Curtains for a Small Bedroom: Rod Height, Width and Length That Make It Look Bigger
Short answer
Hang it high and wide Hang the rod 4–6″ above the window frame, or halfway to the ceiling if there’s more wall above the window. Extend it at least 3–6″ past the frame on each side, or 8–12″ if you want the open curtains to clear the glass. Use panels that add up to 2–2½× the rod’s width, and hang them about ½″ above the floor. In a bedroom with an 8′ ceiling, that usually means a rod at about 90″.
4–6″
rod above the window frame
2–2½×
fabric width vs. rod width
½″
panel hem above the floor
Curtains are the cheapest way to change how big a small bedroom feels, and the easiest to get wrong. The eye reads the rod as the top of the window and the curtain edges as its sides. Hang the rod low and narrow and the window shrinks; hang it high and wide and the window, and the wall, look taller.
Here are the measurements designers and drapery makers actually use, a worked example for a typical bedroom window, and seven tricks that follow from the numbers.
Contents
The numbers
| What | Rule | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Rod height | 4–6″ above the frame, or halfway between frame and ceiling | Some designers go to just below the ceiling or crown |
| Rod width | 3–6″ past the frame each side | 8–12″ so the open curtains stack off the glass |
| Fabric width | 2–2½× the rod width, to close fully | 1–1½× if the panels only frame the window |
| Length | Kiss the floor or hover up to ½″ above it | 2–3″ break for casual, 4–8″ puddle for formal |
| Ready-made lengths | 63″, 84″, 96″, 108″, 120″ | Measure rod (or ring bottoms) to floor before buying |
Worked example: a 36″ bedroom window
Say the ceiling is 8′ (96″), the top of the window frame is at 84″ and the window is 36″ wide. Here’s the same wall with the rod hung two ways.
- Height: halfway between the frame (84″) and the ceiling (96″) puts the rod at 90″.
- Width: 12″ past each side gives a 60″ rod, so the open curtains stack mostly beside the glass instead of over it.
- Fabric: 2× the 60″ rod is 120″ of fabric. Ready-made panels are about 50″ wide, so that’s 2.4 panels, rounded up to 4: two on each side. Two panels give only 100″, about 1.7× the rod, which looks thin when closed.
- Length: from a 90″ rod to ½″ above the floor is about 89½″. That’s between the standard 84″ and 96″ panels, so buy 96″ and hem them by 6.5″, or adjust with clip rings.
That’s exactly what our Curtain Calculator gives for this window: a 60″ rod at 90″, 4 panels of 50″, and 96″ panels hemmed 6.5″. Enter your own window to get yours.
7 curtain tricks that make a small bedroom look bigger
1. Raise the rod
Biggest effect
- 4–6″ above the frame at minimum
- Halfway to the ceiling when there’s 6–12″ of wall above the window
- Just below the ceiling in rooms under 8′
A higher line pulls the eye up, so the ceiling reads taller.
2. Go wider than the window
Lets in more light
- At least 3–6″ past the frame on each side
- Wide enough that open panels sit on the wall, not the glass
- Check that the extra width doesn’t hit a corner, closet door or headboard
Uncovered glass means more daylight, and daylight makes a room feel larger.
3. Floor-length only
Easy win
- Hem ½″ above the floor, or let it just touch
- Avoid sill-length and mid-wall lengths
- In a small bedroom, skip the puddle: it collects dust and gets in the way of the bed
A continuous vertical line from rod to floor reads as height.
4. Light, airy fabric
Linen, voile or sheer polyester in a pale color lets the window keep working as a light source when the curtains are closed. Need dark for sleep? Add blackout as a second layer (trick 7).
5. Match the wall color
Curtains a shade lighter or darker than the wall keep it reading as one surface. Our paint color guide covers the wall itself.
6. A ceiling-mounted track
For low ceilings
- Mounts on the ceiling, so the curtains start at the very top
- No brackets or rod ends sticking out
- Lets panels stack fully beside the window
The most height you can get: useful when there’s barely any wall above the window.
7. Layer sheers and blackout
Best of both
- Sheers on the inner rod for daytime privacy and light
- Blackout panels on the outer rod for sleep
- A double rod sticks out farther from the wall: check its bracket depth against the space to the bed and nightstands, and keep the 24″ path beside the bed
Daytime light and nighttime dark, without giving up either.
Long or short curtains in a small bedroom?
Go long, to the floor, unless something sits under the window. Floor-length panels draw one line from the rod to the floor, which makes the wall look taller (trick 3).
- Bed or headboard under the window: short panels that end at the windowsill (an apron length) or a shade inside the frame. Long panels would rest on the headboard and get pulled every night.
- Radiator or vent under the window: sill length, so the curtains don’t cover the heat.
- Desk or dresser under the window: sill length, or a shade.
- Nothing under it: floor length, hemmed ½″ above the floor.
Either way, keep the rod 4–6″ above the frame and wide enough to clear the glass. The height and width tricks work for short curtains too.
Don’t let curtains steal walking space
In a small bedroom the window often sits beside the bed or behind it. Panels and a double rod stick out from the wall, and a puddled hem lies on the floor right where you walk. Keep the 24″ path beside the bed clear of fabric, and if the headboard sits under the window, choose a rod that clears the headboard and curtains that stop at the floor, not on the bed.
If you’re still deciding where the bed goes, our Bedroom Solver places the bed, desk and dresser around your window and door and checks every clearance.
The numbers we used
These are the numbers behind the advice on this page. Where they come from is listed under Sources at the end.
4–6″
Rod above the window frame
3–6″ · 8–12″
Rod past the frame, each side (to clear the glass)
2–2½×
Fabric width vs. rod width
½″
Hem above the floor
24″
Clear path beside the bed
Measure this first
- Window width, and the wall space beside it (corners, closet doors, headboard).
- Height from the floor to the top of the frame, and to the ceiling.
- Rod to floor (or ring bottoms to floor), before buying panels.
- Anything under the window: radiator, vent or a bed that curtains will touch.
Questions people ask
How high above the window should curtains hang?
4–6″ above the frame is the standard. If there’s 6–12″ of wall above the window, go halfway to the ceiling; with very little wall, go right to the ceiling.
How far past the window should a curtain rod extend?
At least 3–6″ on each side. Go farther, often 8–12″, if you want the open curtains to sit completely beside the glass.
Should curtains touch the floor?
For a tailored look, let them just kiss the floor or hang up to ½″ above it. A 2–3″ break looks relaxed; a 4–8″ puddle looks formal but is impractical in a small bedroom.
Should bedroom curtains be long or short?
Long, to the floor, if nothing is under the window: it makes the wall look taller. Short, to the windowsill, if the bed, a radiator or a desk sits under the window.
What length curtains for an 8-foot ceiling?
Measure from the rod to the floor. With the rod at about 90″, you need about 89½″ panels, so buy 96″ and hem them, or use clip rings to adjust.
How wide should curtains be?
Together, 2–2½ times the width of the rod if you want them to close fully, or 1–1½ times if they only frame it. For a 60″ rod, that’s 120–150″ of fabric: four 50″ panels.
Size curtains for your window
Enter your window width, frame height and ceiling. The Curtain Calculator gives the rod length and height, how many panels to buy and what length.
Related: 9×10, 10×10 and 10×12 bedroom layouts · Bedroom Solver · Two beds in a small room
Sources
- How high should I hang my curtains? (Homes & Gardens)
- How to hang a drape (Pottery Barn)
- How to hang drapes (Ballard Designs)
- How to measure curtains (The Home Depot)