Curtains are a design element that can complement any room. They can add texture, warmth, and elegance to a room. Learning how to measure for them is an important part to complete the look for the windows in your space.
The first thing I did in our primary bedroom was figure out where I wanted to hang the rod. I wanted an elegant floor to ceiling look. I was going for that hotel vibe. We have 12 foot ceilings with a tray ceiling above that to make the room 13 ft. There is crown moulding also. So we, and when I say we I really mean my husband, hung the track right below the moulding. To hang the curtains we used a track set that can be found here: https://amzn.to/3RSTefE. It was fairly easy to install, and handled the weight of our velvet curtains with no problem at all! We did hang the brackets on studs. That is a must, especially when hanging heavy fabric like velvet. We got our custom curtains from https://www.homerilla.com/products/vol-velvet-drapery-pleat?variant=42841299910846Vol. They are triple french pleat and have a blackout liner.
Use 'CARL18' for an 18% discount off your order!
If you don't want that floor to ceiling look, choose a spot 12 to 14 inches above the top of the window to mount your curtain rod. To obtain the width of curtains rule of thumb is the make sure they are 1.5x the width of your window to get that look of fullness. Also, note that the higher up you mount the rod or track set the taller your walls will look.
For reference, my window measures 160 inches in width and my custom order curtains are 140 in length and 86 for width for each panel, and I have two panels. I only went with 6 inches longer on each side. That was the look I personally was going for. I do not have enough space on each side of my window to do 1.5x. And I love how it turned out!
Next, to determine you length you also need to figure out the look you want when your curtains hit the floor. These are the common choices:
*Kiss: when the curtain barely touches the floor. To measure for this use the exact distance from rod to floor.
*Float: when the bottom of the curtain floats just above the floor. To measure for this subtract 3/8 to 1/2 inches from your rod.
*Puddle: when curtains are purposely left longer to puddle on the floor. This is considered a more formal look. A standard puddle is achieved by adding at least 6 to 16 inches of fabric to the overall length, but there are varying degrees of puddling, so choose what you like best. I went with a slight break in my puddle as you can see here.
There is no right or wrong way to hang your curtains, it just depends on the look you are trying to achieve. Some questions to ask yourself before you begin:
Do you want a lightweight or heavy fabric?
Do you want a blackout liner?
Do you want your walls to appear taller?
Where do you want your curtain to hit the floor at?
Do you want a casual or elegant look?
Will your curtains mainly stay open or closed?
I hope all these tips help for your next curtain hanging adventure! Happy curtain shopping!
~Carla
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