how high to hang curtains in a bedroom
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How High Should You Hang Bedroom Curtains?

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Curtains are often referred to as the finishing touch to any bedroom. Curtains can transform the way a room appears while providing you with privacy and warmth. Light colored fabrics can brighten a room, whereas dark colored fabrics can darken a room. Depending on the vibe that you are going for, your preferences in this aspect may differ from others. Once you choose the ideal curtains, you will soon ask yourself the following question: How high should I hang my bedroom curtains?

This is a common question. There are several answers, but if you want to follow the rule of thumb that is followed by interior decorators around the world, then here’s what you need to know.

Ideally, you want to hang bedroom curtains four to six inches above the window frame. This tends to be the safe zone, taking into account the amount of distance between the window frame and the ceiling. 

With that being said, let’s take a closer look at why you should hang bedroom curtains this high.

If you take a look at Architectural Digest, House Beautiful, Elle, Better Homes and Gardens, and The World of Interiors magazines, you will notice that interior decorators follow the same rule when it comes to curtain placement in bedrooms, living rooms, office rooms, etc. 

Interior decorators hang curtains between four and six inches above the window frame. The reason behind this decision is to give the illusion that the room is more spacious and the window is taller. Countless real estate agents have picked up on this suggestion to ensure a sale.

Longer curtains that are placed closer to the ceiling are considered a staple in classy and plush homes. 

Not only does it make the room appear more spacious, but the wall itself tends to appear wider and higher. 

In the event that you want to conceal certain aspects of the wall or window design, it’s preferable to place the curtains higher while simultaneously extending them to just above the ground.

More often than not, you want to hang bedroom curtains high enough to avoid the hem or edges getting dirty or frayed on the ground. This is because it is considered clumsy and impractical for curtains to fold over onto the floor.

Either hang the bedroom curtain higher on the wall or alter the length of the bedroom curtain so that it doesn’t crease or fold over.

What Length Should My Curtains Be?

how long should bedroom curtains be, how high to hang bedroom curtains

Interior decorators recommend that you let your curtains slightly touch the floor or keep the curtain length one inch from the floor. If you need to cut your curtains, measure them to make the adequate markings so that you can cut through them in a straight line.

In general, curtains should cover about 80% of the length of the wall. Divide the remaining 20% into 2, and that should be divided between the top of the wall and the bottom of the wall.

That will usually be the best length for bedroom curtains, especially if you are interested in their warm, plush, and attractive appearance.

In some cases, home owners prefer to have curtains that cover the entire wall, which begins from the ceiling and ends about half an inch above the floor. It’s pricier to install such a long curtain, but it will amplify the appearance of space in the bedroom.

It is common for numerous people to stick to what is familiar to them. If your curtains hang about an inch above your window frame, you might not see any reason to change this because you are used to it. 

There is nothing wrong with being used to the way your bedroom looks, but changing it a bit in this aspect can make you like your bedroom space even more.

You never know until you try!

What About Blinds And Shutters?

length of blinds in bedroom

In my experience, curtains should hang higher on a bedroom wall by default. This is considered modern and stylish. 

However, if what you have installed in your bedroom are shutters or blinds, then you could have them hang about two inches above the window frame or within the window frame if you want to display a stylish window frame.

The average blind or shutter isn’t designed or constructed to cover an entire wall.

More often than not, you’ll find a variety of blinds that are wide, but that doesn’t seem to be the case with length.

Usually, the range available takes all the different window frame sizes into consideration, plus a few inches for good measure. 

Rarely are they long enough to cover an entire wall. Please keep this in mind before choosing blinds and shutters over curtains.

Use This Length Outside The Bedroom

curtain lengths, how high should you hang curtains

Do not restrict yourself to only hanging your curtains four to six inches above your bedroom’s window frame. 

Do this in every other room, especially in your living room. 

If you stop to think about it, the living room is commonly the first room that people get to spend time in. When your visitors look at this room for the first time, they will more than likely make an assumption about how your entire house looks. 

If you follow this suggestion, your living room would also appear more spacious, and your windows would be taller.

Longer curtains appear more plush given that more of the material is visible on the wall. 

Final Thoughts

As you have probably heard, first impressions are everything, so you should certainly implement this rule of thumb in every room in your home. If you do, your space will certainly not fail to impress.

In most bedrooms, it is preferable to hang curtains 4 to 6 inches above the window frame. 

As long as the curtain doesn’t fold over on the floor and isn’t placed too close to the window frame if there’s a significant amount of space between the ceiling and window, then it should look stylish and appropriate.

With that being said, I hope you enjoyed reading this article on how high should you hang bedroom curtains. Be sure to check out some of our other articles on selecting the perfect curtains below.

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