How to choose the length of the curtains? Learn the basic rules of measurement

MEASURE THE HEIGHT FROM THE CURTAIN ROD TO THE FLOOR / WINDOW SILL

How to choose the length of curtains – rule number one! The rule seems to be clear and simple, but many people order curtains before the curtain rod is installed and this is where the problem begins. When measuring the length of the curtains, we measure the distance from the curtain rod to the floor, and not from the ceiling to the floor. While it does not matter much in the case of a ceiling-mounted curtain track, by choosing a curtain rod, we can make a difference of even a dozen or several dozen centimeters, especially if we want to mount the bar right above the window, and not just below the ceiling. Therefore, the final length should be measured after installing the curtain rod.

When measuring the length of the curtain, we also take into account what the curtain will be hung on. Ring clips and hooks usually add 1 – 1.5 cm to the length. Particular attention should be paid when measuring, if we decide to use curtains with clip rings – in this case, the distance from the curtain rod to the clip on which the curtain will be attached is sometimes even 3.5 cm!

THE LENGTH OF THE CURTAINS VS THE WINDOWSILL

How to choose the length of the curtains when we choose curtains that will be touching the window sill? Curtains touching the window sill are still a popular option. When selecting sill length curtains, we also determine their length in relation to the distance from the curtain rod to the sill line. In this case, we can opt for three curtain lengths:

1. curtains reaching above the sill – a practical option especially for kitchens and children’s rooms, or simply places where we use the window sill surface every day
2. curtains reaching 10 cm below the sill – in this case, check if the curtain rod is attached at the appropriate height above the edge of the sill, otherwise the sill top will stick out from behind the curtains unsightly

WHAT IS THE “KISS THE FLOOR” EFFECT?

How to choose the length of the curtains taking into account the fabric reserve? Until recently, the reserve added to the length of the curtains was associated with elegant living rooms, straight from interior magazines, designed by the best architects in the world. Currently, the curtains that softly lie on the floor are already a standard that is chosen by ordinary people 😉

Unless we choose the kiss the floor option, i.e. curtains ending 1 cm above the floor and only grazing the ground, the length of the reserve is adjusted to our preferences and the type of fabric our curtains are made of.

How to choose the length of the curtains taking into account the reserve? The optimal reserve for the curtains softly laying on the floor is 5-8 cm. It is also a safe length that works well with both light curtain fabrics and heavy and thick curtains. With such a reserve, the fabric will fall softly on the floor, and we will avoid a cluttered look of the room.

When deciding on a large reserve , we can allow ourselves to add 15 to 25 cm to the length of the curtain. In this case, you should pay attention to the fabric from which the curtains are sewn. If it is soft and light, with a flowing character, such a reserve will look very good. Be careful with heavy and stiff curtains, which, when enlarged by 25 cm, may look very unsightly – they will make the window look heavy or look like redundant material lying under the sill.

When considering the reserve of the curtains length, it is also worth thinking about our pets. The soft fabric lying under the window ,through which the warm rays of the sun get in, may encourage dogs and cats to treat the beautiful fabric as another bed just in time for afternoon naps. Therefore, it is worth being careful and remember that the claws can catch on the material and break the curtain off the curtain rod.

SUMMARIZING:

• we measure the distance from the curtain rod to the floor or to the window sill
• in the case of sill length, subtract a few cm if they are to end above the sill or add 10 cm if they are to end below the sill
• in the case of floor length, it is acceptable to leave 1-2 cm of space between the fabric and the floor to achieve a kiss the floor effect
• the optimal reserve for the soft laying of the curtains on the floor is 5-8 cm
• the arrangement reserve is from 15 to 25 cm and depends on the type of fabric the curtain is made of