A Complete Guide to Standard Curtain Lengths and Styles

Lucas Davis

By Lucas Davis

02 Jan. 2025

8 min read

Standard Curtain Lengths
Photo: @peninsulacurtains

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    Curtain is an important part of interior or exterior decor planning. It is interesting to know that curtain material is easy to decide on considering certain points, but the curtain length is a challenging task of the decor process that requires an eye for detailing. Curtain length is vital for window treatment as it can improve the aesthetics or spoil the look.

    A perfect length of curtain can spruce up the look of the room while serving the functionality of ensuring privacy from peeping neighbors and controlling noise to some extent, striking the perfect balance between form and function. In this article, we discuss the standard curtain lengths, so if you are searching for information on standard curtain lengths for windows of your homes, glance through the write-up to add to the existing information.

    Factors on Which the Curtain Lengths Depend

    Curtain length
    Photo: @shopthedrape

    Age Group of Family Members

    If you have kids or pets, avoid floor-length curtains because they roam around the house, resulting in dust accumulation. High foot traffic around the drape makes it dirty very often, and it's not easy to clean floor-length curtains.

    Style to Achieve

    It also depends on the style and impact you wish to achieve; ceiling-to-floor length curtains extend elegant and stylish vibes, making the window and ceiling look taller, whereas short-length drapes look unimpressive. Decide the impact and choose the length accordingly.

    Use of Room

    For a kid's room, a short-length curtain is an ideal choice because kids have high foot traffic in their rooms, which may frequently create the need to wash the curtains.

    Placement of Furniture

    If furniture is kept close to the window, you have to opt for a cafe curtain to ensure furniture doesn't come in the way.

    Visual Appeal

    The length has a greater impact on the visual appeal of the room. Floor-to-ceiling length gives an illusion of a high ceiling and vice versa, which is a wonderful choice for spaces with low ceilings.

    Window Size

    The standard window size chart is 84 inches for cafe-style curtains or window style, 96 inches for standard windows, 108 inches for high ceilings or taller windows, and 120 inches for floor-to-ceiling windows.

    Curtain Material

    No matter what the length is, the stability of the drape also depends on the material. Heavy materials, such as velvet and silk, stay their place despite their size, and light materials, such as linen drapes, fly with heavy wind. Be smart in making the choice.

    Know About the Standard Curtain Lengths

    Standard curtains
    Photo: @shopthedrape

    The ideal curtain length is 84, 96, and 108 inches long and 54 inches broad, but the same length and breadth of a curtain won't fit all the windows. In fact, curtain style also decides the height because length depends on where you wish to break the curtain. The best way to choose the perfect length is to take the measurement to the drapery store to seek their professional help in zeroing in the exact length.

    Let's learn about the style briefly to make a better decision:

    Apron

    These drapes are mostly used in the kitchen, bathroom, or rooms that break at the window sill. It hangs one inch below the bottom of the window apron giving an ease to open and close them. It's an ideal choice for windows where radiators may block the full-length drape.

    Kiss

    This is one of the most challenging styles as it requires precision in measurement because there's no room for mistakes in the kissing style. The curtain should barely touch the floor, so even half an inch of measurement flaw will make the room look awkward. To avoid mistakes, measure the curtain rod and length of the curtain ring along with the curtain length.

    Puddle

    As the name suggests, these drapes puddle on the floor as they are no longer extending a conventional yet stylish look. These curtains should be 15 inches on the floor for a pooling effect. Opt for luxurious fabric to maximize the puddle style.

    Float

    This is hung an inch above the floor straight down without any break. That's the beauty of a float-style curtain.

    Sill length

    These drapes are half inches below the window sill, preferred for small spaces and for windows lying above the heater, counters or furniture. It is mostly seen in the kitchen and bathroom.

    Things to Consider to Avoid Mistakes in Measuring Curtain Lengths

    Long Curtain
    Photo: @linensndrapes
    • Always go for longer curtains rather than shorter ones for all the rooms except for the kitchen and bathroom because the elegance of longer drapes is unmatchable in extending the luxurious look. Keep the length at least 96 inches, except when ceilings are low.
    • If you fail to find the perfect length curtain, seek help from a professional and get it customized.

    • Shop for the right size curtain rods, which should extend to six inches past the window for a better view of the window. Installing rods of the same size as the window may make the window look smaller and also block it even when it is open.

    • Be generous in buying fabric. Buy twice the panels of the width of the window to cover it properly.

    Steps to Measure the Curtain Lengths

    It's essential to know how to measure curtain length to avoid mistakes.

    Here are the guidelines:

    Collect Materials for Measurement

    Bring in all the materials needed for measurements, such as tape, a pencil, a level, and a stepladder.

    Decide the Mounting Style

    Finalizing the mounting style is vital because it decides whether the curtain is fixed inside the frame or outside and also if the curtain will hang from the wall or ceiling. The preferable mounting style is outside mount.

    Measure the Window

    Measuring curtain length
    Photo: @bargainblindsnz

    When measuring the window for an inside mount, measure the length and width of the window from inside the trim pieces all over from left to right and top to bottom. Similarly, measure the window from the outside mount but from outside the trim pieces.

    Measure the Curtain Rod

    If you want the windows to look wider and give more space to the panels to ensure they don't cover the window glass, keep the rod 8-12 inches on either side of the rod. The drapery rod will be equal to the breadth of the window in the inside mount style. Ideally, the curtain should be twice the width of the window for a luxurious appearance.

    Measure the Curtain Length

    The final step is to measure the distance from the curtain rod to the floor. Whatever style you plan for, measure the length accordingly, be it puddle, kiss, or any other style.

    Conclusion

    Selecting the right curtain lengths for window treatment is a tricky task that requires precision. Consider all the aspects, such as style preference, the purpose of installation, the size of the window, and many more, before measuring the length of the drape.

    FAQs

    What Lengths Do Curtains Come in?

    Curtains are available in 84 inches, 96 inches, 108 inches long, and 54 inches broad. However, if your intent is to add a different length and style, get it customized.

    How Far Should a Curtain Rod Extend Past the Window?

    Though it's a personal preference, the thumb rule says that the curtain rod should extend 4-6 inches past the window on both sides.

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