DIY Shower Curtain (because most are straight up ugly)

Seems like change is in the air because I have two girlfriends who are moving into new apartments on May 1st. My girl called me today with the age-old question that plagues all decorators:

"Why are all shower curtains butt-ugly!?!?

I honestly don't have the slightest idea why of all the Bed Baths, JCPenneys, Targets, etc out there is there an acceptable and affordable shower curtain option. Trust me, I've searched long and hard for this for myself and many a client.

In the past, I've made my own shower curtains (actually, twice). It's easy and you get exactly what you want if you find a panel you like. I did the following project way back in Jan 2010 for Apartment #10. 

What I did was take a curtain panel from Zgallerie and used a grommet kit from Joann's to finish the holes for the curtain rings. Very easy. 

 The grommets quickly instal with a little hammering and be sure that your shower curtain rings fit through them prior to purchasing. The 54"W by 84"L length was the perfect length for my extra-wide shower stall.

I would do this project over in a heartbeat should the need come up again. Here's some of the awesome panels they're offering now at Zgallerie for around $50.

Source: zgallerie.com via Courtney @bigbeigebox on Pinterest

Source: zgallerie.com via Courtney @bigbeigebox on Pinterest

Some tips on hanging your shower curtain:

A shower curtain I made by sewing a rod pocket on an Urban Outfitters tapestry for Apartment #11. 

1. I've always found that HIGHER is BETTER! If you have the option of adjusting the height of your shower curtain rod, make sure you mount it at least 6 inches below the ceiling. This will provide enough clearance for steam to exit the shower as well as EMPHASIZE the HEIGHT of your room. Most bathrooms are teeny-tiny so this is an easy tip to fake height in the room.

2. MORE IS MORE!! If you have the option of using multiple curtain panels, do it! I faked a bigger shower in My Apartment #10 in Scottsdale by mounting a shower curtain rod in front of the existing shower doors to hide how hideous they were! I was able to use three IKEA curtain sheers across the whole thing and the draping (I wish I had a pic!) that multiple panels offered looked so lush and luxurious!

3. Spend the money on a good liner. Overtstock and Amazon are great sources for heavy-duty shower curtain liners. This is a must. Don't cheap out. I did once and it looked awful.

Have you made your own shower curtain? Please share!