Tall and Long

Even the humblest draperies can benefit from two key rules: In almost every scenario, the best place to hang a drapery is at the ceiling line — either right at the ceiling or just below a bulkhead or molding — and stretching down to the floor.

This gives the longest possible appearance, which can make small spaces look larger and large spaces look grand.

Whether the window is high or low, big or small, or even an odd shape, two simple floor-to-ceiling panels flanking it will clean up the look perfectly — especially when shut.

Having the curtains hit just at the floor (or about one-quarter inch above) is the most common contemporary look, but you can get a charming, romantic effect by letting them pool slightly on the floor.

In this case, let about 1 to 2 inches of material hit the floor to create a bit of buckling. Just be sure to keep the floor free of debris so that your curtains don’t turn into a dust broom.

Straight Across

Using pairs of panels on one long curtain rod or track is usually the most polished option, even for complex sets of windows, such as a bay window, or a wall with windows and patio doors.

In this example, a bay window with a bench is draped straight across like one large window. The curtains can be drawn closed on movie night or pulled wide open on a sunny day without the fuss and expense of covering each window with its own short curtain.

Here, each door has its own set of curtains so that they’re independently accessible, but they’re hung straight across from one continuous curtain rod, which keeps the look organized.

In this bedroom, the windows sit at different heights. With the matching sets of full-length curtains running crisply across one bar, you don’t really notice the change in the unusually high middle section.

In general, breezy off-white sheer curtains are a great way to cover any size, shape or number of windows, letting light filter in without weighing down the room.

However, solid curtains also can look fantastic wall to wall, especially if you layer furniture in front of them. You can even layer art or a mirror on them for added interest by including a slit in the curtain to allow a point of attachment back to the wall.

Keep in mind that if you choose a dark color for wall-to-wall drapes, you’ll want to balance them with a dark object on the opposite side of the room. When in doubt, a light or midtone material will appear less heavy.

Fullness and Stacking

It’s important to remember that the literal width of a set of curtain panels shouldn’t simply equal the width of the curtain rod. This is for two important reasons: fullness and stacking.

Fullness refers to the fabric width needed to give the curtains a pleasant, natural wave (rather than trying to have them stretch tautly and awkwardly across a wall when closed).

Typical fullness for curtain width is 2½ times the rod width. Tripling the rod width is a more luxurious option, especially for thinner, flexible fabrics like sheers.

Stacking refers to the bunching up of curtains as they’re drawn open — all that folded fabric can squeeze together only so tightly and will still take up significant space on the rod when the curtains are open. This means that if you want a curtain to open fully and uncover a window completely, the rod or track will need extra length at the end to allow the curtain to “stack” out of the way of the window.

The exact stacking space required will vary greatly with material thickness and flexibility, so it’s best to consult an expert. However, as a general rule, a light, unlined curtain will require 10 to 15 percent of the panel width to stack, while a heavier, lined drape will need 20 to 25 percent.

Therefore, if you want your drape to open wide enough to reveal the whole window, the rod or track should be this percentage wider than the window itself.

A Note on Stacking

Besides taking up space, the stacking of patterned curtains can dramatically change their look from how they appear when drawn shut. When selecting a fabric, try to get your hands on a sizable sample so that you can see how the material looks folded. This will give you a much more accurate idea of how the curtains will look installed.

Notice how the curtain in this room goes from looking like a series of circles when shut to looking like perfect stripes when stacked. This can be quite a surprising change.

DIY for the Perfect Fit

Homes often have a fairly standard 8-foot ceiling height, so it can be possible to find a curtain in the appropriate length right out of a package (or with just a little hemming) without needing to go fully custom.

When this isn’t the case, a great DIY option can be to create color-blocked curtains by choosing a curtain in two or more colors (usually best in the same material) and attaching a strip cut from one package to the end of another. 

Confident sewers can use this method to turn packaged curtains into a fun and elegant look that fits their windows perfectly.