How High to Hang Curtains. 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.
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.
Assuming you're outfitting a living room or bedroom with average ceiling height (8 feet high), an interior designer's rule of thumb would be to mount the curtain rod about a half-foot above the top of the window frame—even higher if the total space between the top of the window and the ceiling line is less than 12 ...
Each bracket should be placed at the height you previously determined and about four to six inches from the side of the window frame. (This will allow you to open the curtains completely.) Check to make sure your pencil marks are level otherwise the entire window treatment will be crooked.
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.
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.
It depends on factors such as window length, but more often than not, curtains look best when touching the floor. However, how low you want your curtains to hang will determine what you want to achieve. In reality, different decorating styles employ varying curtain lengths.
For metal curtain rods ranging from 1 inch to 1 ½ inch diameters, two brackets up to a 60-inch (5 feet) span are sufficient. Over 60 inches, three brackets are recommended.
A center bracket is needed in almost any length greater than 5 to 6 feet, if you want to avoid any sagging. However there are "C" rings that will go over the bracket so that the drapes/curtains can be pulled to one side (either side, in fact).
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.
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.
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.
They typically have some sort of a stopper or cap on each end and come with brackets to hang the pole on. Curtains hang on them with either fabric tabs or clip-on curtain rings. The most standard curtain rod sizes are 28- to 48-inches, 48- to 84-inches, and 66- to 120-inches.
C-rings allow one-way draw curtains to be used on longer rods requiring a center support bracket(s). These rings are a great choice for covering large windows or sliding glass doors. Iron curtain rod rings are available in pewter, rustica, oil rubbed bronze or matte black.
Using two layers of curtains on your windows adds depth, making the room feel larger. Instead of adding two different curtain rods to your windows, try double curtain rods. Double curtain rods are the best way to create a layered effect, giving a distinct and put-together look.
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. But the reality is that various decorating styles use different curtain lengths.
Above the sill
As the sill is always visible, it's important that the gap between the curtain and the sill remains uniform at every point, so if you've an older property with an uneven window sill, this curtain drop would not be suitable.
You should aim for your curtain hem to be about 3/8" to 1/2" above the floor. Not only is this an easier length to measure for, but it also makes it simple to vacuum and sweep. It's a great option if you plan to open and close your curtains a lot since you won't need to rearrange them each time.
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.
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.
"Extending your draperies from floor to ceiling and from wall to wall surrounding your window makes them appear bigger," explains Francesco Bilotto.
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 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.