By hanging curtains from the highest point of the wall that fall all the way down to the floor, you create a soft and subtle guide for the eye to follow, encouraging you to take in all of the space you have therefore giving the illusion of a larger room.
Hang tall curtains
Hanging tall curtains in a small room is one of the most effective tricks in the book. Tall curtains automatically draw the eye upwards, creating the illusion of a bigger space and making the ceilings look higher than they are.
The higher you hang your curtains, the more significant impact it'll have on your space. Install your curtain rod as high as possible, and you'll be surprised how much larger your room looks.
To make the window appear larger, mount the brackets at least 20″ past the window on both sides if room allows. For larger windows and walls with plenty of empty space, mount them as wide as you'd like! How wide should curtains be? Each panel should be at least the length of the curtain rod for a fuller look.
Choosing extra long curtains and hanging them high above your window will give the illusion of more height and therefore more space within a small room.
NEVER FAILS: SOFT COLORS
But using curtains in white, neutral tones or soft earths is a trick that works to make the room bigger, visually enlarges it because it does not saturate and lets everything fill with light.
Light curtain benefits
Increase how big a space feels with lighter curtains. Light coloured curtains are more likely to be made of lightweight curtain fabrics, which fall and flow beautifully. Lighter colours are easily dyed a different colour should you want an easy way to change it up in future.
We recommend hanging most curtains at least 4-6 inches above the window frame.
The higher the curtain rod, the taller the window will appear, so fix your curtain rod closer to the ceiling than the top of your window, if you can. One rule of thumb is that they should sit 4-6 inches above the window frame.
As a minimum, curtains should be at least 2 inches taller than the window, in other words, there should be a gap of 2 inches between the window trim and the curtain rod. However, it's preferable that curtains are between 4 and 6 inches taller than the window.
It is important to consider the right paint finishes when choosing colors to make a small room look bigger as Helen Shaw, director of Benjamin Moore highlights. 'Lighter paint colors like off-whites, light neutrals, pales, and pastels give the illusion of larger, brighter rooms.
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.
Hanging Curtains High And Wide Will Brighten A Dark Room
Adjusting your curtain rod so that it's as high as possible and allows curtains to be pulled back from the window as much as possible is a great designer trick to make your spaces feel lighter and brighter!
Go with lighter curtains
Heavy curtains make the room feel dark when you want to lighten the room to make it feel brighter. Focus on the lighter curtain colors as well. A warm yellow or soft blue can help turn any room airier. You want your curtains to help spread light in your room while adding privacy.
A Cosier Room
Large windows can often make rooms seem and feel chilly, especially in winter (especially in the UK!). By allowing your curtains to go from the ceiling to the floor and covering the whole window (and a bit more), the room instantly feels cosier and snug. There are no gaps that cold air can flow through.
Except for ornate window frames you want to feature in the room, it's best to hang the curtain outside the window frame. Overshooting the window allows the fabric to hang without being cramped within a boxed-in frame.
The answer isn't necessarily intuitive, especially since most windows in a home don't extend all the way to the ground, but more often than not, curtains and drapes look best when they reach the floor.
Hanging your curtains at the ceiling may be the best choice if: You want to add space to the room. Of course, properly hanging your curtains cannot literally add space to your room. However, placing them near the ceiling can make the walls appear taller, creating the illusion of extra space.
Whilst floor-length curtains are usually the most popular option, your chosen curtain length really depends on the overall look and feel you want in a space, as well as where they are being hung in the home. Designers tend to agree that curtains that don't touch the floor are less common in contemporary homes.
Whether or not you should puddle the curtains at the bottom is really a matter of personal preference, but for the most aesthetically pleasing and appropriate look, curtains should run to the floor. If you choose to puddle, you'll want at least 3-4 inches of fabric or so to make the puddling appear deliberate.
'Our general rule is that curtains should "kiss" the floor,' they explain. 'This look always feels polished, classic, and modern which complements our aesthetic. ' Wovn Home is one of our favorite recent discoveries for buying curtains, drapes, blinds and other window treatments.
If your sofa is dark, match the curtains with another dark colour to keep the room feeling cosy, or choose a lighter shade to brighten it up. Similarly, if your sofa is light, choose a light colour for your curtains to keep that airy feeling, or a darker colour – perhaps in the same shade – to add some contrast.
Choosing between plain or patterned curtains comes down to your own personal style and the effect you want the curtains to have in a space. If you're looking for a way to bring in color, character and visual interest to a room, then patterned curtains can be a great option.
There's a belief that dark curtains can make a space appear smaller. This isn't necessarily true. The existing wall colour & colour palette of the room plays the significant role in how a room can visually appear larger or smaller. Dark & heavy curtains against dark walls may make the room appear to close in.