Hi, friend! Today I have for you a super great DIY. I’m showing you how to create this DIY Anthropologie curtain rod so that you can get the look for less. Woop woop!

So, I LOOOOOVE me a good DIY. I think I have just as many DIYs in my apartment as I do purchased items. I love being crafty. I want an awesome apartment, but I also live in NYC, so my money literally flies out the window, it seems. Or maybe gets eaten by pizza rat?I am all about affordable design solutions so that we can all have an amazing looking apartment (but still have money to eat). Have you seen my $1k Room Challenge posts? I design an entire living room for under $1,000. All three rooms are different styles, from farmhouse style to eclectic and colorful. Saving money is my jam.

Sometimes, I get super frustrated, though. I get especially frustrated when I can’t understand why things cost SO much when they shouldn’t. That is why, out of protest, I watch Youtube videos teaching me how to do things and just do it myself. I cut my own hair and I also did my own highlights and bayalage. Oh, and my own acrylic nails with a fancy nail drill. Oh, and I made those nails chrome and holographic so that I, too, can be a unicorn. No big deal, but I can definitely open my own hair and nail salon if clients aren’t interested in having a perfect end result, and if they are ok with it taking like 6 hours. So like nobody.

Anyways, back to my frustrations. Do you know what is super frustratingly overpriced? Curtain rods. Who wants to spend $80 on curtain rods? Not to mention how expensive curtains are. OH LAWWWWD. So I decided to make my own DIY Anthropologie curtain rod and sew my own curtains. Here is the inspiration: Anthropologie Smithery Curtain Rod in Bronze.

Yeah. It’s pretty beautiful, but unfortunately, also pretty expensive. Admittedly, I am obsessed with Anthropologie, but I can’t spend that much money on a curtain rod. Ya girl’s gotta eat! So I had to find a way to make a DIY Anthropologie curtain rod for my apartment.

Added bonus of my DIY Anthropologie curtain rod: they are real copper.

If you look at what the Anthropologie curtain rods are made of, it’s  aluminum. Did you know that people actually go into homes to try to steal their copper piping? Copper is much much better than cheap aluminum. So, not only is my DIY Anthropologie curtain rod much cheaper, it is sturdier and better quality.

Also, since Anthropologie’s rods are just copper-bronze colored aluminum, they won’t develop a rich patina like DIY Anthropologie curtain rod will. If you don’t like the patina, no worries. You can wipe them every so often so they will be shiny always. But, for me, the copper patina gives it an aged look that I love even more. So judging by quality and looks, I choose my DIY Anthropologie curtain rod over Anthropologie’s option. Which pains me to say because I love Anthropologie so, so much. 

I chose to use copper pipes that are 3/4″ thickness. You can choose to do 1″-2″ thickness if you want, but it will be more expensive. Just be sure that whatever size you get, you also get that same size hangers and caps (I definitely made that mistake the first time around lol). Also, make sure you double check what size you have on the bag. At my Home Depot, these copper accessories are thrown about and not organized. So when I reached in the 3/4″ box to pull out my caps, I ended up getting 1/2″ ones. Womp womp womp. So double check.

What I recommend is that you mark where you want to cut the pipe. Mark it 3 or 4 times around the pipe. Reason being, is that when you’re cutting it, what you’re doing is twisting the pipe around the blade over and over until it fully cuts. It can be kind of hard to cut a straight line unless you have the markings all the way around. It took me about 5 minutes per cut (because I kept messing up). I made all the mistakes so that you don’t have to. You’re welcome, friend.

 DIY Anthropologie Curtain Rod Directions:

1. Measure the window and decide the length you want your rod to be (my rods extend 7 inches past my window on both sides).
2. Mark where you want your cut marks on the pipe. You will be trimming them down to size in this step. Make at least 3 markings, preferably connecting the markings with marker so you can follow your line all the way around. #genius
3. Using your pipe cutter, cut the pipe along the markings you just made by twisting the pipe over and over against the blade, checking to make sure you are staying on your line. BE CAREFUL OF POSSIBLE SHARP EDGES FROM YOUR CUT LOCATION.
4. Put a cap on each side of your pipe. I REPEAT: BE CAREFUL OF POSSIBLE SHARP EDGES FROM YOUR CUT LOCATION.
5. Decide where you want your bell hangers to be on the wall. This will be where you attach the pipe to the wall. I recommend the pipe extend 2-3 inches past the bell hanger. Mark with pencil where you want to put the screw in the wall by lining up your bell hanger to determine location.
6. Attach bell hangers to the wall using a drill. You might need a ladder for this. Be careful on that ladder!
7. Attach your curtains to your rods before hanging on wall. I just use rings from Amazon that I spray painted black.
8. Attach your finished rods to the bell hangers and loosely tighten the screws on the clasp using a screwdriver. You want them to be loose so you can continue to move the rods, adjusting so they are centered and equally spaced.
9. When your rods are in their final position, tighten the screws on the bell hangers’ clasp with a screwdriver. And admire your handiwork! Way to go, superstar!

Pro tip: You might have extra copper pipe, depending on the length you purchased. I used my leftover copper pipe to make copper door pulls for my wardrobe (I’ll show you that DIY later). Make sure you always cap the end of the pipe, or store it carefully so you won’t cut yourself if you have sharp edges from your cuts.

SHOP MY DIY

1. Copper Pipe 2. Copper Cap 3. Copper Hanger 4. Pipe Cutter