You have probably seen one before, but may not know what to call it except, "beautiful." Rain curtains first made their appearance in large, upscale landscaping and architectural projects. Originally more artistic than functional, homeowners and interior designers are now finding dozens of practical uses for rain curtains in the home.

What is a Rain Curtain?

Rain curtains exist in nature in the form of "curtains" of rain often seen at a distance when a storm is approaching or as a wide, cascading waterfall. Taking inspiration from these, engineers and designers created pumping systems that recycle water and distribute it in a way that mimics nature. Although dozens of variations exist, commercially available rain curtains fall under two broad categories:

1. An open system is one you can literally "reach out and touch."


2. In a closed system, water is held between two sheets of glass or acrylic.

A popular alternative to these is a tempered glass "water wall." In this, water rolls down one side of the glass, collects in a trough at the base of the "wall" and is continually recycled. Sometimes these are erected on an exterior wall, with some of the water being re-directed through a drip irrigation system to a planter box outside the house.

Practical Uses for Rain Curtains

Now that rain curtains are commercially available in both standard and custom sizes, they are being used as water features in creative ways in homes and small businesses everywhere. In the home, a rain curtain can make a perfect partition when you want to create an opaque barrier between rooms or spaces within a room. For example, if you want to create a pocket office instead of a dedicated room for your home office, a rain curtain partition can provide you with the privacy you need without creating a solid barrier.

Because the sight of flowing water is so soothing and reminiscent of healthy outdoor living, natural therapists, day spas, organic cosmetics boutiques and other businesses are using them as backdrops for displays, as screens and even as eye-catching centrepieces.

Once you've discovered the world of rain curtains, you'll want to incorporate them into your home and landscape. Now an affordable option for interior decorating and garden designing, what's stopping you from transforming your home and landscape into a tropical oasis with rain curtains?