Best tips for hanging curtains high to make ceilings look taller

Curtains can change the perceived proportions of a living room without any structural work. Mounted close to the ceiling and extended beyond the window frame, they draw the eye upwards and make the walls feel taller, airier and more finished.

The effect depends on precise measurements, suitable fabric and a practical installation plan. In Australian homes, you may also need to account for strong afternoon sun, warm interiors, rental restrictions and the wide range of window styles found in apartments, Queenslanders and newer suburban builds.

Curtain approach	Visual effect	Best suited to	Key consideration
Ceiling-mounted track	Maximum height and a clean line	Modern rooms and low ceilings	Requires secure fixing
Rod 100–150 mm below ceiling	Taller proportions with classic appeal	Living rooms and bedrooms	Leave space for brackets
Above-window rod	Simple and budget-friendly	Rental-friendly updates	Less dramatic height
Full wall-width curtains	Makes windows feel larger	Narrow or small windows	Needs enough fabric
Sheers with blockouts	Soft daylight and privacy	Australian living rooms	Use two separate layers

Start with the highest practical mounting point

The usual guideline is to install the curtain rod or track roughly 100 to 150 millimetres below the ceiling. If the ceiling is unusually low, mount it closer, provided there is enough room for the curtain heading, hooks and hardware. Ceiling-mounted tracks can create an especially uninterrupted vertical line.

Avoid positioning the hardware directly above the window frame unless the ceiling is too far away or the wall construction makes a higher fixing impractical. A rod that sits just above the architrave often leaves a noticeable band of wall between the curtain and ceiling, which can make the room look shorter.

Measure from the finished floor to the proposed mounting point before ordering curtains. In Australia, ready-made curtain drops commonly require careful checking in millimetres, while custom suppliers may recommend a floor break, a slight hover or a more relaxed puddle. For a neat living room, a small hover of around 10 millimetres is generally easier to maintain.

Extend the rod beyond the window

Curtain width influences the apparent size of the window as much as the height does. Extend the rod or track at least 150 to 300 millimetres past each side of the frame where wall space allows. When the curtains are open, they will sit beside the glass rather than covering it, allowing more daylight into the room and making the window appear wider.

For a dramatic full-wall treatment, run the track from close to one corner to the other. This works well behind a sofa or on a narrow wall, although you should check that power points, air-conditioning vents and built-in joinery remain accessible. In Sydney or Melbourne apartments, where living rooms can be compact, a wall-to-wall track can make a small window feel far more generous.

Fabric fullness is equally important. Sheer curtains usually look polished at 1.5 to 2 times the track width, while heavier curtains may need around 1.8 to 2.5 times the width for comfortable folds. Too little fabric creates a flat, stretched appearance; too much can crowd a small room and increase the cost.

Choose fabric for light, heat and privacy

Lightweight linen-look curtains create a relaxed Australian aesthetic and let daytime brightness filter through. They suit coastal homes, Queenslander-style interiors and rooms with pale timber or rattan furniture. Natural linen can crease and may shrink, so check care instructions and consider a linen blend for easier everyday use.

Blockout curtains are valuable in rooms exposed to harsh western sun, particularly during hot summer afternoons. A blockout lining helps reduce glare, protects furniture from fading and can improve comfort near large panes of glass. For flexible control, pair a soft sheer with a lined outer curtain on a double track.

Colour also affects ceiling height. Curtains that closely match the wall create a continuous vertical field, while pale shades such as warm white, oatmeal and soft grey keep the room visually open. Strong horizontal stripes can make the wall feel wider rather than taller, whereas subtle vertical textures support the illusion of height. For more ideas about balancing furniture and wall colour, browse these living room guides.

Match the treatment to the room

A ceiling-high curtain does not need to look formal. Wave-fold curtains on a slim track offer a contemporary finish, while pinch pleats or pencil pleats work with classic furniture. Eyelet curtains can be suitable for casual rooms, but their large rings and fixed folds may require a lower rod and more visible hardware, reducing the clean floor-to-ceiling effect.

In a rental, use existing fixing points where possible, tension solutions for lightweight sheers or removable hooks for very light fabrics. Heavy blockouts usually need proper screws and wall plugs, so check the lease before drilling. Strata apartments may also have rules about external appearance, though internal window furnishings are commonly flexible.

Consider the climate as well as the décor. In Brisbane and Darwin, breathable sheers can help soften intense daylight without making the room feel heavy. In cooler southern areas such as Tasmania or Victoria, lined curtains add a layer of insulation around draughty windows. Homes near the coast may benefit from corrosion-resistant metal hardware because salty air can affect inexpensive fittings.

Install securely and finish the line

Use a stud, solid timber lintel or suitable wall anchor wherever possible. Plasterboard alone may not support a long rod with heavy curtains, especially when the panels are pulled daily. Add a centre bracket for wide windows and long tracks to prevent sagging. Before drilling, check for electrical wiring and plumbing, and use a level so the top line remains perfectly straight.

The curtain hem should relate to the floor and nearby furniture. A consistent, near-floor finish usually looks taller and more tailored than curtains stopping halfway down the wall. If the floor is uneven, measure each side separately and adjust the hem rather than accepting a sloping bottom edge.

Keep the rest of the wall visually calm so the raised curtain line remains effective. A tall plant, narrow artwork or vertical shelving can reinforce the upward movement, while bulky horizontal pieces may counteract it. In a pale living room, streamlined white storage cabinets can keep the lower half of the space organised without competing with the curtains.

Before final installation, hold the fabric at the proposed height with temporary tape or a helper. Open and close the panels, check the view from the sofa and confirm that handles, heaters and floor vents remain clear. Measure carefully, choose hardware that suits the wall, and install the finished curtains high enough to turn the full room height into a visual feature.