Bins of old doorknobs and door plates at the flea market can develop into a treasure trove of ornate curtain holders for your home. Crystal knobs, protruding from brass or painted metal plates, become ornamental hooks for looping tab-top curtains to frame an oddly shaped window or hang over the hallway sidelight. Three or more knobs marching up the slanted sides of the arched window frame or evenly spaced over a narrow window are an innovative alternative to predictable curtain rods. They include a little whimsy and gleam to an diverse or romantic room.

Disassemble the crystal door knobs by removing them from the door or door plate and taking out the spindle.

Assess the location above a window or sidelight, on or above a window frame, where each crystal knob will go. Use a carpenter’s level to ensure a line of bows will be direct, or a row of bows angled above a hexagonal window — an arched, octagonal or triangular window — will adhere to exactly the exact same angle as the counterpart on the other side of the window. Mark the spots for the knobs gently around the wall.

Position the back-plates or rosettes at the marks; swirl the pencil into the predrilled mounting holes to mark the spots for the screws. Tap a nail into the spot for each screw to make a starter hole to direct a screw or drill.

Slide a dummy spindle through each backplate or rosette, and screw the crystal knob to the spindle. First put a tiny dab of epoxy or silicone adhesive on the end of the spindle to permanently secure the knob, and on the bolt where it meets the inside of the back-plate or rosette to secure the spindle. Let the glue dry.

Expand the back-plates to the wall or window frame at the marks. If you are attaching the back-plates to the wall, drill holes for the screws and tap in wall anchors to hold the screws securely.

Hang curtains from the doorknobs by looping the tabs over the knobs. For crystal knob curtain hangers over a sidelight or over a little window, pull the curtain back and grab it with a crystal knob tieback mounted on the wall about halfway down the window.

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