Therefore, hang your curtain rod as close to the ceiling as possible – preferably 2 inches below the ceiling molding – and opt for ceiling-to-floor length curtains. This will make your windows appear taller, as long curtains that extend the window frame will make it look like a unified whole.
Hang Curtains High
Hang curtains 4 - 8 inches above the window molding. This visually adds height to your room. Even in a room with low ceilings, hanging the rods a least half way between the molding and the ceiling will make your ceilings appear taller.
1. Making Your Room Look Larger or Smaller with Curtains. The length of your curtain, the stripe pattern, and the style affect the height illusion. It's best for a small room with a low ceiling to hang the curtains close to the ceiling and let them run the entire length to the floor.
Long curtains, higher ceilings
This will make the ceiling look higher, and the space appear bigger.
A rule of thumb (from Architectural Digest) is that curtains should be hung between four to six inches above the window frame, so install your curtain rod accordingly. When you hang the curtain rod high, it will make the window appear taller.
Big floral patterns make a room appear larger. Install wallpaper with horizontal stripes to make a room seem wider, or commit to vertical stripes to stretch the room visually and raise the ceiling. A busy pattern featuring chevrons, simple geometric designs, or a texture that mimics marble can make a room seem bigger.
Curtain rods should extend at least 3 to 6 inches past the window frame. Just as hanging curtains above the window frame makes the window appear taller, Bob Vila writes that extending the curtain rod past the window frame makes the window appear wider.
Your best move is to hang curtains within 8 inches of the top of the window frame. For very tall windows, which are popular in many modern homes, that means placing the rod as close to the ceiling as possible—in fact, you might want to install rods designed to actually hang from the ceiling.
Hanging your curtains at ceiling level maximizes the light that shines through your window and it makes the room feel larger because the walls look taller. This works well in a small space, but may not be ideal in a room that is already too large.
"Extending your draperies from floor to ceiling and from wall to wall surrounding your window makes them appear bigger," explains Francesco Bilotto.
So, what colors make a room look bigger? For an optimum effect, go with soft tones like off-white, blues, and greens, and always remember that brighter rooms feel bigger and more inviting. And here's another hack: Try painting your wall trim and moldings in a lighter color than your walls.
When you buy them in stores or online, there are two standard lengths: 84 inches and 95 or 96 inches. The length of the curtain dictates the height of the rod. If you buy 84-inch-long curtains, the rod must be mounted roughly 84 inches from the floor if the curtains hang from the rod without rings.
How wide should curtains be? To ensure that curtain panels look ample when closed, they should have a combined width that is 2 to 2.5 times the width of the window/rod. That means if you are ordering Grommet style or Rod-pocket style, the total drapery width should be at least 2 times the window/rod widths.
1" below the bottom of the window apron. Crisp and unfussy. These aren't as popular as they used to be, but apron curtain lengths are still acceptable and undeniably practical. Your curtains won't gather dust and dirt from the floor, and they'll be easy to open and close.
If you are interested in a curtain with grommet tops, there will usually be an inch and half of fabric above the top of the grommet. Therefore, an 84 inch length curtain with grommet tops will have an actual hanging height of around 82.5 inches.
For a 9 foot ceiling, pick 96-inch curtains. Typically, your curtain rod is hung about a foot from the ceiling. 96 inches covers the distance between the floor up to one foot from the ceiling.
Thread the curtain rod through the grommets of each panel similar to how you'd do a shower curtain. Then hold the curtains rod so the right side of the curtains is facing out. Fasten the curtain to the brackets and screw on the finials to the ends of the curtain rod. Arrange the curtains as desired.
Naturally, white is an obvious choice for making a room feel bigger. It's no secret that light colors make a room look larger, especially if the space is bathed in natural light. Eggshell or satin finishes will help reflect the light, creating the appearance of even more space.
Soto follows what she calls the cantaloupe rule: "Decorative accents that are smaller than a cantaloupe cramp a room." Opt for a single, statement-making piece instead. Photo by iStockphoto. Media Platforms Design Team.
Murals are a great way to make a wall appear larger and make it appear as if there is more 'going on' in a space than there really is. The best types of murals to use in this instance are 3D wall murals as they are great for creating depth.