For standard drapes that hang on either side of a window, the typical height is halfway between the top of the window casing and the ceiling. This applies if there are more than 12 inches between the window trim and ceiling.
If you have the space between the top of your window frame and the ceiling or crown molding, though, you should hang the rod over the window. I like to go 3 to 5 inches down from the ceiling. Doing this visually extends the length of your wall, making your ceiling look higher.
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.
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.
Do use curtains that reach the floor. Your curtains should either be 1/2” above the floor, kiss the floor, or puddle on the floor. For 8' ceilings, I recommend standard 96” curtains which you can then adjust up and down or hem up the bottom if needed.
The proper position is ½ inch above the floor for free hanging curtains. This distance allows for mopping and cleaning while creating the illusion that the curtain touches the floor.
"Extending your draperies from floor to ceiling and from wall to wall surrounding your window makes them appear bigger," explains Francesco Bilotto.
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.
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.
In most spaces, a rod with decorative finials hung on the wall outside of the window frame will look best and provide the most coverage. Allow about 3 inches on each side of the window. Mark the wall with a pencil to indicate this area. By doing so, you'll make sure you get adequate light when the curtains are open.
How High to Hang Curtains 8 Foot Ceiling. An 8 foot ceiling is pretty standard for a residential home. With this standard height will be safe to put the rod about 6 inches above the top of the framing of the window. This avoids any extra framing and gives space between the frame and the rod.
Standard curtains come in three lengths—84 inches, 96 inches, or 108 inches. "Generally, you want to stay away from the 84 inch standard curtains unless you have very low ceilings. They don't look right in most scenarios and end up being an awkward length," says Curtis.
The top of most of our windows are 8ft, and we used 108″ panels almost everywhere. So we hung our curtain rod about 13 inches above the windows. The higher the curtain rod, the taller your window will appear. I recommend to always install a rod closer to the ceiling than the top of the window.
The height of your home's ceilings often determines the length of your curtain panels, as builders usually install taller windows in homes with higher ceilings. Ready-made curtains generally come in standard lengths: 84 inches for 8-foot ceilings, 96 inches for 9-foot ceilings and 108 inches for 10-foot ceilings.
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.
The answer to this question is important because it can affect the way we do our decorations. Yes, curtains should be long enough to touch the floor. With a few exceptions, the longer the curtains are the more stylish and elegant it will look. This is why most standard ready-made curtains are lengthy.
The material should barely touch the floor or hover half an inch above. Use this approach for café curtains, too, short panels covering only the lower portion of a window, hitting the sill, which works well in kitchens and bathrooms, where long drapes or curtains aren't practical.
In most cases, curtains should be a foot shorter than the height of the ceiling such that it is ideal to choose 9 feet long curtains for ceilings that are 10 feet high. You are supposed to be installing the curtains from the floor up, and that the curtains should be about half a foot higher than the window frame.
General Installation Recommendations. When installing curtain rods, hang the rod so that it extends at least 3 or 4 inches beyond the window on each side. This allows your curtains to overlap both the window and the wall to prevent light from leaking in around the window's edges.
How long should the pole be? This can be subjective and is influenced by obstructions around the window area. But as a guide the pole should extend about 15-20cm (6-8in) beyond the window recess on each side. And it should be fitted symmetrically relative to the window opening.
Drywall anchors are suitable for lighter curtains that are hung on the wall at ceiling height. Before you install the rod brackets, make sure to attach the drywall anchors first by using a power drill. Install the rod brackets afterwards and check if it is strong enough to support the curtains.
For low ceilings, it's recommended to hang the curtains 3-6 inches above the window frame. For rooms with high ceilings, hang curtains 8 inches above the window frame.
For rooms with ceilings over 10-feet high it can be difficult and extremely expensive to find longer curtain panels. In that case, hang the curtain rod about 10-12″ above the window frame and use 94-96″ panels. Unfortunately, most standard 84″ curtain panels are not long enough for floor length curtains.