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I think the 96" length I ordered will just barely touch the floor and will be the right length. I just know that with the crown molding the 108" would be way too long. Keeping my fingers crossed that these work so that I don't have to a.) spend a ton of money on custom or longer curtains and/or b.) hem them myself!
My taste is that anything between the bottom of the window sill and the floor is a no-man's-land, and any curtain/drape that ends in that area looks not-quite-right to me ... that's not saying my taste is right or wrong, it's just what it looks like to me. I'm also not a fan of puddling since dust dwells there, and I have to putz too much to fix the puddles after dusting.
For informal, my curtains end either on the sill or just below it. For formal, my curtains end either at the floor or no more than an inch above the floor. To achieve soft formal, I use a lighter, or appearingly lighter, fabric.
For the reasons above, I rarely go in my daughter's room - she wanted to keep the window treatments that came with the house, and they bug me big time ... heavy, dark damask drapes with a dark brown cornice, and the drapes end 3" above the floor. To my personal preference, it's just not pleasing and looks like the former owner just threw up window treatments without a thought.
Mawipalf, I know that you didn't ask for any input, but . . .
The first thing I thought of when I read the line about the window treatments in your daughter's if - TA-DAH - with a cornice board, how about just lowering the drapery rod under that cornice to lower the drapes that are now too short? Would you be able to see under the cornice and notice that the rod might be lowered?
I agree. I hate to see drapes or curtains hanging in that no man space between the window apron and the floor. It simply looks like somebody goofed - to me.
CrissCT, I think that the 96" will work out fine, especially hung on the clips. If it was me, and it soon will be again, I would wait until the drapes come, get DH up on a step ladder, and hold the folded (on the pleats hanging down!) drape up to the window and make the visual adjustments before putting up the rod.
Even using the clips, you have about a 1/2" leaway up or down with the clip attachment. It sounds like it will work out very nicely.
I made silk window treatments for our formal living room and dining room. I do let them puddle, but as mentioned, they must be lifted and shaken in place every couple of weeks to remove the dust. I have found that a dust buster has just enough power to remove the dust, also, but not enough suction to catch up the fabric.
Will I puddle my drapes in our next house? Uh, nope!!
gemkeeper - input welcomed!! It's my ulterior motive to eventually 86 the entire window treatment - it just does not work in that room in any way-shape-form. The room is about 15x17 and is the second-floor 'bonus' room. It's the only room on the second floor and is on the back of house, dead-center of the house. The wall facing the backyard is just windows from corner to corner, ceiling to floor. Light (and heat) pour into that room, and having such dark and heavy window treatments (regardless of fit) makes that room feel hotter than it is and, well, just feels heavy and oppressive.
I just have to wait patiently until the time is right to convince my daughter it's time for a change ... she's now away at school, so the right time will be soon (oh yahoo!!)
I just a built a new home with 9 ft. ceilings, but I am going to use 84" curtains which will hang midway between the window sill and the baseboard. I realize most people feel that they should hang either at the bottom of the window sill or all the way to the tip of the baseboards, but I just don't like curtains near the floor where they are too close to the AC/Heat registers or look like they are dragging along the floor.
The 95" ending a couple of inches off the floor would not only look funny, CrissCT, but look like an accident! You definitely want your drapes and/or curtains to hand within 1/4" to 1/2" inch above the floor or puddle with at least 6-8" of extra fabric to puddle (which you will neatly arrange in spite of the puddling effect).
Do you have crown molding? If so, I would allow at least 2-3" of wall space between the molding and the rod. If you don't have crown molding, I too, would hang the rod about 4-5" higher than the window.
If you can't find an exact length (probably 96-98" for floor length), I would buy the longer size and turn up the hem. You want to make a double turned hem at least 4" deep and hand or blind stitch it if possible.
Most seamstresses will hem your draperies if you do not sew. It is such an easy, quick job for them that they probably won't charge much to do it.
Your only other option is to order custom length drapes, curtains, and sheers - and that does get VERY expensive. I have made window treatments for years and it is not very difficult at all to make a simple lined drapery panel to hang on the clip hooks or hang as a stationary curtain. You can use very elegant or quite informal fabrics and get just the look you want.
More elaborate treatments like swags, French pleats, etc. you should probably leave to the experts if you haven't sewn before. But, there is nothing wrong with giving it a go with muslin first to see how you do. There is a great deal of satisfaction in creating your own window treatments.
Whatever you decide to do, be sure that it is what you want and not something that someone else has talked you into. Nothing can be worse than spending the money of home decor and never really liking it.
Let us know what you decide to do with your great 9' foot high room. The windows can really set the stage for a wonderful room.
I think IKEA curtains are 3m long and come without hems in.They provide that iron on tape to take the hems up, but personally I would sew them.
They are far cheaper then made to measure and they do voiles/very light weight cottons too. IKEA | Textiles | Window textiles | Curtains | Blinds
I have 96 " curtains, 9 ft ceilings and crown molding... the rod is 2 inches and the rings and hook holder... (I am new to this...) should give me about an extra 1/2 inch... so how many inches above the floor should the curtains be before it looks terrible?
If these are draw drape they should be about 1/2 inch off the floor. If there are stationary panels they should be either 1/2 inch off the floor or you can let them puddle on the floor by adding a least 6 inches. If you mount them closer to ceiling it will accent the ceiling height. If you go just above window, how much wall space between top of window trim and ceiling ? What type of rod do you plan on using, Decorative metal or wood ? The header of your drape should be completly above your window trim.
NC,
Thanks! How far above the window should the rod be? Should there be some wall appearance above and below the rod?
Many homeowners like to hang the rods as close to the ceiling as possible to give the illusion of higher ceilings and longer windows.
I have 96" drapes in the dining room that are hung with the rod placed just about an inch over the molding. My mother-in-law sewed them for us as a surprise and they are lovely. However, if I were to custom order them I would add another few inches so that I could hang them closer to the ceiling, yet have them still touch the ground.
Pottery Barn's website shows some nice examples of drapes hung higher than the top molding.
Many friends and family live in older homes that have plaster walls. So, they have to actually attach the hardware to the molding...otherwise the weight of the drapes/curtains would yank the hardware out of the wall.
Do you have drywall or plaster walls, or other such as brick?
Last edited by NCInMyMind; 12-30-2009 at 01:35 PM..
Reason: spelling
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You are really on the right track, CrissCT.
