8 Do-It-Yourself Shower Curtain Ideas

Tired of that drab shower curtain? You can use any washable or water-repellent material to make your own shower curtains. Here are several hints to make a mundane houseware into a creative delight.

Glamorous Shower Curtains

Use a double-size sheet made of washable satin, crisp white linen or deluxe Egyptian cotton for an outer curtain with a plastic or vinyl liner. Put the decorative top hem at the bottom, and sew a 3-inch deep doubled hem at the top. Punch holes with a heavy-duty paper or leather punch, 6 inches apart. Hang your shower curtain on the most elegant silver or gold-toned shower hooks you can find.

For a quick change, hang a set of medium-weight canvas or cotton window drapes with grommeted tops directly onto your shower rail. Line with a lightweight plastic or vinyl curtain in a matching or contrasting color.

Cheerful Shower Curtains

Find three matching unlined vinyl tablecloths at least 72 inches long, with a colorful geometric or floral pattern, and sew together down the long seams. Turn down a top hem and secure with waterproof glue. Measure and punch holes sized to metal grommets, and attach these for strength. Hang up on shower hooks that match the background color, or choose black hooks for contrast. This new vinyl curtain may inspire you to repaint or add new window treatment to your bathroom.

For a child's bathroom, find cotton-polyester sheets with their favorite cartoon or comic book characters. If boys and girls share the bath, sew together two different twin-size sheets, or find a theme everyone likes. Use a plastic curtain to line this shower curtain type.

Tie-dye a plain white polyester-cotton sheet in colors to match your decor. Use a 12-inch-wide strip of it to make hanging loops. Sew one side of the loop onto the outer face of the curtain, and attach the other end with a hook and loop (velcro) to the inside for easy removal.  

Paint the design of your choice onto a plastic or vinyl curtain with acrylic paint.

Masculine Shower Curtains for a Man's Bathroom

Stop by the army surplus store to find camouflage tarpaulin, sized at least 6 by 6 feet. Get some grommets and an installation kit, and punch the 12 holes needed to hang it. This shower curtain needs neither hems nor a liner.

Improvise by making the entire curtain from duct tape. This project will probably take at least 5 rolls of tape. Lay out 36 tape strips, 72 inches long, folded in half to enclose the adhesive. Pull strips 72 inches in length off the roll, one at a time and weave them, adhesive side down, through the first set of strips at a 90-degree angle. Seal over the exposed adhesive pieces on the back with duct tape strips down the full length of the mat. This curtain should be nearly waterproof, but line it just in case. Punch holes with a leather punch and hang on stainless steel hooks on the shower rod.