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Curtain Lengths: How Long Should Your Curtains Be?

by on Jun 6, 2022

Photo: Lidy Dipert

Is there a “right” option for curtain lengths? That depends on who you ask, and often just asking the question can leave you more confused than you were before. The long and short of it is (no pun intended): it’s up to you. But we’re here to help as you answer the question, “How long should curtains be?” We’ll be taking a critical look at curtain lengths, tall and small. What side are you on?    

       


Floor Length Curtains

Floor length curtains
Source: Little Green Notebook

Let’s start with what’s probably the most common of the curtain lengths: to the floor. This is the standard length for hanging curtains – either hitting the floor exactly or hovering a half inch off the ground. Sheer white curtains hung like the ones above (from Little Green Notebook) and the ones below (via A Cup of Jo) are both modern and classic. The curtain lengths make the ceilings seem taller and the room more polished, maybe even a bit formal.

Floor length curtains
Source: A Cup of Jo; Photography: Amy Moss
floor length curtains
Image from Schoolhouse Electric

Cons to floor length? They may make your room look too formal for your liking. Dust will inevitably collect around the bottoms. Also, children may be more likely to grab them and use them as a climbing rope. If you’re asking yourself, “Should curtains go to the floor?,” and kids, pets, and dust aren’t a concern, then floor-length is probably your best bet.

Floor-to-Ceiling Length Curtains

Floor to ceiling curtains
Source: Lonny; Photography: Carol Viziri
floor to ceiling curtains
From boligmagasinet.dk

You may have heard that hanging your curtains from the ceiling will make your living space appear taller. But how? Visually, your eye tends to follow lines. Whether it’s the double yellow line on the highway, or the walkway to your front door, your eye is drawn toward (and up) pathways. By hanging your curtains from the highest point on the wall, your eye travels up the line, causing you to notice that there is height in the space you are standing in. 

If your living space has high ceilings already, compliment them with tall curtain lengths. Floor-to-ceiling curtains can also help to divide space, whether you’re tucking away a window seat (like the floor-to-ceiling curtains via Lonny) or cutting a whole room in half. Heads up: The worst thing you can do when hanging curtains from the ceiling is to hang them too short. The heightening trick-of-the-eye doesn’t work well if the curtain line abruptly cuts off before it hits the ground.

Short Curtains

Short curtains
Source:  Pinterest
short curtains
Image from Schoolhouse Electric

Then there’s the other end of the curtain lengths spectrum: short curtains. Visually speaking, high-water style is not the most appealing way to hang curtains. The shorter length can appear dated. Also, it can cut the visual height of your room in half. From a purely practical standpoint, however, short curtains are sometimes the best option. In the home, it seems like many parents choose shorter curtains for kids’ rooms, probably to avoid the whole Tarzan situation, or just to limit sticky fingers from touching the window treatments. You may also be forced to hang short curtains by the presence of heat-producing radiators or heaters.

Sill-length curtains
Source: Style at Home; Photography: Christy Wright

If you hang short curtains, aim to hit a perpendicular mark on the wall. For instance, the curtain lengths should meet at the top of the baseboard, or the bottom of the windowsill.

Café Length Curtains

Cafe curtains in kitchen
Source: Heidi Piron

Café curtains are fairly common where there’s a window sill over, say, a sink in a kitchen. Or, in their namesake, cafés, where you wouldn’t want curtains dragging the floor of such a busy, public place.

Cafe curtains in bathroom
Source: Decor Pad

Café curtains are hung usually at the halfway point of a window, or on the bottom pane of a two-part window. They’re great for when you need a bit of privacy (like in this bathroom pictured above), but don’t necessarily want to block out all the natural light coming through the window. Because café curtains are short and cute, they can give a room a more casual vibe.


Breaking at the Floor

Puddling curtains
Source: Amber Interiors

We’ve discussed short curtains, and curtains that hit the floor perfectly. What curtain lengths are left? Long curtains. The more billowy a curtain becomes as it breaks at the floor, the more dramatic it will look. A simple “kiss” to the ground, like the curtains pictured above (via Amber Interiors), adds a touch of flair to this otherwise simple window treatment. This option is similar in style to floor length, but will require more care – dust bunnies like to live in the folds of the billowing curtains!

Puddled curtains
Source: Blinds.com

Last, there’s the most extreme curtain length: puddled. This is a typical French look (think the Rococo period), and is most successful with high ceilings and, usually, expensive fabric. Typically silks are going to billow the best, being both lightweight and a natural fiber. 

Obviously, this look adds a lot of glam to even the simplest decor. But, you really need to have the right architecture to pull it off. 


So, how long should curtains be?

The answer is up to you, your style, and your needs. Hopefully, this primer on curtain lengths will help you pick the best window trimmings for your home!


Curtain Lengths 101
Share these tips on Pinterest!
So, what are the best curtain lengths for your space? Are you Team Shortie? Puddler? Somewhere in between? Leave us a comment and let us know!

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8 Comments

  1. Kelly

    We have a sunroom with 8 foot windows. I purchased long curtains that I want to hang just above floor. However, I would have to hang the decorative rod at least a foot away from molding at the top of the window. Can this be done or is it a big no no?

  2. Adrianne

    Q:  I have a room in my shotgun house with windows of two different lenghts; one is 42″ and one is 63.”  Should I use two different lengths or the same long lenght for both?

  3. Patti

    hi

    i have electric baseboard radiators in my living room. I wanted to hang off white sheer panels on either side of my picture window up a bit higher and wider than window. what length will be ok? just above heater or just below window sill? any suggestions?

  4. Paula Marshall

    I keep looking for a simple answer to a simple question, and it never gets answered! I want to put curtains over the window IN MY BACK DOOR and no one tells me. I don’t want that ugly pulled-tight thing that has a rod top and bottom, either. I guess I’ll just let them hang 3 or 4 inches longer than where the window ends.

  5. Jenna

    Guilty of stumpy curtains here! I hang my curtains high and just touching the bottom of the window trim. The look doesn’t bother me at all.

  6. Patrick

    Personally, I don’t see anything wrong with “high water” hung curtains. If you’re the follow the rest type of person then so be it. My curtains are a foot off the floor and look great

  7. Been trying to find out what those types of curtains are called, so those are “Cafe Curtains!” Would love to add some of them to our kitchen area soon.