Floor-to-ceiling curtains

The most common mistake is fixing the curtain pole just above the window frame. The curtain then only covers the window zone, and the eye perceives two distinct zones: the wall above the curtain, and the window-curtain zone.

The professional rule is mechanical. Fix the pole as high as possible, ideally 10-15 cm below the ceiling. The curtain then falls from the ceiling to the floor, creating a continuous vertical line that visually lengthens the room.

The effect is immediate. The room appears 20 to 30 cm taller, more airy, more elegant. And it only costs a few extra centimetres of fabric (a standard curtain is 240-260 cm tall, perfect for most residential ceilings).

Measuring correctly.

Total curtain height. From the attachment point of the pole to the floor. If your ceiling is at 2.60 m and the pole is at 2.45 m (15 cm below the ceiling), your curtain must be 2.45 m tall.

Curtain width. Not just the window width. The curtain, when pulled to the side, must "clear the window" without covering it. So pole width = window width + 30 to 50 cm on each side.

Fabric length. For a good drape, allow 1.5 to 2 times the pole width. If the pole is 2 m, plan 3 to 4 m of fabric, divided into two curtains of 1.5 to 2 m each.

Choosing the right fabric.

Natural linen or washed linen for 80% of cases. Natural fall, light, filtered light. Reference brands: Caravane, Maison de Vacances, AMPM.

Thick cotton or velvet for formal rooms and enveloping atmospheres.

Simple sheer curtain as a supplement, behind the main curtain, to filter light without fully blocking it.

Should the curtain "brush" the floor?

Three options.

Curtain stops 1 cm from the floor. Clean, contemporary effect. The most versatile choice.

Curtain lightly brushes the floor (2-5 cm "puddle"). Classically elegant effect, but requires lifting the curtain to hoover.

Curtain forms a real puddle (10-20 cm drape). Luxurious and theatrical effect, reserved for very formal atmospheres.

British interior designers (Soane Britain, Sims Hilditch) are the undisputed masters of ceiling-height curtains, sometimes doubled with a pelmet or lambréquin (a pleated fabric band above the pole) to hide the fixture and create a theatrical effect.

Pierre Yovanovitch works almost exclusively in natural linen or cream, ceiling to floor, without any pattern. Enveloping and architectural effect.

In high-end offices and luxury hotel bedrooms, blackout curtains are systematically doubled with a sheer, fixed on a double pole. Filtered daylight during the day, complete blackout at night.