You’ve got the whole room put together and now you can finally style it with finishing touches.

You researched blogs, pinned tons of pictures and binge watched all the shows on HGTV and you KNOW that the curtain rod should be hung as high up as possible, so that’s what you do.

You hang your freshly pressed curtains, stem out any stubborn wrinkles, and you see it…

The empty space between the top of your window and the ceiling.

You think, huh… I’m not sure about it… Is it okay? The ‘experts’ said it was…

To be completely fair, I’m one of those experts that says, yep, it’s okay.

Whenever I show curtain panels hung on a rod, they’re ALWAYS hung high and there’s usually empty space.

Personally, I don’t think this space is anything to get bummed about.

I think the look is casual and very now.

Others think there should be something there. Some way to fill it.

If you think that the empty space above your windows doesn’t look so great, you’re in the right place because I’m going to show you 5 tried and true, classic and classy ways to camouflage this space.

I’m also going to share with you 3 things NOT to do with this space as well.

(I’m talkin’ things that make me roll my eyes and growl in disapproval…)

Let’s get into 5 solutions for too much empty space above your windows.

So, why is this Important?

Designers and decorators tell clients to install their curtain rods high because we know that it looks far better to do that instead of plopping the rod right on or over the window.

Tall curtains emphasize the height of a room. This is VERY important, especially in small rooms.

When you bring the attention up in a small room, it makes the whole room feel larger.

It’s a total illusion, yes.

You can’t make a room physically bigger unless you knock down walls, but little tricks like this, that fool your senses, will make a huge difference.

When curtain rods are installed right on the window or right above the window, it creates a visual stop.

You glance up from the floor and your eye stops right at the top of the window.

This can make the room feel cut in half because now there’s a whole other half of the wall above that’s there without any purpose… Awkward.

Here’s something else to think about:

Say you have a few windows that are different heights or different styles in the same room.

If you install the curtains right above these windows it ends up feeling super awkward because it creates jagged sight lines that are confusing and distracting.

There’s this mis-mosh, hodge-podge, randomness that happens making the room you worked so hard to get right, feel so wrong.

On the flip side, when you install the curtains at the same height throughout the room, YOU control the line.

Now, the curtains align across the whole room and there’s a consistency throughout.

It’s not confusing and there’s a harmony and flow as you glance around the room.

Let’s Cover that Empty Space, mkay?

1. Curtains and a Shade

The shade covers the empty space. It’s functional and continues the sight line across the top of the treatment.

This is a great solution if you have stationary decorative panels. The curtains stay put and the shade goes up and down for privacy and light control.

You can achieve a similar look with blinds. Most modern blinds will have slats that will control light and privacy, much like the shades do. In both cases, you can leave the panels stationary on either side of the window as a decorative treatment. If you're looking for stylish and functional options, consider exploring blinds perth for a variety of high-quality window treatments.

Either way, the window appears larger than it is, and the entire look is finished and balanced.

2. Curtains & Sheers

This is a classic look that adds a filter to the window.

Light can still stream in but, more importantly, the volume of the sheer will provide some privacy and the line across the top is maintained.

Again, the space above the window is covered and the entire look is tall, symmetrical, and finished.

3. Cornice & Drapes

This is a bit more “formal”, but it covers that space above completely.

There’s endless cornice styles and tons of different shapes to explore.

You could even diy one if you’re handy.

It’s essentially an upholstered solid constructed box that gets fixed to the wall.

I like them because, depending on the size of the empty space above, you can customize a cornice to fit the space and it will make your room feel finished and professionally styled.

4. Valance & Drapes

This is a similar option to the box cornice above, but this is all fabric.

And like the cornice, you can customize how much of the empty space you want covered.

They’re available in many different styles and come informal or formal depending on how you want your room styled.

In addition to covering the empty wall space, they will give you another opportunity to bring in a color, texture of pattern.

Which is true for each option, really.

5. Split the Difference

This is an immediate solution for this blank area.

It’s simply measuring the space between the top of the window and the ceiling (or bottom of the crown trim) and then you divide that result by 2.

This is the height to hang your curtain rod.

It won’t completely eliminate the empty space, but it will diminish it to where you might like the look better.

If you already purchased longer curtain panels, you’ll need to hem them so that they break at the floor or 1” above.

This is a small trade off if the space above really bugs you.

What Not to Do

So, there’s a few things that really stick out for me…

You may disagree, that’s okay – potato, potato.

I feel a strong aversion to these, so I’m just gonna say them!

Shelves Above Window

Nope!

First, they do nothing to make the window look bigger and they absolutely force your eye to stop at the top of the window, which makes them feel dinky.

They are an open invitation for clutter.

There are other places to display tchotchkes. They don’t need to live on a tiny shelf above a window.

And who is going to want to get up there to dust?

No Thanks!

Metal Wall Art

So, you’d still need to hang the curtain rod high, so you’ll have a spot to hang the wall art…

That just highlights the space above.

It says, I don’t know what to do with this space so I’m going to draw MORE attention to it.

Pass!

Word Art

Please, no more word art!

Again, this is space filler.

There’s no need to have a sticker or plaque that says, “home sweet home.” That should be implied.

And Another Thing…

Think about all three of these examples and apply each to multiple windows.

Like, if you have 4 or 5 windows in a room…

Would you put a shelf over each? What would you put there?

Would you get 4 or 5 different metal sculptures?

What about the word art? You’d have room for your entire philosophy of life!

Just thinking about this makes me want to hide under my desk.

To Sum up:

Yes to:

• Curtains and a Shade

• Curtains & Sheers

• Cornice & Drapes

• Valance & Drapes

• Split the Difference

No to:

• Shelves Above Window

• Metal Wall Art

• Word Art

Now it’s your turn. Tell me how you would handle this empty space above your window?

Is there one solution you like best? Is there something else I didn’t mention that you like more? Did I touch a nerve with my 3 don’t do’s and you want me to know that you love a shelf full of your treasure above the window? Tell me about it in the comments below.

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I write about small space design and decorating, sustainable furniture options, positive self care and a variety of do-it-yourself home décor.

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Michael is Principal designer and blogger at Michael Helwig Interiors in beautiful Buffalo, New York. Since 2011, he’s a space planning expert, offering online interior e-design services for folks living in small homes, or for those with awkward and tricky layouts. He’s a frequent expert contributor to many National media publications and news outlets on topics related to decorating, interior design, diy projects, and more. Michael happily shares his experience to help folks avoid expensive mistakes and decorating disappointments. You can follow him on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook @interiorsmh.