

    Thank you soo much for posting this great idea!

    hope to hear back from you!!ReplyCancel

    • Kim2.23.10 - 9:43 PM

      Hi Stephanie,

      We used the 3118 track, found here, and the double wheel carriers, found here. In addition, we used extra long Ikea curtains (in the 115″ length) and Ikea curtain clips attached to the carriers.

      I think you’ll be very happy with these in your home – not only do they add function, but they also add a touch of texture and flow. We’d love to see your final results!ReplyCancel

      • Heather9.15.19 - 2:29 PM

        Hi Kim! Could you relink the items you used? I think the website has updated, so the links no longer go to the actual items. Thanks!ReplyCancel

  • Whitney7.26.10 - 2:24 PM

    HI, Love your Blog. Thanks for turning me on to Curtain Tracks.
    I do have a question. I bought the 3118 Track but used a more basic carrier.
    Do you have any problems sliding the curtains along the track with the double wheel carrier? Thanks! WhitneyReplyCancel

    • Scott7.26.10 - 2:46 PM

      Hi Whitney! The double wheel rollers are great. A bit more expensive than the standard carriers, but we’ve found them to be very smooth and reliable. Give them a shot! Hope this helps.ReplyCancel

  • Whitney7.26.10 - 2:25 PM

    PS Sorry for your water damage! Make sure you get it cleaned and dried to avoid mold issues! We learned the hard way what happens if you don’t!ReplyCancel

  • […] I don’t know if I should consider track doors like Kim and Scott from Yellow Brick Home did here, because its such a intimate room. But the living situation is typically just myself and JP and […]ReplyCancel

  • Kati8.10.10 - 1:00 PM

    You have the best style!

    Did you use the Dignitet clips (http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20075947) or the Deka clips (http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20079342) from Ikea?

    How exactly do they attach to the carriers with just a hook? Did you have to drill a little hole in each of the carriers?

    Thanks for your help – this is the best example of someone doing this that I can find!ReplyCancel

    • Kim8.10.10 - 5:55 PM

      Hi Kati, thank you!

      We use the Dignitet clips. There are 2 types of clip/hooks in the pack, as you can see from the Ikea website. We do not even use the question mark shaped hooks; we only use the ones that have a pinch-clip on the end. The pinch-clip goes on our curtain, and the hook on the other end of it hooks into the double wheel carriers from Curtain-Tracks.com. No drilling needed!

      Hope this helps!ReplyCancel

  • Michelle8.21.10 - 4:16 PM

    What a great use of space! I love this idea- well executed! Just found your site through D16 and have been reading all morning!ReplyCancel

    • Kim8.21.10 - 7:05 PM

      Michelle, we always love a new reader! Welcome!ReplyCancel

  • Sandy Sanders10.30.10 - 5:32 PM

    Hi, Thanks for the great explanation and detailed photos of the track system usage. I’ve been looking a dozens of sites to see clearly how the fabric attaches and couldnt find any close ups.
    I started looking at the Ikea Kvartal series. Why did you use the Curtain tracks hardware vs the kvartal system? I would like to make my own curtains and use a ceiling mounted track.
    thanks
    sReplyCancel

  • Kim at Yellow Brick Home10.31.10 - 1:38 PM

    Hi Sandy, we preferred the Curtain Tracks hardware because it seemed very sturdy, and it was a little more heavy duty for the usage that we needed it for. However, we’ve used the IKEA system in other homes (for friends), and it’s also very nice!ReplyCancel

  • Sally11.11.10 - 9:11 PM

    I love what you did here. I have been looking for a solution to this problem. I hate having the kitchen so exposed to the den. Did you make the curtain yourself? Oh, now I see, they’re from Ikea. Very very cool! I’d love to see this from the other side of the curtain. I have a bar, and I’m not sure how to accomodate that side of the room.ReplyCancel

  • Lawrence Croft11.28.10 - 4:44 PM

    Need to use a privacy curtain to close a space that 9’4″ wide with a 9′ ceiling. Do you sell the ceiling track as well as the curtain material?ReplyCancel

    • Kim11.28.10 - 8:32 PM

      Hi Lawrence,

      Please check out curtain-tracks.com for their varying lengths, and we love Ikea for unusually lengthed curtains on a budget!ReplyCancel

  • […] design.  In the event you missed it last year, we would also encourage you to check out their original encounter with Curtain Tracks and Curtain-Tracks.com, as well as a subsequent bedroom makeover that featured […]ReplyCancel

  • Dr. Gary6.30.11 - 3:16 PM

    Hey Scott,
    Thanks for the fantastic photos of your apartment, this is just the idea I needed to isolate the back operatory. I also found that you can purchase antiobiotic curtains that prevent germ buildup.ReplyCancel

  • Could I ask where you got that large white curtain from? I have been searching all over but can’t find anything that large!! Any help would be greatly appreciated!ReplyCancel

    • Kim7.14.11 - 5:40 PM

      Hi Lauren,

      The curtains in our living room / kitchen divider are from Ikea, and I think they cost about $40 for 2 panels in 115″ length. It’s a steal! You can also find more info on where the things in our home came from, right here: http://www.yellowbrickhome.com/source-list.ReplyCancel

  • […] my Googling madness way back when, I came across a post on the Yellow Brick Home about the tracks their use in their apartment to separate the kitchen and even one as a bedroom […]ReplyCancel

  • Socearre8.11.11 - 6:19 PM

    Your home is absolutely stunning! I, too, am from Chicago and small spaces are hard to personalize but you all have truly made the space your own and it is just breathtaking. I was wondering if you can tell me what tools were needed to install the tracks. I am planning to put some ceiling tracks in my kitchen, bedroom and daughters room and would love to know the difficulty level of the project I intend to embark on alone. It would be great if you could give me some tips. Thank you so much.ReplyCancel

  • Kim8.11.11 - 6:29 PM

    Hi Socearre, thank you! Scott used a Dremel to cut the tracks down to very specific lengths and a drill. The drill was used to make pilot holes in the ceiling, as well as making holes in the track itself (to match up with the ceiling holes), and we used anchors to keep it all in place.

    You can definitely handle a project like this, but it may be best to hire a friend for a small amount of time while you actually begin mounting the tracks to the ceiling – an extra hand will come in handy when dealing with something longer than 6′!

    Hope that helps!
    KimReplyCancel

  • Peggy10.15.15 - 10:02 AM

    Hello,
    I am wondering where I might find the track ” pins” or hangers for the track? I have tracks just like this from bifold doors that I did not like and took down, but I rent so I was hoping to use them to hang curtains instead.
    Help! :)
    Thank you
    PeggyReplyCancel

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