How to hang Curtains — Inside

Curtains and drapes have become more popular again over the last few years in home decor and style. Like any style, they ebb and flow through the years, but are usually slightly different with each comeback. I love adding curtains to a space because they help bring the feeling of “warm and cozy” and add color and texture to your walls. Curtains are often thought of as wall treatments as well as window treatments since they highlight that wall and help the eye move up the wall.

As I have worked with so many people doing furnishing like curtains I have realized so many people don’t know the standard of how curtains should hang. So I wanted to help you out and put all the information in one place for you to find.

So, let’s talk about how to hang curtains. If you have very high ceilings the curtain rod should be 2/3 the distance between the window and ceiling. If you have traditional 8-foot/9-foot ceilings it is better to hang as close to the ceiling as possible. The reason for this is that curtain rods create a harsh horizontal line. If it is too low or close to the window it will shorten the look of your wall. It brings the viewer’s eyes down, and will even make your window seem smaller. Hanging the rod higher brings the eye up, opens up the space, and gives a more grand, luxurious feeling to your home. Having your curtain rod too low to the window gives a cheap feel, even if you have spent a small fortune on the curtains.

The curtain rod should extend 8-12” (relative to the size of the window) beyond the window casting on either side. You want the curtains to not block any light when completely open, while still covering the edges of the window. This will give the illusion that your window is much bigger than it is. You also want the material of your curtains to be twice the length of your window opening. This will give the “fullness” feeling of the curtains when open, and have enough material to cover the windows when closed.

Curtains should just dust the floor, and continue all the way down to the floor, or a maximum of an inch above the floor. They should not stop at the bottom of the window sill. This, again, helps the space to feel more grand and luxurious. It allows the gaze to go upwards and doesn’t give that cheap feeling from short curtains. This is also why curtains are considered wall treatments. Since they cover the wall that they hang on completely. Curtains help your space to feel '“warm and cozy” by adding texture to the wall around.

Curtains are a great way to bring in color, texture, and design and invoke cozy feelings in a space. Please make sure you hang them correctly to also give the feeling of luxury and make sure you get your money’s worth out of them.