How To Hang Curtains When The Window Is At The Top Of The Wall

Rookie Mistakes: a series of common decor mistakes fabricated by rookies… aka us. And no we are not judging because we take made (and continue to brand) these mistakes too!

Rookie Error #1: Burrow Pillows
Rookie Error #2: Shower Curtains
Rookie Mistake #3: Generic Home Decor
Rookie Error #four: Carnations
Rookie Error #v: Decorating with Pic Frames
Rookie Mistake #6: Shop First, Plan Second
Rookie Mistake #7: Hanging Curtains
Rookie Mistake #8: Matching Furniture
Rookie Mistake #ix: Over-the-door Hooks & Mirrors
Rookie Mistake #10: Hanging Wall Fine art
Rookie Mistake #xi: Buying the Wrong Size Rug
Rookie Mistake #12: Fireplace Mantel Decorating
Rookie Mistake #13: Displaying Throw Blankets
Rookie Mistake #xiv: Countertop Ataxia
Rookie Mistake #15: Rules for Lighting
Rookie Fault #sixteen: Not So Hush-hush Storage
Rookie Mistake #17: Too Many Quotes
Rookie Mistake #18: Calibration & Proportion

Remember the Rookie Mistakes series is a NO JUDGEMENT ZONE. We've both made ALL of these decorating mistakes in our own homes, and simply want you to larn from u.s. so you can make your home wait amazing without having to make the mistakes we did!

Rookie Mistake – Hanging Curtains

Hanging curtains at the right height. It's easy to hang them too low, so follow our tips to hang curtains the right way!

So let's conversation about this very common mistake and ane I have been making upwards until very recently. My office- but those curtains! Hanging curtains the incorrect way!

Here'south what my office/getting ready room looked like up until a few weeks agone. Groovy, right? I really honey this setup and spend a lot of fourth dimension in here since I do my makeup at that vanity each morn. Plus, I employ the closet in this room so I pretty much spend every morning correct in here. Fifty-fifty in this infinite that I honey (and use a lot), I was making a large rookie error. Notice the curtains.

How to Hang Curtains the Incorrect Style

It's not their colour or style, but actually, the length of these curtains that is ALL Incorrect. I bought these curtains and rod from HomeGoods a while back and nevertheless dear the color just didn't realize that these 40 defunction even so weren't long enough.

In all honesty, they don't expect awful (I've seen worse) but curtains can really aid a window look and feel larger than information technology actually is and these curtains were non doing that at all. These old curtains were style too short and they weren't hung broad or loftier plenty on the window. #rookiemistake
I love all the elements of this room, just need to step up my curtain game

I was embarrassed about them since I realized what I did wrong, which was pretty much immediately, and finally got around to swapping them out for curtains that were long enough and wide enough. And can you believe what a big difference that simple modify made to this space?

Getting the right sized curtains makes the window look and feel a lot bigger than it did before, which makes the whole room feel bigger. Plus, the whole room is even brighter now since the open curtains don't obstruct as much of the window as the old ones did.

How to Hang Curtains the Right Way

We partnered with Zillow to create a detailed step-by-footstep tutorial on how to hang defunction here, only today on the DIY Playbook we wanted to discuss where to hang your curtains so they're the right height… and so you can avert the same rookie error I made.

Rookie mistake- be sure to hang the rod well above the window Well, showtime of all, you desire to hang the curtains a lot wider and a lot higher than the actual window. This mode the window will appear larger than information technology is and the ceiling will appear taller than it really is.

How wide should the pall rod be hung?

Before you even effigy out how long the curtains should be, you'll have to figure out where to hang the rod. We chose to hang this rod at least one foot, or 12 inches, exterior of the window (on both sides). We recommend this number on pretty much whatsoever window because this volition allow the curtains to drape down without interfering with the lite of the window.

If you look back to my first set of defunction, you'll notice that the curtains didn't accept enough room to expand on the rod and actually stayed bunched up considering the rod was not long plenty. A longer rod will eliminate this trouble and brand your window appear larger.
Adjusting the height of the rod makes the windows, and room, appear taller Some other thing to notice is where the mounting hardware is hung in relation to the rod/defunction. After your rod is mounted, add ane drape clip (we used these ones) to the outside of the hardware and take the remaining curtain clips on the inside (or window side) of this rod. This will foreclose the curtain from existence pulled all the manner to the middle of the window and will keep a nice even await when they're fatigued airtight.

How high should the rod be?

The rod's height is probably the best way to add visual height to your infinite and make the ceiling appear higher than it is. Instead of hanging the rod correct above the window's casing (like I did the first time), the rod should be hung much higher than the window… almost to the ceiling really. The office, again

This rod tin actually exist hung even higher than this i if you wish. We measured about 6 inches from the ceiling only anywhere from two-6 inches is perfect.

But a contrasting color is a great accent

The higher and wider rod makes such a difference in this infinite and I'grand then glad I inverse it. And looking back, I should have chosen a black rod from the very first.

Fun Fact: Casey read somewhere that a curtain rod is the "eyeliner" of the room because it adds merely a pop of blackness, which is just plenty to highlight the window and everything else in the room. So even though I don't have a ton of black in this room, I'm so happy I chose the black rod this fourth dimension effectually. We went with this unproblematic black rod from Lowe's. Curtains hung right

How long should the defunction exist?

Once you hang your mantle rod, or at least figure out where information technology will exist hung, then you tin can figure out how tall your curtains should be. Please learn from my rookie mistake and exercise not choose defunction that look similar overflowing pants! Nosotros purchased these defunction from Ikea in 118″ so they were extra long. We love the "just kissing the floor" await, but some people prefer a little bit of a "puddling" on the floor. This means that they're a flake long (ane-2 inches) and hitting the floor. Either fashion, you don't want to be too brusk! This may hateful that you need to go extra long curtains, but that's okay because we have an piece of cake way to hem them.

Which brings usa to…

How do I hem curtains?

Again, look how great these look- so long and classy Unfortunately, not all curtains will come up the exact length that y'all need them (boo!). So you may demand to hem them so they are the perfect top for your space. If that'due south the example, you tin can get them hemmed at a local cleaners OR DIY them… nosotros've tried both options. A dry cleaner is obviously a lot more than user-friendly just it tin likewise be expensive AND having to figure out the length prior to hanging them can create a margin of mistake. The DIY selection is time-consuming but it is a lot more cost-effective. The nifty news though is that you lot don't demand to know how to sew to hem your own defunction. Cheque out this tutorial for no-stitch hemming!
A simple guide to hanging curtains Updated curtains and rod in the office Once yous have your high and wide (black) curtain rod with the extra long curtains, your windows volition magically appear much larger than they did before. In this graphic, the window sizes are actually the EXACT same. But isn't it crazy that they appear to exist different considering of the rod/curtain placement?! Information technology's insane what a deviation curtains can make… particularly when you lot do information technology right. Hopefully, you can learn from my mistake & practice information technology the right way from the commencement.