Curtains can really add the finishing touches to a room – making them as important to the final look as other elements of your interior décor. Correctly placed curtains can completely transform a regular, plain window into a true focal point of the home.
However, fitting the curtains so that they hang perfectly can be quite tricky, and so there are a few things to bear in mind. Here are our 5 key tips:
Hang them up high
This will create the illusion of height, making the room feel taller and more open. With most windows, the pole or valance should ideally be hung a minimum of 4 inches and a maximum of 12 inches above the top of the window. If you hang them too low, it can change the overall impact. So even if you are on a budget when it comes to the curtains themselves, by doing this it will add a more ‘expensive’ finish.
Extend the curtain rod further than the width of the window
A common mistake many people make is to install the pole at the exact width as the window frame. However, what you really need to do is extend the pole at least three inches outside each side of the frame. This gives the impression that the window is larger, and will look far better to see more of the glass – as opposed to a squashed in curtain! Hanging the curtain outside the window frame also prevents shadows on the sides of the window.
Press or steam your curtains
There is no point in putting in the time and effort on the above if the curtains themselves don’t look pristine. Pressing or steaming curtains can eliminate any creases or wrinkles.
Leave room underneath the curtains for cleaning
The ideal curtain length is about half an inch above the floor for free hanging curtains. This makes cleaning underneath a great deal easier but also creates the illusion that the curtain just touches the floor.
Add a skirt of fabric to short curtains
If your curtain panel is too short, a handy tip is to add a width of fabric at the bottom. You can get creative here with colour and design. This is a good way of bringing a bit of individuality and personality to your curtains, as the fabric can be a solid colour, or it can have a pattern that compliments the curtain fabric. It can also incorporate texture for extra visual interest. To add fabric to the hem of a curtain without using a sewing machine, iron some fabric fusion between the two fabrics. This will bind them together neatly.
We hope you have found these tips helpful! And of course, for any and all window enquiries please contact us here.