Measuring curtains correctly — the four most common mistakes

Too short, too narrow, the track at the wrong height: people who measure themselves usually fall into the same traps. What to watch out for.

**1. Forgetting the fullness allowance.** A curtain needs 2 to 2.5 times the track width before it will hang in folds at all. Order the track width as the fabric width and you get a flat sheet.

**2. Measuring from the wrong point.** The height is measured from the top edge of the track or pole — not from the window frame. And ideally the track sits a little above the window, not directly on it.

**3. Measuring in only one place.** In older buildings a recess is often 1–2 cm wider at the top than at the bottom. Measure at the top, in the middle and at the bottom — and use the smallest figure.

**4. Not deciding on the floor gap.** Floor-length curtains should either hover 1–2 cm above the floor or deliberately rest on it. Anything in between looks like a mistake.

If in doubt: we take the measurements at the free measuring visit — and then we are liable for them.