My Favorite Window Treatments & How to Hang Curtains

A guide for hanging curtains correctly to make windows appear larger and ceilings appear taller + favorite blackout curtains, shades, and rods for less.

I wanna know something… why in the WORLD did it take us this long to discover the magic of blackout curtains in our kids’ rooms?

Since we’re in the middle of summer and the sun is up past 8 pm (which I’m not mad about), getting our kids to sleep has been a struggle. And around 5:30 am, they’re usually up and at ’em. (That part I AM mad about.)

We’re believers in white noise machines cranked up loud and super soft, cozy pajamas, and every bribe imaginable to get them to go. to. SLEEP!

And then I realized the other day huh… gee, Lauren, blackout curtains would probably be a solution here, ya know? Doy.

We swapped out their flimsy-ish curtains for thick, beefy pitch black blackouts and OH MY GOSH! Sweet sleep, I missed you!!! At bedtime: zero arguments (well, fewer anyway).

In the mornings: we’ve been getting an extra hour of snooze time!

I mean… hallelujah.

Little side note: When hanging curtains, I like to choose ones that are 96″ long for our 8′ ceilings to softly “puddle” at the floor (or you can quickly hem with hemming tape).

Hang them “high and wide” so that they’re about 2″-6″ below your crown molding and leave about 12″-18″ on either side of your window to have room for the curtain panel.

I thought it’d be fun to pull together a bunch of my favorite blackout curtains, shades, and curtain rods while we’re on the subject. Lots of them are “budget conscious” options to their designer counterparts.

Favorite Blackout Curtains

Favorite Window Shades

Favorite Curtain Rods

Want more ideas for dressing up windows?

10 Comments

I don’t see the link for the shades above the changing table. Can you post it again? Thank You.

Lauren says:

August 31, 2020 at 3:36 pm

Sorry about that. Here’s the link for them: https://www.blinds.com/p/blindscom-woven-wood-shade/501858?color=

Reply

where did you get the roman shades above the baby’s changing table/dresser?

Lauren says:

August 12, 2020 at 9:29 am

They’re from Blinds.com. Here’s a link:

Reply

Thank you Lauren! All of this is great! What suggestions do you have for when the only window in the room is shoved up against the corner of the wall (about 3 foot wide window with about 3 inches between window and corner). All of our bedrooms are like this. Thanks!

My Favorite Window Treatments & How to Hang Curtains