If you're a follower of Feng shui (or a fan of fictitious '90s decorator Duarto Feliz), you believe that the windows of a home represent its eyes, and should be dressed accordingly. I don't know about that, but as a designer I do know that there's precious little that makes my heart sing like a pair of beautifully-hung curtains.
Yes, the way your curtains are hung can make a huge difference in making your home feel bright and spacious. And during these dark winter days, we could all use a little help! How to do this? By using every spare bit of wall space above and around your windows.
1. The first bit of the equation is simple: hang the curtains as high as you can above the window frame. Sure, they'll be longer and you'll spend a bit more on fabric, but the added length will pay dividends in perceived ceiling height.
2. When measuring for curtains, it's important to consider how they'll look when stacked (ie. opened), and order the widths and poles accordingly. Ideally, a set of stacked curtains will just cover the window frame but none of the glass. This makes the most of the available light, and gives the impression of wider windows. Depending on the weight of your curtains and the type of pleating, you'll need a good 8-15 extra inches of curtain rod on either side of the window.
Of course, there are instances when these tips won't work: when wall area is at a premium, or when furniture, radiators or other walls intrude on that prime stacking space. But for the most part, keeping the rod high and the curtains wide can increase the sense of light and space in a room immensely.
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Comments (13)
This reminds me, I really need to re-hang my curtains. They were not done correctly and it bugs me constantly.
I want that wall color, shown behind the pink curtains, what a great combination with the pink.
What a timely post! I purchased new living room curtains last weekend, & this weekend I hope to purchase curtain hardware so that I can hang them. While I'm at it, I guess I'll be re-hanging my bedroom curtains ... they were not hung properly.
Thank you for this post! I really have been struggling with how to hang curtains in my house.
I am not an interior designer nor very "hip to the beat" but in the past ten or so years I have noticed something where drapes are concerned that I do not understand. Is it currently "in vogue" to have drapes be about 12 inches longer than the window they are covering,sagging and gathering unceremoniously in a small lump at the base of the drape on the floor? Thank you to anyone who can illuminate this for me.
@G speaks, Yes, it's called puddling. It's done with curtains that aren't meant to be opened and closed. It's fashionable, but I won't do it because it adds unnecessary housework. Besides, I don't like the way it looks.
I've been hunting for advice on hanging curtains since we just bought our first home and I refuse to get behind hanging the curtains basically on the ceiling. In the picture above, the window on the left just looks better with the curtains right above the window. The one on the right just makes the windows look smaller, like the windows shrunk once the curtains were hung.
I did just the guest room in blinds, shades, and generously spaced curtains, like the contributor recommends, for maximum light blockage. My husband says that elsewhere hanging curtains that way would throw off the scale, making our rooms seem even smaller. He prefers just inside-mounted blinds and shades, which is how the other rooms are done. They're fine, too, except for the living room picture window and the dining room French doors. Those are low enough for our dogs to batter for a better view. We debate adding curtains, even shutters, just to the picture window and French doors.
JC Penney has a great guide for measuring and choosing drapery. Usually it is in their window treatment catalog, which can be picked up in the window section of their store. Drapes can get really expensive when you're doing a whole house and their guide really helped me a lot.
@G speaks, it was fashionable for awhile, I think it's fallen way out of fashion because most of us don't have maids to keep the drapes clean by removing the dust bunnies and pet hair. My drapes have come with me for every move, and they needed to be lengthened for this house, I did that with a removable bottom panel that can be removed monthly (or more frequently) for laundering. It's amazing how much your pets just brushing up against drapery will leave fur stuck in the fabric.
what an enlightening tip - thanks elanor!
When we first moved into our apt., we bought cheap panels to hang over/in front of our balcony door--the only source of light into our living room/dining area/kitchen. Of course, the door/window takes up an entire wall. So I decided to wash the panels to get rid of the creases. I remember specifically telling husband not to put them in the dryer. They were cheap, surely they would shrink. So I left two out to air dry and he decided to put the other two to dry. Lo and behold, we ended up with different length panels--all four of them! We hung them anyway. If you pay attention to the panels, you'll notice their different lengths. It's so comical to look at!
However, I always keep the panels pulled open. On the right, I have two panels pulled behind the curtain holds. The third one is stacked on its own off center behind an armless chair. The fourt is pulled open on the left hand side. The only time I ever pulled them closed is when my sister sleeps over and she decides to sleep on the couch instead of on the futon in the office-studio-library room.
Love JCP! Thanks, Clampers!