I'd put them on the studs, as long as you have rings or grommets or some way of hanging the drapes exactly where you want them without the brackets interfering.

If your panels are sheers and you're using the rod pocket, then of course you have to put the brackets far enough apart to have the panels hang to the inside of the brackets.

I'm going to start my own thread, just took these pics - I think I need *something* to hide the brackets on the TV side of the windows (valance or another panel) but I put the outer brackets on the studs 11" away from the window to make the windows look bigger. This is one of the close(r) up pictures. The panel is hanging just to the inside of the trim, going all the way out to the bracket - finial is right against bracket. Though I have clip rings on (clipped behind since panel is so long), I could have put rings b/t the finial and the bracket, the stud happened to fall right where I wanted the panel to end anyway. The secretary is going on CL.

Mine are up near the ceiling and pretty much covered by the pinch pleats, so a photo wouldn't help.

If the drapes are functional, you will probably want to hang them closer to the ends so that you have enough room to stack back when they are open. I would leave at least a couple of the pleats on the outside so the outer edges are always stationary and look neater. If they are stationary panels, I would still hang them about 5" in from the outside edge of the drapes.

On stationary panels, we like to place brackets on the studs, it's just always the best idea, and some of the hardware we use is quite heavy. However, if they are going to open and close, you really can't have more than one or two pleats/rings outside the brackets (they'll be stationary and the others will be either spaced out or shoved together).
In a perfect world (light weight curtains and hardware) I like to just leave room for one pleat/ring between the bracket and the finial. Don't forget the return---that last 3.5 inches that goes back to the wall---it gives the panels the finished look.

thank you for the responses everyone and for the picture ajsmama, I love your drapes! They look great!

anyone else?

I'm a little foggy on this, perhaps I'm just not visualizing well...Are you asking whether the brackets holding the rod should be placed next to the edge of the window? If this is what you are asking, then, how would you push the drapes to hang 10" past the window frame with the bracket in the way? I must be missing something.

On all my windows, and most recently, on this one near the corner of the kitchen, I hung my drapery rod brackets as far out from the edge of the window as I could, to widen the look of the window, and to allow the fabric to 'stack' full while only intruding into the actual window area the slightest amount.

For this window, I had to allow a couple of inches for the finial to not bump the adjacent wall at the corner, so I was only able to hang the brackets 6" outside the window, otherwise, the drape rod with finial wouldn't fit. As a result, the drape does cover part of the glass. I don't like that, but I was limited by space. My window is only 35" wide, but it looks about 48" wide because of the draperies.

Red

Thanks Red, your drapes are so pretty. Well, what happened is the window in our master bedroom is 58 inches wide and I wanted to frame it with some stationary silk like drapes. I found 2 panels that are each 54 inches wide and we hung them with the rod brackets placed over the window similar to how you have yours but once up they looked skimpy. So then I thought I'd expand the rod a bit and double up the panels with hopes that this would make the drapes look more beefy and maybe even make the window look like it's bigger than what it really is. I just wasn't sure that expanding the rod meant we also needed to move the brackets out as well.

We just got done hanging them and decided to move the brackets farther apart. I don't have pictures yet, but it seems to have done the trick!

We've done that with all of our drapes because we prefer to get all of the light and view from the windows. I agree placement on a stud is ideal, but not always possible as they may not be placed equidistant from the window. You should, however, try to get at least one side in a stud if they are heavy and/or operable drapes. If not, then you can use a molly bolt to hold the screws. I just hung some lightweight sheers in DD's room with just the molly bolts. I prefer about a 12" stack back if you have the space (any less and the drapes look too skimpy or partially cover the window), though even more for wider windows with operable drapes and thicker stack.

Here are some examples from my house. The ones in the LR were professionally hung and I don't think they both went in studs, but the operate great.

This one was professionally hung with a thicker stack (about 18"):
{{!gwi}}

Thanks so much Valinsv! That's exactly what we did!!! As you said, since the studs weren't cooperative :c) we used a stud on one side and the molly bolt on the other. I'm happier with the look of the 2 panels, 1 did look skimpy!

I love that bedding you found for your daughter's room, it's fun and different!

Val - how wide are the panels in the MBR (I'm assuming that's it with sleigh bed), and what is the stackback? They look perfect. Probably b/c they're pleated and fall nicely which mine don't. But I'm still trying to figure stackback on mine (with the TV in the way!).