Easy ways to make a space feel larger

You wouldn’t normally think adding something to a space would make it feel larger, but that is just what hanging drapery panels can do.  Most windows do not go floor to ceiling in a room, thus leaving wall space above and below the window frame.  Our tendency is to take a drapery rod and mount it on or directly above the frame.  In that same line of thought, we usually only draw the rod out far enough for the finials to stop at the side edges of the window.  What we are left with are window treatments hung tightly around the window and a lot of wall space to spare.  Mounting a rod this way can dwarf not only your window, but the whole room , as well.  

When I hang window treatments, I take the rod all the way up to the crown molding (if there is no molding, go to the ceiling line).  This adds dramatic height and plays up the vertical space in the room.  When hanging stationary panels on windows greater than 3ft in width, I recommend foregoing the long rod spanning the window width and instead using two short ones on each end.  This is an especially helpful tip if you are using store-bought panels because it creates a sense of fullness.  Even for custom made draperies, two small rods looks stunning on a window and the rods appear more substantial.  To create the illusion a window is wider than it is, place the rods out to the side of the window frame so that only a portion of the panel is overlapping the window.