# Decorating advice - curtain length



## eclipse (Mar 13, 2003)

My livingroom has a large picture window that ends/starts about 3 feet from the floor (well, the sill is about even with the back of the sofa. So however tall an average sofa is is the bottom of the window). It currently has hideous 20+ year old half broken beige and reflective gold, floor to ceiling vericle blinds. Hideous. Obviously, I'd like to replace them. What I'm trying to figure out is how long the curtains should be. Should they go all the way to the floor, or just a little longer than the window? There are sofas and end tables in front of it, so you can't see much of the wall anyway, and it seems like a wast of money to pay for floor length curtains, but will it look weird if I don't? How much lower than the window sill should the curtains go?


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## 4evermom (Feb 3, 2005)

We have deep window sills so the curtains are against the window and end about a half inch above the sills. If we added drapes, they would go on a rod on the wall above the inset window, The rod would extend on either side enough that the drapes, when opened, would be on the wall to either side but not obscure the window. They would need to either hang low enough to cover the woodwork underneath the windowsill or go closer to the floor. You would want the sofa pulled away from the window enough that the drapes/curtains hung freely in that position.

So you could either have the curtains end just above the sill, if the curtain rod is on the woodwork around the window. If the rod extends past the window (attached to the wall), you'll want the curtain to hang below the window sill. And just a few inches to cover the molding underneath the sill should be fine.

Does that make sense?


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## 99lauren (Sep 1, 2006)

I found this:

"There are only a few simple rules to follow for choosing curtain height or length
The length or height of the hung curtain should be to the floor or the windowsill.

Anything in between looks rather odd."

I googled curtain length rules. And I agree with this advice.
Hope that helps!


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## sunnysandiegan (Mar 5, 2008)

I agree with the above. Whenever I do curtains, I prefer to use a rod "inside" the window and I have the curtains stop just above the window sill (to keep the bottom edge clean). I also like (at other people's homes, not mine) drapes that are full-length with the rod on the wall above and beyond the window (extending past the window in the room). Anything in-between looks odd to me...


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## lifeguard (May 12, 2008)

I've recently been looking for curtain styles for my house & have noticed that absolutely everywhere seems to only carry floor length curtains which do look quite nice on most windows. But ime floor length means constantly dirty curtains because we have pets & they seem to always leave their fur on the curtains if they are long.


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## BellaClaudia (Aug 1, 2008)

I do preffer the floor lenght but if it is indeed behind the sofa
then i probably would consider shorter one without
feeling that I am violating any major decor rules here..

so what.. the curtain police will come? ha haha







:







:


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## vm9799 (Feb 1, 2007)

my personal preference is floor length.......i even have them behind my sofa.

to me the window sill length just look 'off'.

i think if you want to have something that mounts inside your window you should look at plantation shutters or bamboo blinds.


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## thriftyqueen (Mar 2, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *vm9799* 
my personal preference is floor length.......i even have them behind my sofa.

to me the window sill length just look 'off'.

i think if you want to have something that mounts inside your window you should look at plantation shutters or bamboo blinds.

I agree!!


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