Should Curtains Touch The Floor? Here's The Final Verdict

When you're shopping for new curtains, the choices can seem endless. Sheer or blackout? Pocket rod or rings? And that all important decision: long or short? One of the keys to choosing the perfect curtains for your space is figuring out how high to hang them. To find out if curtains should touch the floor, we spoke with interior designer Erika Dale, founder of Erika Dale Interior Design, who recommends a hover length that strikes a balance between form and function.

"When drapery touches the floor, it is called puddling," Dale explained during her exclusive interview with House Digest. "There are different degrees of puddling, from a minimal or break puddle that has just an extra inch or less touching the floor to a dramatic puddle with over a foot of material puddled on the floor." Dale said that letting your curtains touch or puddle on the floor is a great approach when you want a dramatic look. She recommends using fabrics like linen, which have an opulent feel and naturally soft drape. 

You can also use other fabrics with good drape, like silk, satin, or velvet. To achieve a fanned shape, you'll need curtains that are six to 16 inches longer than the distance between a curtain rod and the floor. For a bolder look, use 16 inches or more to get a true puddle. The additional length does come at a higher cost. Fortunately, there are many budget-friendly curtains that look way more expensive than they are.

Getting the fabric choice right is an important factor when your curtains touch the floor. But there are some downsides you should also consider. "For sheers, gauzy fabrics, silks, satins, and other soft, flowing drapery, it can give a dreamy, luxurious vibe," Dale told House Digest during her exclusive interview. "But because you have extra fabric laying on the ground, it can also collect dust, animal dander, and dirt." Dale went on to explain that dramatic puddles are only ideal for low-traffic areas in your home. She doesn't recommend them if you have pets or small children.

Puddling curtains add a timeless elegance to any room. But according to Dale, there are some scenarios where curtains shouldn't touch the floor. "If a drape is purely decorative, then puddling is an option," she said, "but if a drape is operational, I rarely use more than a break puddle because opening and closing it constantly means it never looks quite right without quite a bit of maintenance."

Selecting high-maintenance fabrics is one of the mistakes everyone makes when buying curtains. If yours are constantly touching a floor that's covered in pet hair or dust, the look may not be worth the effort or cost. Machine-washable polyester or cotton are relatively easy and inexpensive to wash and rehang. But linen, silk, and velvet curtains will need professional dry cleaning that can cost up to $200 per set.

According to Dale, there's a curtain length that works well in most rooms. "If you have an operational drape in a high-traffic area, a hover length, where the fabric sits about a half inch above the floor, is ideal for easy opening and closing, as well as maintenance," she told House Digest during her exclusive interview. To achieve the hover length Dale recommends, you'll have to find the perfect length curtains, and hang them at the right height. Hanging curtains too low is a common mistake. A good rule of thumb is to hang them four to 10 inches above the top of your window.

Keeping in mind how you'll use them each day is one of the most important things to consider when determining if your curtains should touch the floor or not. "The biggest factor is operation," Dale emphasized. "If the drape is purely decorative, then you have more styles available to you whereas if it needs to be opened and closed, it is wise to keep the drapes hovering or at no more than a break puddle so as not to create a maintenance nightmare for yourself." You can achieve a break puddle by choosing a curtain that has no more than an extra inch of length that rests gently on the ground. The look will feel casual if you use a lightweight linen or cotton, and more formal with heavier fabrics.