How Long Should Window Panels Be?

Sill-Length Window Panels

• Sill-length window panels graze the top of the windowsill. The length suits dormer windows, door-like casement windows and short, horizontally inclined banks of windows installed high in the wall, such as clerestory or slider windows. Sill-length panels work well when you have built-in features beneath your windows, such as bookcases, cabinets or window seats. The length is also ideal if you're using curtain rods mounted inside the window frame, or if you have window sills protruding far enough into the room to interfere with longer panel lengths.

  Unless the architecture or window style requires sill-length window panels, reserve them for casual interiors, such as those featuring cottage or country decor.

Floor-Length Window Panels

• Floor-length window panels typically break at the floor. Some window treatment designers recommend hemming them one-quarter inch above the floor, which protects the bottom edge from soil while retaining the floor-length look. Floor-length curtains and draperies suit the widest range of architectural and decorating styles, from traditional to contemporary and formal to casual. The look varies according to your fabric, hardware, trim and panel style.

  Because floor-length window panels draw the eye up and down without stopping it, they're less likely than other lengths to look fussy and busy. They're also ideal for minimizing architectural shortcomings. For example, mount them near the ceiling, or make them from a vertical stripe, to make your ceilings look higher. Make oddly placed or sized windows blend into the room by making floor-length panels from a fabric that matches your wall color.

Puddle-Length Window Panels

• Puddle-length curtain and drapery panels have hems that extend past the floor, anywhere from a few inches to a few feet. The longer the panels, the more they puddle onto the floor. The look is lush when combined with classic architecture and opulent furnishings. In casual or contemporary spaces, puddle-length window panels just look ill-fitting and messy. No matter how formal your furnishings, avoid puddling panels in small rooms where you have to walk close to the windows.

Custom-Length Window Panels

• No matter what your decorating style, avoid hems that float somewhere between the window apron and the floor just because that's where your store-bought panels fall. Hem them, let out the hem or add additional fabric to the bottom to correct the length.

  It is appropriate to hem your window panels to a non-standard, custom length when your architecture and room features demand it. For example, if you have standing or baseboard radiators, hem window panels 1 inch above them. If your room calls for sill-length panels but you have unattractive window frames, hem the panels to fall just below the bottom of the frame.