How to Measure Where to Put Tiebacks on a Curtain

Decorating your home is one of the best ways to make it your own and to settle in, and curtain ties add a gorgeous accent to your windows. However, it can also be challenging to figure out the right height or what materials to use when installing them. You can use several different items for curtain tiebacks, such as strips of fabric, cords or even rope if you're going for a nautical or farmhouse look. Those are all no-drill curtain holdbacks, but there are curtain holdbacks that you can install onto the wall next to your windows. Ultimately, the proper height for your tiebacks is up to you, but experts do offer some opinions about what curtain holdbacks height is best for you.

Where you put the tiebacks on your curtains depends on the overall length of the curtains. The two most common sizes are 84 inches or 55 inches, but there are also many irregularly sized curtain lengths.

The standard height for long, floor-length curtains is 84 inches. If you have 84-inch curtains, the best place to tie them back is about 39 inches up from the floor or the bottom of the curtains. This height puts the tiebacks a little less than halfway up the curtains. For curtains that aren't full length and are designed to cover a standard-size window, it's customary for them to be 55 inches long. You'll want to install the tiebacks lower since the window is already higher off the ground. Measure 1 foot (or 12 inches) from the bottom of the window or the curtain.

To determine the height for the tiebacks on curtains with an irregular size, measure the window itself in inches. Then, divide the total height by three. Measure this amount up from the bottom of the window (not the curtain) and tie them there. You can use this method with the curtains themselves, but it might look strange if they're considerably longer than the window itself.

Now that you know how to determine the height of the tiebacks, you need to install them. It helps to have another person with you to hold the curtains at the predetermined height while you step back to take a look. Have him pull the curtain to the side and hold it in place. Have him move it up or down depending on your preference. When you like where it is located, ask him to faintly mark the spot on the wall with a pencil.

Install whatever hardware you need to secure the tieback or holdback at the designated spot. If you're using ribbon, rope, cord or another fabric, you more than likely need an average hook. If you're using metal, wood, or plastic holdbacks, you may need to drill.

If you have a second window that you want to match to the first, measure where you attached the hardware to the first window. Measure its height from the floor and the distance from the window itself. You'll want to replicate these spots precisely on the other side. When you find them, mark them with a pencil.

Install the hardware on the other side and then attach the curtain tiebacks. You may want to tug them gently to make sure everything is secure. If your curtains will remain open most of the time, close them occasionally to allow the fabric to breathe. Experts recommend washing curtains every six months.