How Long Should Curtains Be? Floor-length is the way to go, unless there’s a radiator or a deep sill in the way. Ready-made panels are available in lengths from 63 to 144 inches. Measure from the floor to where you’ll hang the rod, then round up. You can always have the dry cleaner hem them a bit if needed. You’ll get the most current look if the fabric makes contact with the floor (or sill or radiator). Too-short curtains can seem nerdy and off, like high-waters. Here are two surefire approaches.1: Just Hitting the Floor or SillThis look is classic and tailored; it makes sense if you’ll be opening and closing the curtains a lot (they’ll easily fall back into place every time you move them). The fabric should just touch the floor or hover half an inch above. This is also a great approach for café curtains (short panels that cover only the lower portion of a window and hit the sill), which work well in spots like the kitchen and bathroom, where long drapes aren’t practical.2: Breaking Slightly at the FloorPanels that extend onto the floor by one to three inches are the most stylish right now.

They’re more relaxed than those that graze the floor (left), but they still feel tailored—think of a pair of dress trousers. If you have uneven floors or are worried about precision measuring, this style is more forgiving. In formal rooms, an exaggerated take—six or so inches of fabric pooling on the floor—can look romantic but is also high-maintenance; Newton Running Shoes Japancurtains need refluffing every time you vacuum or the cat lies on them.T Shirts Phd For a luxurious and romantic ambiance in the boudoir, designer Sharon McCormick pampers the bedroom in silk drapery panels, choosing a restful, sea glass color. Removing Mini Blinds From BracketsAdd pleats, tassels, crystals, beads or buttons for a custom touch. Included underneath is a remote-controlled window shade for privacy.

Image Courtesy of Sharon McCormick. Photo by Urso Photography. Designer Kati Curtis favors a combination of simple sheer and opaque draperies in her Manhattan bedroom designs. The sheer fabric stays open during the day to allow light in. At night, the opaque panels help buffer sound and keep light out for a good night's sleep. For a sleek touch, hardware is hidden in the window pocket. Image Courtesy of Kati Curtis. Choose a traverse or gathered rod and cover the entire wall by hanging pleated window treatments from floor to ceiling. Chicago-based designer Mary Susan Bicicchi creates a coccon-like feel with black-and-white patterned drapes in her own bedroom. Use the treatment to make a small room feel larger or open up a room with tall, skinny windows like hers. Image Courtesy of Mary Susan Bicicchi. To soften the look and add dimension to a bedroom window, California-based designer Lada Webster loves to use layers. She suggests adding a pattern to one of the layers to create a whimsical look or touch of character.

Then it becomes a focal point in your private space. Image Courtesy of Lada Webster. If it's drama you like, you can get it with hardware. New Englander Sharon McCormick loves bedroom drapes that hang from large wooden rods in metallic finishes. Add more personality to the frame by selecting elaborate, crystal or fabric-wrapped finials. DrapeStyle designer Rick Thompson created this urban chic panel with oversized grommets and topped off with chocolate brown silk banding. The lighter metallic mesh fabric provides privacy, yet still allows light into the room. Oversized grommets work well in a smaller space with fewer windows and in contemporary settings, if you want the hardware revealed. Image Courtesy of DrapeStyle. Add a fun element to the bedroom decor with a simple, rectangular valance accentuated with beaded fringe, says Washington state designer Natalia Smith. It's a clean, unobstructed look that opens the room to light and color and adds the finishing touch — as long as the fabric in the valance matches what's on the pillows and bedding.

Smith prefers a cornice with simple padding and a finished edge at the bottom for transitional, as opposed to traditional, style. Image Courtesy of Natalia Smith.» From Coastal Living For people who love the coast » View All Slides Here, simple white shades get a boost of color with a classic, ocean-blue border, which complements the clean, coastal theme in this bedroom. New on the Web Add more lighting to your home to combat the darker days that fall brings. The extra light will... » See Full Calendar Most Popular FeaturesInstant MakeoverTransform your home with quick, budget-friendly ideas from across our network of sites.Same Closet, More Space5 Cheap Craigslist Finds Transformed25 Ways to Create an Outdoor OasisOur 50 Favorite Built-In Storage Ideas This living area enjoys plentiful views with its walls of windows and French doors. To offer privacy without impeding the serene setting, roller shades in a white fabric are mounted high. When not in use, they seem to disappear against the walls.

Playing to country-casual decor in the kitchen, floral Roman shades fit the windows above the sink. These perfect rectangles add just enough interest to break the span of white and stay neatly out of the way during kitchen tasks. The touch of fabric also helps soften the hard surfaces of the kitchen. Playing off the graphic shapes of the lattice-style chairs, honeycomb-print fabric covers the large picture window while Roman shades in the same fabric suit smaller windows, a solution that brings about cohesion to the different-size windows. Maintaining the light and airy feel, the mostly white drapes are unlined, allowing light to filter through. Because of the curved bay, each window requires individual treatment. Woven matchstick blinds provide casual coverings perfectly suited to the laid-back vibe in the living area. A seagrass rug adds another layer of natural fibers, tying the window treatment to the room's overall design. Putting even more attention on the grand architecture, orange-and-white zebra-print Roman shades dress the trio of windows in this study.

Choosing custom treatments to fit the different widths of windows (the one in the middle is larger) allowed the designer to use a choice fabric. Above, an arched window needs no dressing; it's high enough that privacy is a nonissue. Windows fill the corner walls in this bedroom, but instead of draping to the floor, they are cut short to make way for the bank of bookshelves. By resting just above the top of the shelf, the curtains allow room for additional display. For support, two sets of rods hang above each window. The draperies, though short, are made wide enough to easily cover the expanse of each window. A trio of windows hangs above a built-in banquette in this breakfast area. Because seating is just below the windows, drapes were not an option. Instead, individual valances in matching fabric crown the top of each window. Semitransparent linen shades pull down for privacy. Spanning the bank of windows above the kitchen counter, a single horizontal bamboo shade provides an unobtrusive focal point.

The long Roman shade’s natural coloring plays off the island’s wood countertop, balancing out colors and materials used in the room. With wide or heavy window treatments, be sure to use support brackets along the window treatment and not just at the ends. Windows extend to the ceiling in this sunroom. Hung below upper transoms, wide Roman shades unfold to cover the window and offer privacy. Upper windows are left unadorned to maintain a constant vibrancy of natural sunlight. A tropical-citrus color scheme adds feminine flair to this bedroom bay. Custom rods, angled to fit the bend in the walls, allow for a continuous look. For complementary tension, Roman shades repeat the draperies' circle pattern on a larger scale, and the colors coordinate with floral patterns on the ottoman and bedding. In a room with multiple windows, treatments take up a lot of visual space; coordinating the dressings to elements already in the room promotes cohesion. In this bay window, custom Roman shades were the answer to a streamlined look -- despite bends in the walls.

The wide expanse shares a single shade. On side windows, shades are custom-fit to individual windows. To give the entire bay a united look, the designer carefully lined up the folds on the fabric’s diamond pattern. There’s nothing cozier than a window seat. Dressed in pretty coordinating graphics, the built-ins gains even more charm. Black-and-white fabrics in varying scales of patterns suit pillows, an upholstered cushion, and a trio of Roman shades. Embracing scale and the linear bench seat, the shade fabric is a medium-size diamond pattern bordered by a bolder black stripe. A sofa finds the perfect home in a bay of windows. Drapery panels hang from grommets on a custom curved-iron rod. Panels soften the expanse and call attention to individual windows. Adding interest, yet maintaining the neutral scheme, the top band of the window treatments is white, and the lower portion is a loose linen weave. A curved built-in banquette resides beneath an ocular ceiling detail in this breakfast nook.