Wednesday, March 12, 2014

It's been awhile since I have hung curtains. So a refresher course on the finer points of getting this occasional home improvement task right was just a few clicks away.

Some of the best advice came courtesy of Atlanta interior designer Lee Anne Culpepper. Culpepper's key tips for hanging curtains include:

Hang the window treatment high - to give the illusion of height; this is the most important rule when hanging a curtain. The pole or valance should be hung a minimum of 4 inches and a maximum of 12 inches above the top of the window in most cases.

Extend the rod beyond the width of the window - a common mistake people make when hanging a curtain is to install the pole the exact width as the window. When installing the curtain rod Culpepper says ALWAYS extend the pole at least three inches beyond each side of the fame. It gives the illusion that the window is large; lets in more light; and it is more visually appealing.

Hanging the curtain outside the window frame prevents shadows - when a curtain panel is hanging in the open position, each curtain panel should measure 12 inches in width. The inside vertical edge of the curtain should hang 3 inches into the glass portion of the window.

Use a tension rod if you can't hang a curtain rod - in cases where no holes are allowed in the wall or it is a plaster wallboard.

Leave room underneath the curtains to mop - the proper curtain length is one-half inch above the floor for free hanging curtains. This distance allows for mopping and cleaning while creating the illusion that the curtain touches the floor.

See more Culpepper curtain hanging tips here. 

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