We have done a bunch of curtain projects over the years and gained a lot of learning through the process. While we try and help all our customers on the nuances of hanging curtains when they visit our stores or whey they get in touch with us online, having a blog on the basics and some more tips and tricks on hanging curtains will make all our lives easier ? Yes some of them may sound basic, some of the info make make you go “Ah.. I haven’t thought about it, its that simple”, I assure, if you use this information carefully you might be able to make your home stand out and make your interior more cohesive. I hope this blog will be quite useful when you are giving your space a makeover or moving into your new home. Alright lets dive deep and do let me know in comments if you want me to address any other questions you might have on curtains and how to hang them. This topic is quite a vast one, so I plan to cover this in three or four parts. In Part 1 we cover the basics of how to measure the width and length and how to drill your rods.
“Curtains are no longer an utility, it’s a style statement”
Anonymous
What is the ideal no. of curtains for my window?
Measure the length of your rod using an inch tape. If you do not have the rods installed, add about 4 to 6 inches on each side. Now, you will need the width of the curtain to be double that of the number you have now.
For example: If your rod is 56” long. Now you will need curtain of width 112” (56*2). Most of our curtains are 60” wide, so you will need 2 curtains for this window.
Rule of thumb = Combined Curtain width should be double that of the rod.
So why do we do this, you may think the width of the widow is 56”, one curtain is 60”. Isn’t one enough? If you hang just one curtain, you will end up stretching it out fully, they will look flat with no gathering. This does not give a clean look. Curtains look crisp when they have gatherings, more the gatherings, the grander it looks.
The Length
Window length: If you want to hang window length curtains for a window, Measure from the top of the rod to the bottom of the window, add 6 to 8 inches to it. This will give you the length for your window length curtain. Now window length is not ideally recommended unless there is space constraint or there is a shelf or seat just below the window.
Floor length: Its now very common and recommended to hang floor length curtains even on your window to give the complete and grand look.
Measure from the top of the rod to the bottom of the floor, This will give a crisp look, the curtain will be about 1 inch above the ground. If you want the curtain to touch the floor, then add 2 to 3 inches (this will give a designer look and hide uneven floor surfaces, fondly called kiss the floor look ;)), If you want the curtain to puddle on the floor for a grand look, then add 4 to 6” .
Where do drill the rods?
Option 1 : Its ideal to have your rod fixed as close to the ceiling as possible or at least halfway between the window top and the ceiling. Coming to the sides, its ideal to have the rods fixed about 10” to 12” from the side of the window. This gives an illusion of a large window and a luxurious look, looks good on large and open spaces. Now, most of the guideline on internet will tell you this is the best and you should always do this. But I generally prefer this style for large spaces as opposed to smaller rooms. Given the Indian context and small spaces and sometimes we may not have enough room at one side of the window. I hence prefer to the next option when there is not enough room.
Option 2 : If you think its too much for the space (smaller rooms) or you have ACs above the window or you don’t have space along the width (like its positioned next to a wall) its ideal to have your rods fixed about 4 to 6 inches above and besides the window. This has stability and at the same time will make your windows look large at the same time not taking up too much space.
Don’t : Never drill the rod right above the window or right outside the width of the window with only an inch or two gap because, the rods don’t have much stability and may not take the weights of the curtains. Seconldy, it makes the window look cramped and tiny.
Tip : Always get the rods done first and then do the measurements. And always carry the measurements with you when you go curtain shopping ?
I should mention, there is no absolute right or wrong in any of this, it all depends on your personality, the available space and resources and the overall look you are going for. We have attempted a vlog too on this topic. Click the link below to view it in youtube. Part 2 and 3 will be released shortly. Stay tuned…
