Stop Hanging Your Curtains Too Low
Want to make your windows look bigger and your ceilings feel taller? One of the easiest designer tricks doesn’t require changing your windows at all. Hang your curtains higher. We frequently see curtain rods installed just a few inches above the window casing. While that’s technically functional, it visually emphasizes the actual size of the window. Instead, we like to use drapery to create the illusion of a larger window. Whenever the room allows, take the curtain rod higher—often several inches below the ceiling or crown molding. Then extend the rod approximately 8–12 inches beyond each side of the window. Why wider? Because when the curtains are open, you want most of the fabric sitting beside the window rather than covering the glass. That exposes more of the window, brings in more natural light, and visually makes the entire window appear larger.
And Please, Don’t Forget the Length
Curtains should generally reach the floor. We prefer panels that either gently kiss the floor or hover just above it. Curtains ending several inches above the floor can visually shorten a room and make otherwise beautiful drapery feel unfinished.
Don’t Skimp on Fullness
Your panels should also have enough fabric to look full and luxurious. As a general guideline, the combined width of your curtain panels should be roughly two to two-and-a-half times the width you’re covering. Beautiful drapery isn’t just something you put over a window. It’s an architectural element that can completely change the proportions of a room.
Go higher. Go wider. Go fuller.
It’s one of those small changes that can make your home look dramatically more polished.
