Making Your Room Look Larger or Smaller with Curtains
High-hanging curtains with long vertical stripes create the illusion of height, which is excellent for low ceilings. However, short curtains and horizontal stripes shorten your wall height and make the room appear smaller.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
But the fabric side (also described as the woven or rough side) is made to face the window because of the durability. Face the fabric side out to avoid yellowing or sun damage, which will preserve the lifespan of your curtains.
To do it, you cut the toilet paper rolls to about three inches in length. Next, remove your curtains from the rod. As you rethread them on the rod, insert a toilet paper roll between every other opening. Rehang your curtains, and they'll look both pleated and fuller.
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. To create the illusion of a wider window, extend the rod up to 10 inches beyond the window's frame.
Windows Will Make a Small Room Look Bigger
Letting in natural light is great when creating the illusion of a bigger room. Using big, beautiful picture windows, bow windows, bay windows or architectural windows are perfect for creating that spacious feeling.
Paint dark to light, from low to high
If you're up for redecorating your living room, the best thing you can do to make it look more spacious is get painting. If your floor is dark then paint your ceiling in a light shade. This will give the illusion of space as your eye will be drawn upwards.
Use contrasts and light colors that make rooms look bigger
Light and bright walls are more reflective, making a space feel open and airy, which helps maximize natural light's effect. Dark shades tend to absorb light, making rooms feel smaller. Accent walls to make a room look bigger is another way to go.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
In Closing. For a 9-foot ceiling, 96-inch curtain panels are typically a good fit. This allows you to hang curtains that reach the floor, with the rod placed one foot from the ceiling. If you prefer curtains that pool on the floor or curtains that hang higher, just pick the next size up.
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.
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.
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.