How to Hang Curtains 101

Pole Pocket, Pencil Pleat, Floppy, Grommet, Pinch Pleat, Soft Inverted Pleat, Soft Pinch Pleat, Tie-Top, Plain Heading, Box Pleat...Sounds very much like a foreign language, doesn't it?  These are in fact a number of different ways to make curtains.  Well,  just the headings, really. Would you like double or single panels? With or without a valance or a pelmet?

Overwhelmed yet?  I was as well. Who knew that getting curtains made was such a complicated task (not to mention pricey!).  My visit to The Cross Designs was going to be, in my mind, a fun hour of playing with beautiful fabric sample and visualizing my dining room with a million different patterns and textures to pick out the best addition.  And it was all that, but so much more.  First there are measurements (many, many times over), choices of headings and design, computer graphs, discussions, comparisons and negotiations of price and finally, playing with beautiful fabric sample.

After the final decision was made, and 5 long weeks of anticipating the arrival, the curtains were born.  The gentleman at the store handed the precious item to me with a care usually reserved for infants and kittens and after receiving a few congratulatory words, I proudly left the store with the excitement of a child on Christmas morning. 

As it turns out, my previous curtains were hung completely wrong.  First of all, the typical height to hang the curtain rod is halfway between the top of the window and the ceiling, higher if ceilings are very low.  It seems so obvious now that it creates the illusion of higher ceilings but I shamefully admit that the thought hadn't occurred to me before professional advice was given. 

Secondly, rods actually look better if they extend a few inches (at the very least 4 inches) on either side of the window molding.  This not only helps to maximize light but it also makes the window seem much bigger. Why hadn't I noticed that before?!

In terms of the length, the curtains may brush the floor, break onto the floor by an inch or two for a more relaxed look, or even more than a few inches if the desired effect is more romantic. This is a matter of personal choice.  (I actually think that I might change the height of my rod to have the curtains touch the floor by an extra inch but the thought of having to ask my poor boyfriend to move the rod for a third time makes me hesitate!).  As for the width of the curtains, typical measures are of 2 to 3 times the length of the rod, depending on the type of fabric.  

Even though my credit card is still bearing the weight of my latest purchase, I have literally spent hours just staring at my curtains with complete satisfaction and couldn't be happier with my design choices.  And I know that my curtain high will last.