How Long Should My Drapes Be?
When you venture into the land of drapery, you’ll be approached with lots of design options, one of which being your drapery length. There is really no “right” answer to this question — The answer to this question is wholly up to the buyer! You might need to ask yourself, “How visually busy is the space where I’m hanging my drapes?” or, “Do I plan on opening and closing these drapes every day?” or, “Is this a high-traffic area of my room?” But before you analyze those questions, we’ll be taking a look at different drapery lengths, tall and short, to help you decide which option is best for you.
1. Floor-Length Drapery
This is the most common length of draped material, and is the standard for most designers and manufacturers. These drapes will either hit the floor without any bunching up at the bottom, or will hang a half-inch to an inch off of the ground. A tall drape such as this one can make the ceilings appear taller, and are commonly seen as formal and polished. Tall drapes are ideal for a low-traffic area of your room, where kids and pets won’t be grabbing at them or getting tangled in them.
2. Floor-to-Ceiling Drapery
If floor-length drapes aren’t your style and you want something with a bit more drama and flare, you can up the stakes with floor-to-ceiling drapes instead! Hanging your curtains from the tallest point in the room causes your eyes to travel up that vertical plane, tricking your eye into thinking that there is more height to the space that you’re standing in. These drapes are perfect for spaces that already have high ceilings, as they further accentuate the height.
3. Short Drapery
Short drapes are extremely practical, as they are out of the way of little ones and pets, and are easy to use and manipulate. Visually, they can cut the height of your room in half — and can seem slightly dated, as this is a more vintage style — but if vintage-chic is what you’re going for, then short drapes are for you! For short drapes, try to align them with another perpendicular point in your room; for example, try to align the bottom of the drapes with the windowsill, or the top of a piece of furniture.
4. Cafe Curtains
Cafe curtains are trending! Commonly used in modern farmhouse kitchens, popularly framing above-counter or above-sink windows, these short drapes are usually hung at the halfway point of a window or on the bottom pane of a window grouping. These drapes are ideal if you’re looking for a little bit of extra privacy without wanting to sacrifice the light streaming in from the window.
5. Floor-Breaking Drapes
Floor-breaking drapes are billowy, dramatic, luxurious, and add a special flare to any room! These curtains don’t stop at the floor, but instead spill across the floor in an intentionally-styled puddle. The best type of fabric to use in this style is typically a flowy silk, or heavy linen. This style of drapery adds glamour to even the most minimal of spaces, but may collect more dust than our shorter drapery counterparts mentioned above.
Ultimately as you begin to look into more choices for your drapes, the answer to how long your drapes should be is up to you! The good news is, if you want to know more about what drapery styles and finishes will tie your space together, we’re only a phone call away! Contact us today by calling (843) 949-8444 so that we can begin bringing your custom drapery windowscape to life.