The vertical blinds in most rental apartments are functional but ugly. They came with the apartment, and you likely can't remove them permanently. The solution: hang curtains over them and hide the blinds completely.
Why You Don't Want to Mount on the Blind Header
The horizontal box at the top of vertical blinds (the headrail) might look like a convenient mounting surface. Resist the urge. The headrail is:
- Thin plastic or light metal — not designed for hanging loads
- Attached to brackets in the ceiling or wall — any stress you add transfers to the landlord's installation
- Difficult to attach brackets to cleanly
The Right Approach: Mount Above the Headrail
The clean solution: install your curtain rod brackets 2-4 inches above the top edge of the blind headrail, on the wall. This places your curtain rod entirely above the blinds, so when curtains are closed they completely cover the blind hardware.
For no-drill installations:
- Pin-guide brackets work well on the drywall above the headrail
- Adhesive brackets work if the wall above the headrail is smooth painted drywall
- Make sure your bracket placement doesn't interfere with opening and closing the blinds
Should You Remove or Keep the Vertical Blinds?
Keep them (recommended for renters): Vertical blinds are the landlord's property. Removing them means you're responsible for storing them safely and reinstalling at move-out. If you lose slats or damage the headrail in storage, that's a deduction from your deposit. Covering them with curtains is much simpler.
Remove them if: You own the property, you have landlord permission, or the blinds are damaged beyond usability. Store them in a flat, dry space and label them so you know which room they came from.
Hanging Curtains Over Blinds: Practical Tips
- Extend the rod wider than usual — vertical blinds are often mounted wall-to-wall, so your rod needs to extend past the blind headrail ends
- Hang rod higher — mounting closer to the ceiling makes the room feel taller and ensures curtains fully cover the headrail
- Use opaque curtains — sheer curtains over vertical blinds look busy; choose a solid panel that truly covers the blinds visually
- Keep blinds accessible — position curtains so you can still pull them aside to adjust the blinds if needed for ventilation
Evermount Curtain Rod Holders — No-Drill
Perfect for this setup: install above your blind headrail with pin guides, no drilling. The level guide makes alignment easy even when you're working above an existing blind installation. Wide hook supports the rod needed to span the full blind width.
Check Price on Amazon →