We took a quick trip to Home Depot and bought a 2″ wood dowel. It was about $8, and was 48″ long. They can cut it to your specifications there if you want it shorter. I cut mine at home with my miter saw to 36″. The dowels come unstained/unpainted but are very smooth. I ran some sandpaper over it just in case (who wants splinters?) and spray painted it white.
I also bought hardware that is designed to attach a stair banister to the wall. It happened to be in the same aisle in our store. Each piece was about $4 and came with the screws to attach it to the wall. I bought the brushed nickel finish.
First, I screwed the hardware into each end of the dowel. I predrilled guide holes to make it easier.
When both brackets were in place, we centered the barre on the wall at a height that works for her. I used my stud finder to place the right bracket into a stud with the mounting screws, but on the left I needed to use drywall anchors to give the screws extra stability. Annabelle is old enough to know not to hang on her barre, but for a younger dancer I would try to mount both brackets in studs, just in case!
The laser level made it easy to keep the barre straight as I hung it. My helper lived up to her name, too!
There are only four screws keeping this on the wall, although they’re certainly holding it on there sturdily. But it will easy to remove, patch, and paint when we move in the summer.
I contemplated putting a big mirror on the wall behind it–I have one because we pulled down a huge plate glass mirror in a bathroom–but that is a bigger project and it just didn’t seem worth it for 8 months of use. Maybe in our next house! She can open her closet door and use the full-length mirror on the door to check her form, though.
Also, the hardware that I used only projects the barre from the wall a couple of inches. If you wanted yours to come out further (for a lot of leg work, for example), you might try closet hardware that’s used to mount hanging clothes rods.
thank you