Window treatments, properly specified

The types, and what each is for

The layered approach — a functional shade plus stationary drapery panels at each side — is what most designed rooms use. The shade does the work; the drapery does the softening, and because the panels never actually close, you need far less fabric.

How high should curtains be hung?

This is the single highest-impact decision, it costs nothing, and it is almost universally got wrong.

• Height. Mount the rod 4 to 6 inches above the window casing, or higher — ideally within a few inches of the ceiling or crown moulding. High mounting draws the eye up and makes both the window and the room look taller. Mounting the rod directly on the casing makes the ceiling feel lower.
• Width. Extend the rod 8 to 12 inches beyond the frame on each side. This lets the panels stack on the wall rather than over the glass, so you keep the full window and full daylight. It also makes the window read as larger than it is.
• Consistency. In a room with windows of different heights, hang every rod at the same height. The rods should form one line around the room, even when the windows do not.

Where the ceiling is high and the window is not, the choice is between hanging just above the window (which looks correct but low) and hanging near the ceiling (which looks generous but leaves a stretch of wall visible above the glass behind the fabric). In a room with mouldings, aligning the rod with the top of the door casing is usually the elegant answer.

Fullness, length and hems

Fullness is how much fabric width is gathered into the finished panel. Skimpy drapery is instantly recognizable.

• 2 to 2.5× the rod width for functioning drapery you actually draw.
• 1.5 to 2× is acceptable for stationary decorative panels that never close.
• Below 1.5×, the panel hangs flat and looks like a sheet.

Length is a style decision with three legitimate answers:

• Float — hem stopping about ½ inch above the floor. Crisp, practical, best for panels that get drawn daily and for households with pets.
• Kiss — hem just touching the floor. The most tailored look, and the most demanding of accurate measurement.
• Break or puddle — 1 to 3 inches of extra length, or more for a deliberately romantic puddle. Softer and more traditional; collects dust.

What does not work is the hem hovering several inches above the floor. Every window in a room should be measured individually, because floors are rarely level — particularly in older houses.

Lining and light control

Lining is invisible from inside and does most of the work.

• Unlined — sheer, casual, lets light through and offers little privacy. Fabric fades faster.
• Standard lining — improves drape, protects the face fabric from sun, adds modest insulation. The default.
• Interlining — a soft layer between face fabric and lining. Adds weight, luxury and real insulation; makes even a modest fabric hang beautifully.
• Blackout lining — for bedrooms and media rooms. Note that light still leaks around the edges unless the treatment is inside a channel or overlaps generously, so pair it with a well-fitted shade for a genuinely dark room.

Lining also protects your investment: sun degrades fabric, and in a west-facing Texas room an unlined silk will not survive many summers.

What does Texas sun demand?

Dallas sun is a specification issue, not just a comfort one.

• Solar screen roller shades on west and south glass cut heat and glare while preserving the view. They are rated by openness factor: 1–3% for maximum glare control, 5–10% to keep more of the view. Darker fabric preserves the view better; lighter fabric reflects more heat.
• Fade protection. Direct sun will bleach fabrics, rugs and hardwood. Lining, solar shades and UV-filtering film all help, and none of them fully stop it.
• Insulation is a real saving. Cellular shades and interlined drapery measurably reduce heat gain through glass, which is where a great deal of summer cooling load comes from.
• Consider the sequence of the day. A west-facing living room may need heavy control from four o'clock and none before it — a good argument for motorization on a schedule.

Light control interacts with everything else in the room: it changes how paint colors read and it is half of the lighting design.

Motorization

Worth it in three situations: windows that are physically hard to reach, large banks of windows where operating each one is a chore, and rooms where light control needs to happen on a schedule rather than on demand.

Decide early, because hardwired motors need power at the window head — a wiring decision that belongs with the rest of the rough-in. Battery-operated motors avoid that and need recharging periodically; they are the sensible retrofit option. Either way, ask how the system integrates with whatever else controls the house, and confirm there is a manual override.

Mistakes that show

1. Rod too low and too narrow. The defining error. Costs nothing to fix at installation, everything to live with.
2. Panels too skimpy. Under 1.5× fullness reads as a bedsheet on a pole.
3. Hem floating above the floor. Choose float, kiss or break — not hovering.
4. Different rod heights around one room. Align to one line even when the windows do not.
5. Hardware that fights the room. Rod, rings and finials are jewelry; a heavy ornate rod on a simple linen panel is a mismatch.
6. Blackout promised, twilight delivered. Light leaks around edges. Combine an inside-mount shade with drapery, or specify side channels.
7. Ordering before the lead time is understood. Made-to-measure treatments commonly run 6 to 12 weeks, and a room stays unfinished until they arrive.

Jan Revels

ASID Allied Professional Interior Designer · Chateau Concepts, Dallas

Jan has practiced interior design in Dallas since 1997 and founded Chateau Concepts in 2001. She holds a BFA in Interior Design from the University of North Texas. She designs and general-contracts residential and commercial projects across the Park Cities, Preston Hollow and North Dallas. Read her full profile →

Written and reviewed by Jan Revels before publication