Hanging curtains can be tricky, especially when there's no more space for your curtain rod on top of the window. How can you pull this one off? We've researched how you can hang your curtains when the top of the window reaches the top of the wall, and here's what we found.
You can generally use ceiling-mounted curtain rod brackets to hang your curtains from the ceiling when there's no space above the window frame.
Keep on reading to learn how to accomplish this task. This article also answers how high you should place your curtain rod, where your curtains should fall, and if they should overlap. We'll also tell you if hanging floor-to-ceiling curtains will help make your room look bigger. Let's get right into it!
How Do I Hang Curtains If There's No Wall Space Above The Window?
Curtains are decorative fabrics you use as a window treatment to help filter the light entering your room. However, with curtains, it isn't just about function.
How they're made can make a difference, making hanging curtains quite tricky.
We capitalize on their beauty and form so that they add more value to the room than just covering a window. That's why it requires a particular strategy.
One wrong move can ruin the look and defeat the curtain's purpose of enhancing your interior. That's why we need to be mindful of how we hang them.
But what if you have a tall window where its top reaches the ceiling? Where can you put your curtain rod so that you can hang your curtains?
You can use a ceiling-mounted curtain rod bracket for this. They are specially designed to accomplish this task so that you can still dress your tall windows with lovely curtains.
See these ceiling-mounted curtain rod brackets on Amazon.
As the name implies, the brackets are connected to the ceiling instead of the wall.
Once they are installed directly on top of the sides of your window frame, you can insert your curtain rod into the brackets. That's it! Mission accomplished!
In your search for solutions on how to hang your curtains, you might come across suggestions that you use a tension rod, Command Hooks, or coat hooks.
You can go ahead and try those, but we're telling you that they won't be able to get the job done correctly. The draperies will be long and heavy, so those alternatives won't be able to provide adequate support.
They will also limit the use of your curtains. You can't open or close your curtains whenever you like, which means you can't enjoy the view of the outdoors from your window if you want to.
How High Above The Window Should A Curtain Rod Be?
Not all windows are the same. Sure, we see modern houses with tall windows and high ceilings, but not all homes come with such window types.
Here's a guide for your curtain rod installation:
Don't just install the brackets immediately above the windows. Hanging them higher will make the window appear taller. Not only that, but this also ensures that the top of your window is fully covered.
It blocks the light coming from the outside that can peek through this portion of your window.
Experts recommend that you mount your curtain rods between 4" and 6" above the window frame. This is especially applicable when the distance between the window frame and the ceiling is less than one foot.
Another tip from home designers is to hang your curtains high. It would be better if you could hang them closer to the ceiling.
But of course, this is a piece of vague advice, especially if there's a huge space between the window and the ceiling. It would also seem awkward to have your curtain rod sit so far from the top of the window.
In this case, you can hang your curtains not more than 8" from the top of the window frame.
This way, you'll still be able to hang your curtains high without emphasizing the space between the window frame and ceiling.
Should My Curtains Touch The Floor Or Window Sill?
Now that we've addressed how high the curtains should be, let's move on to where they should fall concerning the window and the floor.
There was once a time when letting your curtains fall at the bottom of your window sill was the norm.
But this is now considered a faux pas. If you have short curtains (other than in places where it would be unsafe or impractical to put long curtains), your room will look tacky and old-fashioned.
As we mentioned earlier, hanging curtains is as much about form as function. As such, it follows certain trends in fashion to keep up with the times and make the room appear as if professional interior designers have designed it.
Nowadays, it is recommended that you let your curtains fall to the floor. This makes the room look modern and elegant.
This requires precise measurements from your curtain rod to the floor. Your draperies should ideally graze the floor lightly so as not to break the floor and wall connection.
If you're going for a floating look, they shouldn't be higher than an inch above the floor because that will make the room appear shorter.
If you love to add some drama to the overall look of your room, you can extend the length of your curtains so that their ends will puddle on the floor.
But remember that this will make your cleaning task a bit harder since you'll have to lift the curtains whenever you vacuum the space below your windows.
Do Floor-To-Ceiling Curtains Make A Room Look Bigger?
As mentioned earlier, the current trend in interior design is letting the curtains fall to the floor. This highlights the curtains' form as they flow beautifully and elegantly down to the floor.
Our eyes are naturally drawn to lines. As our eyes follow the curtain's length, it connects the floor to the ceiling covering the lines where each one begins and ends.
That's how the floor-to-ceiling length makes the window appear taller, making the room look bigger.
You can also choose curtains with discreet vertical patterns such as pinstripes or a woven design to lead the eyes to look upward.
Find these striped curtains on Amazon.
Color Also Matters
It's not just the length that gives your room an illusion of height. Be mindful of the color you choose for your curtains if you want to make your room appear bigger.
Experts recommend you use neutral to light colors such as white, beige, light gray, sand, baby blue, pale yellow, pastel pink, and lavender. They give it a warm and inviting vibe.
Find these baby blue curtains on Amazon.
These lighter hues make the room look more spacious and airy than stuffy and cramped when you use dark colors over your windows.
You can also choose curtains made of lighter materials, such as linen, to allow more light in. This will also help brighten the room and make it seem bigger than it is.
Should My Curtains Overlap?
The simple answer is yes; curtains are supposed to overlap. This will give them a fuller look and make them more efficient in blocking light and giving you privacy.
This is why experts recommend that you extend your curtain rods at least 3" to 4" from each side of the window frame.
This will give you an allowance so that there's an overlap between the window and the wall adjacent to it. It'll be beneficial in shutting off the light from the windows' sides.
This also helps make your window look more expansive. When you open your curtains, you can get a complete view of your outdoor area without the curtains getting in the way.
At the same time, the combined width of your curtain panels should be two to three times the length of your curtain rod.
Yes, you don't just measure the window's width or think one panel is enough. You would often need two or more panels depending on the level of fullness you want.
This is different when you use pleated and ripple-fold curtains. They have a built-in fullness, so their total width can be the same as your curtain rod.
Check out these pleated curtains on Amazon.
Final Thoughts
When there's no space on the wall, look at the ceiling. This will allow you still to hang your beautiful draperies over your tall windows so you can enjoy both the form and function of these window treatments.
Made it to the end? Check out these related home articles: