Elevate Your Space: A Guide to Perfectly Hung Drapery in Three Simple Steps
One of my favorite ways to elevate the look of a room is to add drapery. When it comes to hanging your drapery, there are three things to keep in mind to make sure it's hung perfectly every time.
SELECT THE RIGHT HEIGHT
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SELECT THE RIGHT HEIGHT |
To kick things off, selecting the right drape height for your room is crucial. If your windows fall short of full height, meaning they don't cover the entire wall height, here's a golden rule: aim for your drapes to hang at least 18 inches above the window's top. Believe me, going beyond the window top not only adds a touch of grandeur but also makes your room feel 10x bigger. I once experimented in my previous apartment by mounting drapes right up to the ceiling, and the transformation was astounding – check out this video for a visual tour.
In our current home we luckily have double-height ceilings. Here I opted for the 18-inch buffer above the window to strike the perfect balance. Another savvy trick is to sync the height of your drapes with existing artwork or wall features in the space, creating a seamless visual plane that ties the room together.
YOUR KEY MEASUREMENTS
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YOUR KEY MEASUREMENTS |
Measure the height of your ceiling if you are going for ceiling height drapes, or measure the height of your window if you are mounting it 18”+ above the window
Determine the length of your drapery panel.
Thread the drapery rod through your drapery panel or hardware and measure the distance between the rod and the top of your drapery panel.
Another crucial measurement is the gap between your floor and the bottom of your drapery panel. I recommend accommodating for an additional 1/2” at the bottom of the drapery panel to ensure a consistently straight and crisp hang.
WHERE TO HANG YOUR DRAPERY ROD
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WHERE TO HANG YOUR DRAPERY ROD |
The objective is to mount your drapery rod at the ideal height. It’s not as easy as just mounting it at the height of your drapery - you want to follow the formula below to get the exact height of where to mount your drapery rod:
Length of drapery panel (93”)
-Minus the distance between drapery rod and drapery panel (1”)
+ Plus the clearance you want it to hang above the floor (1/2”)
= Mount your drapery panel 92.5” above finished floor
Rachael is a licensed Interior Designer specializing in hospitality interiors and high end residential. She also blogs about all things Interior Design + Lifestyle.
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