Curtains are an important element in the decor of any room.
Keeping in mind their utility, they also need to be kept clean and changed from time to time so that they go with the rest of the decor.
When one is contemplating change of curtains, an important step is to take the measurements for the new curtains so that they fit well.
There may be two categories in which curtain measurements are divided.
One is for when the rod already exists and the other when the rod does not exist.
For any curtain to fit the window rightly, it is important that both the categories should be well distinguished.
Before you start measuring for the new curtains, you should keep in view that the width is always measured and written down first and then the height is measured and penned down.
Another point to remember when measuring for curtains is that it is always better to use a metal tape measure that is retractable.
Using a cloth tape or yardstick may not give an accurate measurement and there would be a higher probability of error in the measurement.
The benefit with a retractable metal tape is that it stays tight on the rod.
Another rule to remember while measuring for new curtains is that you should never take measurements of an already existing curtain or drape.
This can be misleading.
If a rod already exists and you intend to use the same rod for the new curtains, then the measurement method for a standard rod and custom rod are different.
If you have a standard rod, then you should measure across the front of the rod from one tip to another for measuring the width.
It is important not to include the wrap around and the overlap in this measurement because the curtain makers will automatically incorporate the overlap as well as the wrap around in the measurement you have taken.
In order to measure the height of a curtain with a standard rod, you should measure from the rod to the bottom of the opening of the window.
However, if you want your curtains to allow privacy and be a little longer, you can measure about four inches below the point where the window ends.
If you want your curtains to be floor height, then you should measure from the rod to an inch above the floor carpeting.
If you have a custom rod that has balls, decorative clips or finials, you can measure the width by starting from the start of the clip on the left side to the end of the clip on the right side.
It is important not to include the decorative finials and balls to your measurement.
For the height, you should place the tip of your metal tape at the point, which is the bottom of the ring clip.
This is the point from where you want the curtain to hang.