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I purchased a 1927 Dutch colonial in 2021. I’m still(!) trying to decorate my interior which has the original stained wood trim. I didn’t like the trim at first, but it’s grown on me. My dilemma is centered on the walls and windows. We have 9 ft ceilings and I can’t figure out how to achieve a modern look with the existing windows. We have super crumbly plaster walls, and so I cannot move up the curtain rods. We have steam radiators underneath the windows (in every room), and so I cannot install longer curtains. The 63″ curtain length reminds me of pants that are too short, and it looks outdated. Most importantly, I still need coverage for privacy. What can I do with these windows and walls that doesn’t involve ripping them down?
– April
First and foremost, I’m SO glad you kept the original stained wood. It’s absolutely beautiful and such a statement! The plaster walls are special too and I’m glad you’re doing what you can to preserve that! Ok so the issue is that the length of the curtains are bothering you and you can’t raise the rod for fear that you would damage the plaster and you can’t lengthen the curtains due to the radiators below the windows. I have thoughts!
The first obvious thought would be to replace the curtains with roman shades. This would still provide a textural softness to the space without damaging the walls or interfering with the radiators. Either a solid linen or something with a classic pattern like a floral, stripe, or plaid would be beautiful!
That being said, I wouldn’t rule out curtains just yet. Yes, I’ve preached from the mountaintop about installing long curtains that are the correct length. And 9 times out of 10 I recommend long curtains for both the balance and the visual appeal that it brings to the room. But short curtains shouldn’t be overlooked simply because they aren’t commonly recommended.
There’s a difference between high-water curtains (sometimes called 3/4 curtains) and short curtains (also called half-length curtains). High-water curtains end at an awkward spot. Either a few inches short of the floor or somewhere between the window sill and the baseboard. We want to avoid this.
Short curtains on the other hand are intentionally not full length. They end at or just below the window sill – much like what you currently have. Short curtains are often less formal with a strong cottage-core aesthetic and either a rod pocket or a tab top header with tie backs. In more formal settings you’ll see a pleated curtain in a floral pattern hung with rings and a metal rod. This article is a fascinating read on short curtains and their history. Take the homes below as perfect examples of both formal and informal applications.
Curtains of this length are not unusual in historic Colonial homes. It’s all about the fabric that makes it work and the surrounding design that supports the aesthetic. Keep in mind, you don’t need to do the exact same fabric and curtain style in every room of your home. Adjacent rooms should coordinate, but they don’t necessarily need to match.
For your home, I would keep curtains in at least one room and play around with the idea of introducing fabric shades in another room. Mull over whether or not you prefer a more formal or informal look. That will guide your decision on curtain header type and curtain rod style. A formal approach could include a pleated header with curtain rings. An informal approach could include a rod pocket curtain with stained wood dowels as your rod and matching wood return brackets – like this one or this bracket.
As for the pattern of the fabric, plaids lean informal and casual, florals lean formal, and stripes can go either direction. Pick the aesthetic for the overall design of your home and and the window treatment decisions will begin to be made for you!
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Beautiful home! My first thought was roman shades, too–let that window trim make the statement it was born to make! But I also think short, tabbed curtains (a la the example photo on the right) would look absolutely lovely. Thanks for a great article, Danica!
I have a bedroom with two very different sizes windows. The bigger window is over an electric baseboard heater so floor length curtains aren’t practical on that one. Should I do sill length curtains on both windows or would it be better to do a shade on the smaller window and sill length on the one over the heater? The previous owner had done floor length on the smaller and sill length on the other and it drove me so crazy I had to take them down!
I have a ledge all around a bedroom and need shorter curtains too. Question – where can you buy them? I’ve been trying to find nice ones without having to buy full length and shortening them
Custom or semi-custom curtains would probably be your best bet! Twopages is a popular semi-custom curtain shop with beautiful options!
Amazing, thank you!
Very interesting insight about short curtains. I would not have thought there could be a case where they would work.