I’ve always loved the look of glass-front cabinets, but the reality is less picture-perfect. Between mismatched mugs, pantry staples, or a chaotic closet, not everything we store behind glass is meant for display.
I’ve tried hiding the chaos behind my glass-fronted kitchen cabinets with frosted film to create a reeded glass hack in the past, but it never matched my cottagecore vision. So when I came across TikTok creator Valeria Jacobs’ cabinet curtain DIY, I knew I’d finally found a solution that felt easy and whimsical enough for me to want to give it a go.
Curious how it all comes together? With just a few simple materials and no sewing machine (or sewing experience) required, you can recreate this look at home. Here’s exactly how to make your own cabinet curtains to hide the chaos and add character to your built-ins.
@valeriajacobs And it all started as an ikea Havsta Hack ✨ One day, I’d love to buy a sewing machine and actually learn how to sew. It seems like such a useful skill but I’ve been so intimidated to try. If you sew, I’d love to know: what’s a good beginner-friendly machine? That said, with zero sewing experience, these DIY no-sew cabinet curtains still turned out so cute! Now I can use the top cabinets for extra storage… because who needs perfectly styled cabinets? Not me haha 👋🏻 At least not in this season of life. Linking everything I used on my LTK :)
♬ Gypsy - Fleetwood Mac
Fabric fronts instantly soften joinery and feel far more curated than cloudy film.
Depending on your fabric choice, they can read playful and tailored at the same time, making it a great and unexpected option for kitchen cabinets, closet storage, and smaller built-ins in bedrooms, living, or dining areas alike.
Plus, the idea is so simple that you could finish it in an afternoon, too (if you're not a procrastinator like me).
After measuring the inside of your cabinet door, cut your fabric to size and leave a little excess (I like to use 1.5x the width to create a nice gather) for creating the hems. Then, using fabric fusing tape like Wonder Web, press the hems with an iron to create a simple channel on the top and bottom of the fabric. She then threads a wooden dowel through each channel and anchors it inside the door frame with discreet adhesive cable clips – no sewing machine required.
The bottom dowel keeps the panel neatly tucked into the doors when they swing open to maintain that tailored effect.
The beauty of this hack is not only how easy and affordable it is, but how flexible too. You can easily swap out the fabrics seasonally or whenever you fancy a refresh – whether you prefer crisp linen for a breezy farmhouse feel or a floral like Valeria's used for a vintage twist.
If you scroll a little further back through her page, you'll see that Valeria's cabinetry is actually the IKEA Havsta units (believe it or not), transformed using Farrow & Ball's French Gray paint and this Hand Block Printed Fabric from Etsy to create the coziest entryway that is enviable of any space created by an interior designer.
Cabinet curtains may be a fairly antique idea, but they’re making a modern comeback thanks to their blend of practicality and personality. Plus, to give it a go yourself requires little effort – no sewing machine, no specialist skills, just a few clever tricks to make everyday storage look beautiful.
You will need:
- Fabric
- Wooden Dowels
- Cable Clips
- Scissors
- Iron
- Wonder-Web
These are the exact clips used in Valeria's tutorial. At 1/4 in wide, they work perfectly to house the wooden dowels chosen and sit nicely and discreetly behind your cabinet doors.
Wonder Web is a household name for good reason. Great for all no-sewing projects, it works to bond fabric to fabric. This one is 1/4 inch wide to create a deep enough channel for the dowels.
Pick up this pack of 50 wooden dowels from Amazon to create rods that mimic cafe curtain poles. Of course, you won't need all 50, but this pack has all been polished to remove burrs and leave them strong and durable enough for this project.
If your glass-fronted cabinets have been stressing you out, consider this your sign to try this no-sew cabinet curtain hack. It’s fast, budget-friendly, and completely customizable. I’m ready to roll up my sleeves and give this whimsical DIY a try, are you?
