Buying and hanging curtains can be a daunting task. There are so many little things to think about in order to get that just-right end result. After recently hanging drapes in our bedroom, you guys sent a ton of questions my way. How high should I hang my curtains? How wide should my curtains be? What about curtain rods?
Today I’m answering your most commonly asked questions about curtains & drapes! Let’s get to it, starting with the question I get the most (and what gets messed up the most too!)… how high to hang curtains (post includes commissionable links; for more information, see my full disclosure statement {here}.
Quick Links
If you’re coming over from Instagram, here are quick links to the viral curtains I featured:
You can find the drapes in our guest room in standard sizes {HERE} (snow white color with 100% blackout lining, pinch pleat header) and in customizable sizes {HERE}
I used {these inexpensive curtain rods} with {these rings} in our guest room
You can find the acrylic curtain wands for opening and closing drapes {HERE}
Read on for helpful info on how high to hang your curtains, how long and wide they should be, and other curtain and curtain rod recommendations.
Note: I’m going to use the terms “curtains” and “drapes” interchangeably in this post – while historically there are differences between the two, the terms are often used interchangeably nowadays, and everything I talk about in today’s post applies to both 😉.
How High to Hang Curtains
Hang your curtains high and wide! Hanging your curtains higher makes your windows look larger, so don’t make the mistake of putting your rod only an inch or two above your window trim. Exactly how high should you hang your curtains? In most scenarios, it looks best to hang your curtain rod ½ to ⅔ of the distance between the top of your window trim and your ceiling (or crown molding, if you have it).
I’ll share a few examples. In the primary bedroom of our previous home, there was about 12″ of wall space between the top of the window and the crown molding. I hung our curtain rod about ⅔ of the way up:
Room sources: Gray nightstands | Camp stools | White table lamps (similar) | Semi flushmount light (available {here} and {here}) | Gray & white duvet – no longer available | Gray & white dragon/floral pillows | Quilt (Flagstone color) | Drapes | Diamond jute rug
In the living room of our current home, the distance between the window frame and crown molding is about 19″. Using the ½ – ⅔ rule, I should hang the rod between 9.5-12.5″ above the window frame. I ended up hanging my rod somewhere in the middle at about 11.5″ up:
Room sources: Rug | Curtains | Tripod lamp | Sectional sofa | Block print pillow | Light blue pillow
Why did I choose this exact height? It was the cheaper way to go! Hanging my rod right at 11.5″ allowed me to use standard 108″ long curtains instead of having to go with a custom length (which is significantly more expensive).
In our current bedroom, we have 9′ ceilings and tall windows that leave only about 7″ of wall space between the top of the window frame and the crown molding. Unfortunately, no matter where I placed my rod in that 7″ gap, none of the standard curtain length options were going to work so I knew I’d have to go with custom length curtains. I ended up putting my rod 4 inches above the window and ordering curtains that were just long enough to graze the carpet when hung at that height:
Room sources: Round blush lamps | Nightstands | Nightstand knobs | Upholstered bed (Zuma White fabric) | Duvet – no longer available | Gray quilt | Gray & white dragon pillows | White drapes – standard sizes {here}, custom sizes {here} | Floor lamp | Chandelier
You can see more pics of our bedroom in my recent post on bedroom lamps.
So now that we’re all on the same page about how high to hang curtains, let’s move on to…
Where to Shop for Curtains
I’ve spent as little as $25/curtain panel to over $200/panel on various curtains I’ve tried over the years. Spending more typically gets you a higher quality curtain, but there are good options out there for every budget. Here’s my good, better, and best for where to shop for curtains…
Good Curtains (Perfect for Smaller Budgets)
If you’re on a tight budget, IKEA’s RITVA curtains are an amazing value. They’re only available in a 57″ wide size, but you could always sew two or more panels together for wider windows. There are three length options (65″, 98″ and 118″) available at IKEA (you can find the 98″ long option on Amazon {here}). Most inexpensive curtains are rod pocket (which I’m not a fan of), so I love that the RITVA curtains can be hung through the tabs on the back or with rings and hooks. They’re not lined, so they aren’t going to look as substantial as more expensive lined drapes.
I haven’t used RITVA drapes before, but I did use their similar AINA drapes (which IKEA no longer carries) as closet curtains instead of doors and they wore and washed beautifully:
Better Curtains (My Go-To Options!)
One of my two favorite solid color curtains are {these Emery curtains} which are a linen/cotton blend and come in 8 color options. I’ve been using them for years and love the look and feel of them! Unlike most less expensive drapes, these are lined, and they have the option of additional blackout lining too.
I have the light filtering version in our living and dining rooms and the blackout version in our bedroom (and yes, they’re GOOD blackouts that keep the room nice & dark when closed). Our blackout lined curtains look like this from the back; they have a layer of regular lining as well as a layer of thick blackout lining:
Why is it so nice to have lined curtains? The lining not only helps with light control, but it also helps keep the fabric of your curtains from fading in the sun, makes them look more substantial, and helps them hang better too.
My other favorite option for moderately priced solid color curtains are {these lined TwoPages curtains}. They come in five width and five length options and several whites (including snow white which is a bright white and beige white which is a warmer white), there are TONS of other color options.
Note that both Pottery Barn’s Emery curtains and these TwoPages curtains are priced per individual panel.
Best Curtains (Custom!)
If money was no object, I’d have custom drapes made for every room in my house! You get to choose every detail – the fabric, the lining, the size, the style (ex. with or without pinch pleats) and the way they’ll be hung on the rod. Beautiful custom drapes can make a room feel truly special!
Two of my favorite custom curtain options are from brands we just talked about! Pottery Barn offers their Emery curtains in custom sizes {here}, including lengths up to 180″. Since none of their standard sizes fit the windows in our current bedroom, I ordered custom sized Emery curtains and have been really happy with them. They arrived on time, had high quality workmanship, and were very accurate in the requested sizing.
You can also get customizable TwoPages curtains made to your exact measurements {here}. You can choose the exact width, length, color, type of lining, header, and whether you want memory training. In our guest room, I have these custom curtains in snow white with 100% blackout lining, pinch pleat header, and memory training (which is what creates perfect folds when your curtains are stacked back from the window). I LOVE them!
Room sources: Beadboard bed (weathered white) | Round mirror (small) | Pinch pleat curtains in snow white | Embroidered stripe pillow shams | Embroidered stripe duvet cover | Blue and white block print pillows (similar) | White tassel pillow | Cane bench | Nightstands | White Lamps (similar)
Other great online sources for custom curtains include Lynn Chalk, Martha & Ash, and Pepper Home.
If you’re going to be ordering curtains, be sure to check out my post on how to measure for curtains so you get the sizing right!
Don’t Forget the Curtain Wands!
If your curtains are in a room where you’ll be opening and closing them on a daily basis, the oil from your hands will stain them over time. I love {these acrylic curtain wands} that you can use to open and shut your drapes without touching the fabric:
Because they’re acrylic and completely clear, when they’re not in use, they basically disappear, resting against the back of the drape:
What About Curtain Rods?
There are tons of curtain rod options out there! I typically go with super simple rods and let the curtains be the stars of the show. To make your windows appear wider and let in more light, choose curtain rods that extend between about 5-12″ (excluding finials) beyond the window trim on each side. This gives your curtains space to stack back without blocking much of the window when they’re open.
As an example of what a difference a longer curtain rod can make, here’s a pic of our dining room when we bought our house. The rod is only about 3″ wider than the window trim on each side:
Extending the rod several more inches allowed the drapes to be pulled back away from the window, letting in more light and making our windows appear larger):
(pardon the fact that our sectional is jammed back into the dining room – this was right after I de-decorated for the holidays when we move our sectional back this way to make room for the tree!)
Here are my good, better, best recommendations for curtain rods..
Good Curtain Rods (An Amazing Value!)
I have the longest length of {these inexpensive 1″ telescoping curtain rods} in our family and dining rooms and guest room and have been really happy with them! They include the finials, mounting bracket, and mounting hardware, so I only needed to buy the curtain rings (I used {these 1.5″ rings}). The sliding glass doors & windows that the rods cover are quite wide, and our rods span that entire length with a single center support and no sagging of the rod.
One thing I would change if I could is that the bracket hardware isn’t hidden like it is with pricier rods. I keep meaning to put a blob of black paint in the two bracket holes, which would make the lack of a bracket cover much less noticeable.
Quick Tip: Buy curtain rings that are ½″ larger in diameter than your rod.
Better Curtain Rods
It’s Pottery Barn for the win in the “better” category again! I love {these telescoping curtain rods} that come in 7 different finishes, 6 length options , and 2 diameter options. I have the 0.75″ rods in the antique bronze color, which I don’t think is the best color description because it’s more of a soft black than a bronze. They don’t come with finials, so you can choose the ones that best fit your style (I chose {these finials}). I didn’t love Pottery Barn’s curtain ring options, so went with {these inexpensive 1.25″ rings}.
I love that the hardware for the rod brackets is hidden, and for my particular use in our bedroom, it is key that they can be used with {these corner connectors}! The corner connectors are ideal for bay windows or other areas where your rod must angle (the connectors are hinged and can accommodate any angle). In our bedroom, I have a total of three rods (one long middle rod and two shorter rods on the ends) that are all connected together by two corner connectors.
Quick Tip: When choosing telescoping curtain rods, you’ll find that there’s some overlap in size options. Always size UP because your rod will be more stable. For example, if you want a 105″ rod, you could get either the large length (60-108″) or the extra large length (96-120″). The extra large would be the best choice!
Best Curtain Rods
I love that telescoping rods give you flexibility in sizing in case you’re not sure exactly how long you’ll want to extend your rods on the ends. But… there’s the dreaded hump! Curtain rings often get stuck at the joint where the two ends of a telescoping rod meet. For this reason, the best rods are non-telescoping rods that are either one long, uniform rod or two rods of the same diameter that are joined together with internal rod connectors. These are typically custom cut to fit the size of your window.
Note: I tested out the two most common solutions to smooth the transition on telescoping rods. See my post about curtains that get stuck on a telescoping rod for a simple fix!
Often the best place to shop for long, one-piece rods is a local drapery store since long rods are difficult to ship. But there are some online options for custom sized rods that ship to your house including LillyMax Decor where you can order a custom sized rod in four finishes and two diameter options {here} and get coordinating brackets, finials, and rings {here}.
You could also choose acrylic curtain rods for a more glam look like these that I had in our home office:
Check out my post on acrylic curtain rods for all the details!
How Long Should My Curtains Be?
We already know that the length of your curtains is going to depend on the height that you hang your curtain rod. But it’s also going to depend on HOW you hang your curtains on that rod (rod pocket, rings, back tabs, etc.) and where you want them to fall in relation to the floor. You’ve probably guessed by now that I like mine to skim the floor or just be ½″ above it. Others prefer them to puddle on the floor. Any of those options is fine – it’s simply a matter of personal preference!
One look that I’d caution you to think twice about is having drapes that are several inches off the floor, giving a high water look:
If there’s a reason your drapes can’t extend to the floor (for example, if you have an electric heater there), I’d rather see blinds or shades on the window instead of installing high-water drapes.
To determine the length of your new curtains, measure from the top of the rod down to the floor. Use this as your starting point measurement. Then adjust this measurement based on (1) where you want your drapes to end:
- Add 2-6″ in length if you want your drapes to puddle on the floor
- Subtract ½-1″ if you want your drape to be fully off the floor instead of skimming it
and (2) how your drapes will be hung:
- Add roughly 1-2″ for rod pocket & grommet curtains (use the exact measurement from the top of the curtain panel to the top of the rod pocket/grommet if you know that)
- Subtract roughly 1-2″ if hanging on rings (use the exact measurement from the top of the rod to the bottom of the ring if you know that)
Hopefully you’ll find that you’re within a few inches of one of the standard curtain lengths (84″, 96″, or 108″) and can alter the planned height of your curtain rod just a smidge to make it work. Always err on the side of longer if you’re unsure! You can hem your drapes if they’re too long, but there isn’t as easy a solution if they’re too short.
If you’re installing a new rod along with new curtains, wait to install the rod until AFTER you have your curtains. The easiest way to be certain about your rod height is to actually put your curtains on the rod, have someone on each end hold the rod up to the height you intend to install it, and adjust as needed.
Also, if you are buying curtains that you plan to occasionally wash in the washing machine, wash them before installation because they can shrink. Also be sure to iron or steam your drapes before hanging them – your drapes can easily be an inch or two longer once they’re wrinkle-free!
Now let’s talk about curtain width…
How Wide Should My Curtains Be?
Base the width of your curtains on the size of the window that they’re covering. A good rule of thumb is for the total width of your pair of curtains to be 1.5 – 2.5 times the width of the window they’re covering. So for example, if your window is 48″ wide, your pair of curtains should be a total of 72-120″ wide (meaning each curtain panel should be 36-60″). Err toward 2-2.5 times width if you like fuller curtains (fuller is my preference!) AND you have room to stack them back on the side of the window so that they’re not covering too much of the glass.
Revisiting our living room drapes, there’s only 10″ between where my slider glass ends and our bookcase begins:
While I love full drapes, if I went with drapes that were 2-2.5 times the width of our glass sliders, they’d be covering quite a bit of the glass due to the limited room to stack them back. So in this case, I went with curtains that are only 1.5 times the width of our glass sliders.
Phew… are you still there?! Believe it or not, there were more curtain & drape-related questions that you guys had, but this post is already CRAZY long! I’ll tackle those in a later post (I need to take a curtain break for a few weeks 😂). So if you have any questions you want answered during round 2 of curtain details, let me know!
Also, I just added a cool new service to my site to help you save posts that you want to be able to easily find at a later date (like this one!). You simply click the heart that you should see on the right-hand side and go from there! Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
