How to Hang a Shower Curtain (and Make It Look Expensive)

ByDEMIRTAY · 2026-11-09

Hanging a shower curtain takes about five minutes. Hanging it so the bathroom looks taller, brighter and more expensive takes the same five minutes, if you know a few tricks.

What you need

A shower rod (tension or fixed) and 12 hooks
Your shower curtain and, if you use one, a liner
A tape measure

Step by step

Set the rod height. For a standard 72 inch curtain, place the rod about 75–77 inches above the floor so the hem hangs inside the tub.
Open the hooks and slide all 12 onto the rod.
Hang the curtain: push each hook through a grommet, starting from one end and working across.
Add the liner on the same hooks, behind the curtain (the liner goes inside the tub, the curtain outside).
Close the hooks, then pull the curtain open and closed a few times to spread the folds evenly.

Tricks that make it look better

Hang it higher. If your ceiling allows, mount the rod closer to the ceiling and use a long curtain. The room immediately looks taller.
Use a curved rod to gain elbow room and let the curtain fall in fuller folds.
Match the hooks to your fixtures: chrome with chrome taps, black with black frames.
Steam out creases from the packaging with a hand steamer or a hot shower with the curtain closed.
Let the art show. With a picture curtain, keep it closed when you are not using the shower; it becomes the main artwork of the room.