Hang the rod higher than the trim

Most windows in a Long Branch house, and in plenty of apartments across the country, are hung with the rod squeezed against the trim. The glass is the same size either way. The room is not.

Measure from the ceiling down about four to six inches, and set the brackets there if the wall allows it. Extend the rod eight to twelve inches past each side of the trim so the panel stacks on the wall, not over the glass.

For length, an 84 inch panel fits a standard eight foot ceiling when the rod is high. A 96 or 108 inch panel is the better buy for nine and ten foot rooms. Blackout linings belong in bedrooms. Light filtering linen belongs where you still want the afternoon.

Nestora Home prices every panel 15 to 20 percent under a typical retail tag for the same drop and cloth. Order the hardware in the same checkout so the brackets and the cloth arrive together.