Whimsical Canopy Tent or Reading Nook

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It's amazing how fast kids grow! It was just last year that I made this cute little teepee for our daughter.
Whimsical Canopy Tent or Reading Nook made from curved curtain rod and $4 ikea curtains
 Well, it didn't take long for her to grow out of it. In fact, it's probably set unused for the better part of the past 6 months. She's recently wanted to start playing in it again, but she's just too big. So, I decided to upgrade it into a cute little whimsical canopy tent or reading nook.
 Whimsical Canopy Tent or Reading Nook made from curved curtain rod and $4 ikea curtains
 I bought this awesome  little curved curtain rod off of Amazon for about $15 It's perfect since it can be pretty small compared to most curved rods you'll find in the department stores. It can be as small as 28 inches, which is perfect for corners.  As you can see, I started putting this rod a little bit lower, but ultimately decided to hang it right under the ceiling.

Whimsical Canopy Tent or Reading Nook made from curved curtain rod and $4 ikea curtains
 I used 3 pairs of the LILL lace curtains from Ikea. If you don't have an Ikea near you, you can find a similar pair here on Amazon.
Whimsical Canopy Tent or Reading Nook made from curved curtain rod and $4 ikea curtains
 For the tie backs, I just used some screw in hooks. I wanted to use some cute little ribbon for the tie backs, but I used what I had on hand. And goodness knows, I have a ton of jute lying around :)
Whimsical Canopy Tent or Reading Nook made from curved curtain rod and $4 ikea curtains
 I was imagining a cute little chandelier hanging from the ceiling, but opted for something I already had on hand -these cute little tissue pom poms.
Whimsical Canopy Tent or Reading Nook made from curved curtain rod and $4 ikea curtains
 Here's the look from inside the little nook.
Whimsical Canopy Tent or Reading Nook made from curved curtain rod and $4 ikea curtains
 I love how this turned out. It's so whimsical and princess looking :) This rod is adjustable up to 48 inches, so it'll be easy to make this larger as she grows.
Update on the curtain rod: Many people have said they bought the curtain rod and it broken quickly. This little nook has been up, moved twice, for 3 years now and I still haven't had a single problem. I still have the 4 shears on them from Ikea. They don't weigh that much. Also, I don't have this jutting out of the wall very far. I think that might be the cause for the rod weakening and not holding up...I'm not sure though, just a guess. Also, they don't get pulled on too much. I wish I had a solution for those who had a problem, and I'm sorry you have but I have had no problems with the rod I bought. 


Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” 

53 comments

  1. Oh I love this idea. What a special place for a little girl to play, read and dream.

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  2. This is adorable! I would have loved something like this as a little girl.

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  3. I love this! I've seen those curtains at IKEA and am always trying to think of something to do with them--this is a great idea :)

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  4. This is so cute, great idea!

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  5. How did you hang the pom poms?

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  6. Why did you use three curtains?

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  7. It says you used 3 Pairs so does that mean 6 in all correct???

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    1. Hi!! Did you end up making this? Curious if you used 3 PAIRS or 3 total curtains. :)

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  8. I love this idea, and the fact that you put the links helps so much in trying to find the right materials. It looks so easy, cheap, and lots of fun. I love to read so this is genius!

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  10. What color is the paint in this room? Love it!

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  11. I will make for my daughter one, this beautiful, great!!, Thanks

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  12. We did this for my daughter as a Christmas present. She LOVES it! HOWEVER, I would recommend NOT using the curtain rod posted. It is very poor quality and bent even with just sheers on it. If you read some of the other negative reviews, others say the exact same thing. Not sure what we are going to do to replace it, but most likely a hula hoop or something similar. We've been to Home Depot and Lowe's but can't find a curved curtain rod that could go in a corner area.

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    1. I have had the same problem. :( Would love to know what others have used in place of this rod as I cannot find anything similar.

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    2. Our curtain rod has held up so far! No bending yet.
      Sorry for the problem :( Another idea I was exploring, it's more expensive, was to do it with a curved shower curtain rod. They are a lot bigger though. And maybe that's another thing, the curtain rod I have posted is expandable, and I don't have it expanded very far, so it may be holding up better because of that also.

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    3. I used a large embroidery hoop from hobby lobby when making my niece's need canopy.

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    4. I'm planning to make this with PVC that comes in rolls. i have a bunch left ovet from making hula hoops. I bought the pvc at True Value

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  14. Nice post ! thank you for your share!

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  15. What a tent for little kids. Amazing, you share best tent for a new born daughter. Awesome

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  16. What a beautiful space! I am featuring this on my website if you don't mind.

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  17. This is so cute, great idea! How did you hang the pom poms?

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  18. Is there any way you can post a picture of how you installed the brackets? Ours came with No instructions and we haven't a clue how to install it.

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  19. Where did u get the faux fur rug

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  20. So cute! Did you just line the curtains up on the rod or did you layer them somehow??

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    1. I just have the pairs of curtains on the rod and squished together. Hope that helps! No layering.

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  21. How beautiful !!!!!!!! i love to make soft and romantic decoration like that at any corner of my house

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  22. Hi, could you please tell me the radius of your masterpiece? A measurement from corner to bracket? I'd like to get an idea of the size is need for 2 girls! Thank you very much for this posting its beautiful!

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    1. I think I haave it at 24". The rod is resizeable, so you can make it fit to whatever you want :)

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  23. that so lovely tent. I enjoy to make lovely decoration like that at any corner in my house. thank you for sharing, love :)

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  24. Love this canopy so much we bought all the stuff to do it but are having trouble working out how to use the brackets that came with the rod. Would very much appreciate your help!

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    1. I would love to help! What are you having problems with? Or do you want a close up picture of the bracket? would that help?

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    2. Sorry looks like my reply didnt post the other day! Im having trouble figuring out how the bracket hooks onto the rail. A close up picture would be brilliant, of both the front and back of the rod where the bracket attaches if possible. THANKYOU!!!

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    3. Hoping to put this up today, pics of the bracket would be very much appreciated 😀

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  25. Could I put this over a bed? I have a king bed do you think it would look right?

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    1. I'm not sure if the rod would extend that far? But I think if you could get it to work, that would look cute! This rod is for corner walls, so you would have to do something different rod wise for a flat wall. Find a hoop? Or a semi-circle. :) Good luck!

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  26. Perfect idea, but the rod didn't work for us either. :( We did it yesterday and it already fell down without anyone touching it. The brackets come with tiny screws that don't support the weight of the rod+curtains, and the rod itself sags with the weight of the curtains. It's super flimsy and there was no way to make it work, even at the smallest width that the rod goes. Have to figure something else out! But the curtains are gorgeous :) Hopeful that something else will give a similar result.

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    1. We actually had issues with our first rod and It bent. What we did was reinforce it with center bracket on the ceiling and a hook I believe. It's sturdy now that's for sure.

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    2. I'm so sorry to hear this! I haven't had a problem with ours yet and it's been over a year and moved twice with two little kiddos always playing in them.

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  27. Great Post! Thanks for your sharing :)

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  28. Wow, this little teepee is absolutely adorable with white curtain and orange decorative chandeliers. My daughters would love this very much. They'll feel like a princess. Excellent post with beautiful pictures! Thank you very much for a briliant idea. Great work, Alicia

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  29. beauitful. how much did you spend on the overall DIY. i might try this in my room. im not sure. I love the white but i have a horrid purple room

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  30. Thanks Alicia for this lovely post. Planning to do this very soon for my granddaughter. I noticed by accident while working on a different project that JCPENNEYS has CURVED CURTAIN RODS. I'm not sure of width size........I do remember it was reasonably priced and sturdy looking. Warm Regards, Lesa

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  31. I love this tent. It’s beautiful and perfect for a day out reading somewhere where there is peace and quiet with minimal noises, or for my kids to have their imaginary world lol. It feels like they’re on a real camping trips. Thank you Alicia for the awesome post.

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  32. My kids will really love this space and decoration for their tent where they can enjoy reading books and playing together. Thank you. Very nice idea!

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  33. This would be so great for kids room. Thanks for sharing this reading nook diy idea.

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happy DIYing! Alicia