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.
Your Curtains Will Fall Much Better
By adding height to where your curtain is hung from, you immediately create a better way for the curtain to fall. The ceiling to floor curtain length allows the fabric to fold in a neat way, the higher the curtain the better this looks.
"Extending your draperies from floor to ceiling and from wall to wall surrounding your window makes them appear bigger," explains Francesco Bilotto.
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.
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.
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.
So should curtains touch the floor? The short answer is yes... usually. But when making any decision about your window treatments, whether they're drapes, blinds, or shades, it's important to consider every aspect of style and function so you can choose the best option for your windows and your home.
Did you know that you can hang your draperies from the ceiling? Floor-to-ceiling drapes and curtains are a stylish option that creates the appearance of elegant space. You might want to improve the look of a large room or refresh the windows of a smaller space.
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.
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.
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.
Hang the Curtains as High as Possible
In order to make your window and the whole wall seem higher, put the curtain rod as high above the window as possible. Attaching the rail close to the ceiling tricks the eye into believing the wall is bigger. Thus, it visually expands the whole room.
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.
Curtains for an 8-foot ceiling are typically 84 inches long. This allows you to hang curtains that begin about one foot below the ceiling and reach the floor.
1) Light and dark flooring
Think cream carpets, natural and neutral toned tiles and whitewashed wood flooring. These attractive, light and neutral colours give a room an open and airy feel, making it appear larger, whilst also drawing in the natural sunlight from outside.
Curtains absolutely can make a room look smaller or larger, depending on their design. Thick curtains and dark curtains are known for making a regular room look slightly smaller, while sheer curtains made of lightly-colored fabrics are ideal for helping to visually expand a room's size.
A light-colored flooring such as light oak or a light-colored carpet will make the room appear brighter and more open. The same applies to the ceiling—use a light color or white to "open up" the space above. Increase the appearance of the size of the room by adding wall mirrors.
There is one simple, surefire way to make your living space look bigger than it is, and that is by using blinds. The right kind of window treatment can make a huge difference in how it accentuates the area and gives the appearance of increasing a room's square footage.
The key to using an area rug to help your room look bigger is to use the correct rug size. A common decorating mistake people make is selecting an area rug or carpet that's too small, making the room look choppy and disjointed, and therefore makes it look smaller.
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.
If you want to make your living room look bigger, stick to lighter colors that reflect more light and make the space feel more open. Neutrals, like off-white, beige, or light grays, are a great way to add a level of sophistication and calm.