If You Hang Curtains This Way, Your Home Will Look Magazine-Worthy!
Curtains are one of those decor elements that instantly soften up the look of a space but are easily one of the most challenging elements to nail. If you have ever felt overwhelmed about hanging curtains in your home, I totally empathize with you. As a new homeowner myself I have made enough costly design mistakes to learn the art of curtain hanging the right way!
There are just so many do’s and don’ts of hanging curtains, making this project feel like a herculean task! As the most dominating feature in a space, curtains are not a forgiving decor element. Meaning if you get it wrong, there is no other way but to replace it. They will rarely fade into the background.
One day I sat down and developed a handy-guide for myself to refer to, every time I had to hang curtains for a window treatments. In this blog post, I am sharing that guide with all of you! I promise you this is a fool-proof guide that will ensure you get the designer look in your home, making it magazine-worthy!
Step 1: Measure 4” - 6” Above The Window Trim.
Always remember, the curtain rod should be hung above the window trim. Hanging it on the window trim or below the window trim makes the entire look fall apart and does not add the elegance that we are aiming for.
Go 4”-6” above the window trim of the window where you want to hang the curtains and mark it. This is where your curtain rod will go. The higher the ceiling, the closer you should be to 6”. If your ceilings are too high and 6” is still far away from the ceiling, you may stretch it up to 8”-10”.
The only exception to this rule is if you don’t have a lot of space between the window trim and the ceiling or there is a window immediately above it (common in homes with double ceiling height). In that case, don’t worry about going 4”-6” above the trim but make sure you’re still hanging the curtain rod above the window trim, and not on it.
Step 2: Go 8”-12” Left & Right From Each Side Of The Window Trim And Measure End-to-end.
From the edge of the window trim, go 8”- 12” on either side, left and right, and mark it. If you now measure the entire length from end-to-end between these two points, you’ve got the width of the curtain rod!
Don’t worry if your window is narrow and the length of the curtain rod is seeming too wide. Curtains are one of the easiest ways to make a room feel larger than it is. By extending the width of the curtain rod beyond the actual window length, it gives an illusion of a bigger room when the curtains are hung.
Related: 8 Common Curtain Mistakes To Avoid
Step 3: Measure The Height From The Curtain Rod To The Floor.
One of the most common mistakes people make when hanging curtains is that the curtains are often too short. The trick to getting the height of the curtains right is to make sure they kiss the floor and are not too high up from the floor, as if you’re expecting a flood! (Reference: Interior Design Handbook). On the other hand, you also need to make sure they're not too long for the window and are now sweeping the floor!
To get the curtain height correctly, measure vertically from the curtain rod point we marked in Step 1 above, to the floor. This is the height of the curtain you want to shop for.
Step 4: Measure The Distance From The Edge To The Center Of The Window.
Another very common mistake seen in a lot of homes is curtains that are too narrow for the window. You may have purchased curtains the same width as the window but if they look like a flat sheet when drawn, it’s an eye-sore!
The reason why curtains add the elegance to a space are because of the natural folds (called pleats) that bring the softness to a design. Curtains that are too narrow for a window when drawn lack the pleats and ruin the look of the room.
If you don’t know yet, 1 panel of curtain means 1 curtain. Typically for a window we need 2 panels, one on each side.
Measure the window's width from the edge to its center and double that measurement. This gives you the width needed for one curtain panel. You want to shop for 2 such panels. This way, the curtain carries the pleats and folds along with it even when its drawn, adding the softness we’re aiming for.
There you have it! Perfectly hung curtains that are not too narrow, not too short, make the room feel elegant, soft, complete and chic. Bookmark or pin this post to your board for quick reference for the next time you do your window treatments.
