master bedroomhigh and wide

bedroom beforelow drapes

Let’s talk about drape hanging shall we? I like my drapes hung high and wide. High so my windows look taller, wide so the drapes cover the wall, not the natural window light.

capris

Once every few years I’m standing in the drapes aisle at Target and I just go ahead and buy one of their off the rack, 84″ pair of cute drapes because I have nekkid windows and Target has SUCH a cute line of everything. Target also sells longer drapes, but my local stores never carry them, you have to order them online and that would require patience.

So I bring home my 84″ adorable drapes, hang them and then I remember why I can’t deal with them. Because even when the curtain rod is hung as low as possible in our house with the lowest standard ceilings possible, it still looks like my windows are wearing capri pants. And there’s still a 2-4 inch gap between the bottom of the curtain and the floor.

There’s nothing wrong with capri pants but if you’ve ever worn them, you might notice that they actually make your legs look shorter. Which is fine if that’s the look you are after.

Same with your windows.

imperfect drapes

It’s not about getting the perfect drapes, I got over that a long time ago and there are a million things someone could point out that are crazy about these off the rack Ikea drapes.

But I want my windows to feel as tall as possible. So I opt for longer drapes. If I know I’m lazy anyway and have to choose between too long and too short, I’m opting for too long on my windows every time. Might they get a little dusty at the bottoms? Sometimes, but one quick shake and that’s gone. Besides, you only notice dust close up, but you notice a three-inch gap from the floor anywhere in the room.

Years ago when we moved often, I hesitated to ever hem up our drapes because the next house might have higher ceilings. So I got really used to seeing my drapes sit on the floor a bit and it’s never bothered me. Ikea drapes come with hem tape (just takes an iron and scissors) and you can make them shorter if you want so they just skim the floor, but I’ve never bothered. I’m the same with my jeans, if they hit the ground a tiny bit they don’t bother me but if they are 3 inches short (and aren’t supposed to be) it just annoys me to no end.

With the rod raised up and the drapes touching the floor, my windows look nice and tall.

are your windows wearing capris?

It’s okay to wear capris, as long as you WANT to wear capris and you like the way they make you or your windows appear. I’m actually wearing a cute pair of capri jeans rolled up today. But capris aren’t our only option.

drapes from sheetsdrapes from two flat sheets at our last house, just skimming the floor at our last house

sheets on windowsdrapes (twin bed sheets) just touching the floor in our last house

foyerIkea drapes barely skimming the floor in the foyer of our last house.

sheet drapes

It’s fine to wear capris on your windows or yourself, just use them purposefully and not accidentally.