How to Calculate the Right Measurements for Hanging Curtains
Before you start hanging curtains, make sure the panels are wide enough to cover your home’s windows. You don’t want to be rudely awakened by a beam of sunlight that the curtains don’t block, so measure your window dimensions before purchasing or making your curtains. The total width of your curtain panels should add up to about two times the window’s width. Choosing the correct curtain length for your windows is also important. Besides looking awkward, too-small curtains visually shorten your space, making ceilings appear lower. Too-small curtains also make the room look smaller overall. Curtains that drag on the floor could pose a tripping hazard and collect dust more easily. For the ideal middle ground, curtains should hover just above the floor. To find the right curtain length, measure from the floor to where you’ll hang the rod (usually 4 to 6 inches above the window frame). Otherwise, hanging the curtain rod just below the ceiling is a simple design trick that makes your ceilings appear taller. Curtains come in standard lengths like 63, 84, and 96 inches. Choose one closest to your measurement, erring on the side of a few inches longer than shorter. Additionally, be sure to choose a curtain rod that’s wider than your window. This allows curtains to be pulled completely to the side of the window and makes the space feel larger. The rod itself should be 8 to 12 inches longer than the window’s width, which allows for 4 to 6 inches on either side. Using a pencil and tape measure, mark the desired position of your curtain brackets, so the rod is about 4 to 6 inches above your window frame, making sure the curtains will slightly brush the floor or hover just above it. The curtain brackets should be placed about 6 inches from the outside edge of the window frame to allow plenty of natural light. Place curtains on the rod. Thread the rod through the openings if your curtains have large grommets or eye holes. Otherwise, attach the panels to the rod with curtain rings or clips ($10, Target). Then set the rod into the brackets to hang the curtains.
