DESIGN YOUR OWN CUSTOM DRAPES AND ROMANS

Measure Twice

Measuring Guide

Everything you need to measure your windows accurately for a perfect fit.

Before You Start

Supplies You'll Need

  • Tape measure
  • Pen or pencil
  • Sketch pad — to keep track of your measurements

Quick Tips

  • When entering these measurements on the site, remember the width is first and the length is second.
  • Be very precise with your measurements, down to the eighth of an inch.
  • If you want your drapes to kiss the floor or even get a puddled look, just add a few extra inches to your finished length measurement.

Measuring for Drapes

Prefer to watch instead? Our how to measure for drapes video walks through the whole process.

Measuring for Drapes with a New Rod

  1. Make a simple sketch of your windows and rods. This will make the measuring process easier.

  2. Find the inside width of your window(s) by using the measuring tape and measuring from the very left to the right of the window. If you are covering multiple windows in a row, measure from the left side of the left window to the right side of the right window. Write this number down on your sketch paper.

  3. Figure out how far you want your rod to stick out from either side of your window. This measurement will be the same on the left and the right side of your window(s) and is called the rod space measurement. If you do not know how far you want your rod to stick out, here are some recommendations depending on the width of your window:

    • If your window is 44 inches or less, the rod should stick out 6–10 inches on each side
    • If your window is 45–96 inches, the rod should stick out 11–15 inches on each side
    • If your window is 97 inches or more, the rod should stick out 16–20 inches on each side

    Once you find the measurement that works best for your windows, write it on the left and right side of your sketch.

  4. Add the inside width measurement and the left and right rod space measurements. These three measurements together make up your final rod width measurement. Write this number down on your sketch paper.

  5. Find the length of your drapes. Visualize how high you would like to place your rod. We suggest placing it 10–12 inches above your window, but if you want a more dramatic look, you could go beyond that recommendation. To get this measurement, take your measuring tape from the floor all the way up to where you think the middle of the rod should be above your window. This is called the midrod measurement; write this down on your sketch pad.

  6. Now you need to consider where your drapes will be placed on the rod. Our rods have a diameter of 1–1 1/2 inches, and our rings have a diameter of 2 inches. Take the midrod measurement from the previous step and subtract 2 inches to get the finished length of your drapes. Write this number down on your sketch paper.

Measuring for Drapes with an Existing Rod

  1. Using your measuring tape, start from the floor and measure all the way up to the bottom of your rings. Subtract about half an inch from this measurement so your drapes don't rub on the ground. Write down this measurement — it is your finished length measurement.

Measuring for Roman Shades

Inside Mount Roman

  1. Find the width of your window. Use the tape measure to measure from the left of the window to the right of the window. Remember, this measurement is for an inside mount roman, so measure from the inside of the trim around your window, not the outside. Write down this width measurement on your sketch pad.

    We will automatically deduct 1/2 inch from the width for clearance on all inside mount roman shades, so give us the exact opening size — no need to make any deductions yourself.

  2. Find the length of your window. Use the tape measure to measure from the bottom to the top of your window (inside of the trim). Write down this length measurement on your sketch pad.

Outside Mount Roman

  1. Measure the width of your window. If you do not have trim around your window, simply take the width of the window alone and add 1 1/2 inches to each side, adding 3 inches in total. If you do have trim around your window, measure from the outside edges of your trim, going from left to right, then add 1 1/2 inches to the left and the right, adding 3 inches in total to what you just measured. Write down the width measurement for your outside mount roman, including the 3 inches we added, on your sketch pad.

  2. Measure the length for your outside mount roman. Use the measuring tape to go about 8 or 9 inches above the opening of your window, regardless of whether you have trim or not. From that point, measure all the way down to where you want your roman to stop. If you do have trim around your window, we recommend taking this measurement down about 1 1/2 inches past the trim. If you do not have trim, take this measurement 1 1/2 inches down from the opening of your window. This will be your length measurement for your outside mount roman — write it down on your sketch pad.

When you have all your measurements, enter them into our website and have fun picking from our amazing fabrics!