Should All Curtains Be The Same Length?

When a room has more than one window, should the curtains you use all have the same length? This is what we will discuss today since curtains come in different lengths. We asked the experts if the draperies in a room should all have the same length, and here is their reply.

Ideally, all the curtains that you use in a room should be of the same length. This will give your room visual uniformity and make it more cohesive.

Hang in there, and let’s talk more about curtain length rules that enhance your home's interior. We’ll also tell you when it is acceptable to break these decor rules. This article will also answer if curtains should be the same length as the window and if short curtains can ever look good. Let's get started!

photo of a room curtain with same length and color brown curtain big window, Should All Curtains Be The Same Length?

Should All The Curtains In A Room Be The Same Length?

When choosing curtains for your home, length is one of the most important considerations. It can make or break the look that you’re aiming for. We can all agree that we choose curtains not just on functionality but because of the added beauty they bring to the room.

photo of a huge modern room of the hotel, grey furniture, grey curtains

Sure, curtains can help in ventilation, insulation, letting natural light in, and preventing dust from entering your home. But all these functions will be forgotten once the aesthetics don’t work in your home.

Curtains come in different colors, designs, and styles. This gives you many options to choose what'll go well with the other elements in your room.

This is the fun part of curtain shopping. You get to pick which ones will complement the look of your interiors. They can also be the highlight of your room. A burst of color would brighten it up, while certain hues can create drama.

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However, no matter how elegant and classy the curtain designs are, the effect will crumble when you don’t have the right curtain size and length in the room.

Standard Curtain Lengths

Curtains come in lengths ranging from 63” to 144” while their width is usually 48”. Knowing that curtains come in a wide range of sizes, you need to be more careful when shopping so that you get the right length that you need for your room.

Aside from determining how long your curtains should be, you also need to know if all the panels you'll be using should be the same length so you can buy suitable curtains for your room.

Don’t worry because home designers have a rule regarding curtain lengths to make it easier for non-professionals like us to make our homes more beautiful with the help of these colorful draperies.

Curtain Length Rules

photo of a room on the hotel, modern big huge room, big window, large curtains

When it comes to how long the curtains need to be, floor length is always the way to go.

Now to address the main question, the simple answer is yes. It is better if all the curtains used in the room have the same lengths. All curtains in the room should be the same length (and style). It gives the room a cohesive look. It is because our eyes tend to follow lines around us.

Try to visualize a room with curtains of different lengths. Doesn't it make you cringe? It's awkward and painful to look at because there's no cohesion. The continuity is broken and usually, this aspect of home decoration catches the eye, although not in a good way.

It distracts people from noticing the nice fabric details or even the beautiful furniture because the uneven length of the curtains has already captured their attention.

This is why hanging curtains of different lengths is a home decor no-no. Or, if you're going to use curtains with different lengths, at least make sure that the difference in their lengths isn't painfully obvious. Usually, length variations of 4 to 6 inches won't stand out.

When Can You Hang Curtains Of Different Lengths?

But of course, there are always exceptions to the rule, and here are some instances when hanging curtains of different lengths is acceptable.

  • When the curtain falls on a radiator or vent, you need to have shorter panels to avoid a fire hazard.
  • When a bed, sofa, or furniture piece is under the window, it won't make much sense to have longer curtains since they won't be seen anyway, and they will only accumulate dust underneath.
  • When the windows are located at different heights.
  • In the kitchen or bathroom, longer panels attract bacteria and mold growth.
  • In the kids’ room where parents fear their children would use the curtains as a swing (imitating Tarzan).

Whenever you have to hang curtains of different lengths, at least make sure they are made of the same material, style, and color so that there's still visual uniformity in the room. You can also take advantage of accent decor to take people's attention away from the windows and the curtains.

Should Curtains Be The Same Length As The Window?

photo of a modern nice room of the hotel on the city, very clean and neat room

Dressing up your window can be confusing. It would help to follow this simple rule of thumb regarding your curtain's length in proportion to your window.

When it comes to curtain length, it should be longer than your window. As previously mentioned, curtains nowadays are floor-length. Longer is better. This will help make the window look bigger and your room appears larger. 

The exact length would depend on the look you're after and here, you need to consider the distance of the curtain's edge to the floor for whether you want your curtains to appear to float, kiss, or puddle the floor.

  • The curtain looks like it's floating in the room, hence the term "float" to describe this hanging length. The edge should be less than 1" above the floor.
  • The curtain is just the right length when it "kisses" and slightly touches the floor. This is hard to perfect since you also have to consider the height of the rod and the length of the curtain rings. 
  • The curtain's edge lies in piles "puddled" on the floor. You need to add 15" to the length of the curtain rod to the floor to achieve a pooling effect.

Magic Number 10

It is also worthwhile to note that your curtains shouldn't be the same width as your window either. As a general rule, your curtains' width should be 2 to 2.5 times the width of your window to achieve proper fullness and coverage.

Home designers recommend that you keep in mind the magic number 10. This means adding 10" to the top of the window for your rod placement and adding 10" on each side of the window for the rod length. This makes rod placement and length so much easier to remember.

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If you have a high ceiling, rod placement can be between 12" and 24" above the window trim. If you don't have much space on either side of the window, you can cut the excess length to 5" on each side. This will still give your window a balanced look when you hang the curtains.

It is important to get the right size of curtain rods to maximize the look and functionality of the curtains. You can hang them properly, and the curtains won't block the window when you need some natural light, ventilation, or a view of the outdoors.

Can Short Curtains Ever Look Good?

As mentioned earlier, curtain length rules say that the longer, the better. The longer curtains make the room look taller.

There are two reasons why home designers don’t recommend using short curtains. First, they cut the look of your room. Its height would seem shorter.

Another main concern is that short curtains look outdated. They don’t keep up with the times, and using them would make your room seem old-fashioned.

Of course, there are valid reasons for using short curtains for safety and practical purposes but when we’re talking about enhancing your interiors, always go for longer curtains.

Final Thoughts

photo of a room curtain with same length and color brown curtain big window

As much as possible, use the same curtain length across the room to help create a more cohesive look. This way, the interior is more pleasing to the eye.

Looking for more great curtain hanging tips? Check out our related posts:

How High Should Curtains Be Above Window?

How to Remove Metal Eyelets From Curtains?