How to Choose and Hang Curtains

Curtains hung correctly can add a foot of apparent height to a room. Hung badly they make the window look like it is wearing something too small.

Hang high and wide

• Mount the rod 4 to 6 in above the window frame, or higher still, up to 2 in below the ceiling or cornice, for the tallest effect
• Extend the rod 8 to 12 in beyond each side of the frame so open curtains sit off the glass and let all the daylight in
• On a very wide window, 6 in each side is enough

Choose a length

• Floating: hem 1/2 in above the floor. Crispest and easiest to vacuum under. Best for anything you open daily.
• Kissing: hem just brushing the floor. The tailored look, needs accurate measuring.
• Breaking: 1 to 2 in of fabric resting on the floor, a soft gentle fold. Relaxed and forgiving.
• Puddling: 6 to 16 in pooling. Formal and dramatic, gathers dust, use only in low traffic rooms.

Sill length or apron length curtains suit a kitchen window or a window above a radiator, and nowhere else if you can help it.

Get the fullness right

Total curtain width should be 2 to 2.5 times the width of the area the rod covers. So a 60 in span wants 120 to 150 in of total curtain, usually two panels of 60 to 75 in each. Anything under 1.5 times looks flat and stretched even when closed. This is the detail most people skip and it is why shop displays look better than home windows.

Measure before you buy

Decide the rod position first, then measure from the rod to the floor. Measure at both sides and the centre, because floors are rarely level, and work to the shortest of the three.

Pick the lining for the job

• Unlined: light, airy, lets colour glow, offers little privacy at night
• Lined: better drape, longer life, moderate light control
• Blackout: for bedrooms, shift workers and nurseries. Needs the wide rod extension above or light leaks around the edges.
• Thermal: helps with drafts and heat loss on a cold single glazed window

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