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Curtain size calculator
High and wide is the whole trick. Measure your window once, and this tool gives you the rod height, rod width, panel length, and panel count that make a rental window look like architecture.
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How to measure your window
You need three numbers, all in inches. First, the window width, measured across the frame from outer edge to outer edge. Second, the distance from the floor to the top of the frame. Third, the gap between the top of the frame and the ceiling. A metal tape measure and two minutes covers all three. The calculator raises the rod as high as your ceiling allows, extends it past the frame so open curtains clear the glass, and picks the standard panel length whose hem kisses the floor.
Curtain FAQs
How high should I hang my curtain rod?
Four to six inches above the window frame at minimum, and up to two thirds of the distance between the frame and the ceiling. Higher rods make the window and the whole wall read taller. Rods mounted directly on the frame are the single most common curtain mistake.
How wide should a curtain rod be?
Eight to twelve inches wider than the window frame on each side. When the curtains are open they stack over wall instead of glass, so the window looks bigger and the room gets every inch of daylight it is paying rent for.
How long should curtains be?
The hem should kiss the floor or hover no more than half an inch above it. One to three inches of puddle works in formal rooms. Hems that stop mid-wall or at the sill in a living space read like a growth spurt. For most 8 foot ceilings with a properly raised rod, that means 96 inch panels, not 84.
How many curtain panels do I need?
Enough that total fabric width is 2 to 2.5 times the window width. Standard panels are about 50 inches wide, so a 36 inch window needs two panels and a 72 inch window needs three to four. Two skimpy panels stretched flat read like bedsheets, not drapes.
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