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.
Wall-mounted rods are usually installed four inches above the window. To find your ideal placement, measure down from the ceiling to the top of the trim at the left corner of your window; mark the midway point.
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.
The standard distance from the window casing to the end of the curtain rod (excluding finials) on each side of the window should be four to 10 inches. As a general rule, drapes will be open during the day, so make sure the curtain rod extends at least four inches on each side of the window's inside frame.
This translates to 1 to 2 inches below the ceiling line or crown molding. You'll have more freedom to hang the valance as you desire in a room with higher ceilings, but it's best to still hang it high. With 9- or 10-foot ceilings, the valance should hang at least halfway between the top of the window and ceiling.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Well, you do NOT need a stud to hang a curtain rod, but you will need a special type of wall anchor to hold the weight. There are two different types I like to use: a drywall anchor or toggle bolts.
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.
Sill Length
1/2" above the window sill. Casual and charming. These are the shortest of the standard curtain lengths, which makes them a good opportunity to have some fun with pattern or color. Since they take up less visual space, you won't get tired of a bold choice.
Example: If your window measures 36″ wide (window width x 2 = 72″), you need curtains that will give a minimum width of 72″ or 2 panels for that window. In this case 2 panels will give about 100″ to 120″ of width which will look nice and full.
The main mistake that people make is to fit heavy floor-length curtains over both the window and the radiator below. This traps the heat in the window space and does not let it into the room. Correctly fitted curtains should not cover the top of the radiator, but should stop just below the window ledge.
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.
To achieve this look, slide one panel of the main curtains onto the rod. Move it to the very end to create space for additional panels. After that, add one or two of the sheer panel on to the rod. The number you add depends on your taste.
DON'T: Hang Them Right Above the Window
Drapes that rest right above the frame stunt the window and let in less light, which can give the entire space a crowded look. Keep in mind that, when open, your curtains shouldn't fall more than 2 inches inside the frame on each side.
Start by hanging one end of the swag over one end of the rod. Then, hang the other end of the swag over the other end of the rod. Let the fabric in the middle drape down. When you're finished, the draped fabric in the center should look like a regular curtain swag.
"Extending your draperies from floor to ceiling and from wall to wall surrounding your window makes them appear bigger," explains Francesco Bilotto.
If you are interested in stationary panels, you will want your curtains to be long enough to lightly brush the floor, but not so long that they bunch up in a pile. A good rule of thumb is for your curtains to break anywhere from a ¼” to ½” from the floor, similar to a break in pant legs on your shoe.
Short curtains are typically only used when long curtains are unrealistic (such as when a radiator, the bed headboard, or some other object would interfere with the curtains). In addition, long curtains provide a better aesthetic and can make the room appear bigger, especially when hung higher than the window frame.
In this case if you hang a curtain too high it could look a little off, especially if there is a lot of bright light coming through showing where the actual window is. In that case you should hang them about 8 inches or less above the window frame.
You'll need to use plastic wall anchors to provide proper support if you're installing in drywall. Fasten the brackets to the walls using your drill or screwdriver. Having a hand tool ready often makes this job easier, since it can be hard to use a larger electric drill when mounting curtain rod hardware to the wall.