How much too short?

I would say for a fabric like toile, I would band the top, bottom and leading edge in solid with mitered corners if the total you were short was about 6-8 inches (3-4" top and bottom and 3-4" on leading edge.

I wouldn't necessarily limit myself to a solid...a stripe can look great with a toile so long as the colors match....so can a check.

Of course I'm a fan of valances too.

How short is short...if you bought for a valance, your drapes may end up being mostly solid and very little toile...

You probably couldn't do this...

Note too the effective use of trim and the coordinating shade.

I have not done an exact measurement of the fabric available, but I did buy more than originally needed because there was not a lot left on the fabric roll. Since this was a year ago, I don't remember how much extra that was.

If I go to full length drapes though, I think it will still be more than just a few inches short.

Annie, I agree it could be a coordinating check too. I like the picture you included, but believe I may need a little more of the coordinating fabric. For my planning purposes, if I only have sufficient toile for about a third of the curtain length, I assume the coordinating fabric would be on the bottom vice the top so it would not look top heavy. Would that be correct?

You can do whatever appeals to you. I can picture drapes where the check or stripe is at the top and the bottom with the toile in the middle too. I can also picture it where rather than being straight across, the seam is a gentle scallop shape to add more interest. A lot depends on the room and the look you are going for.

In my guest room, I was inspired by toile, but found a fabric in the colors I wanted that was similar to a toile. Since the only thing looking into the windows might be a deer, I decided that sheers below were sufficient. I used the fabric to make pick up valances. I lined them with a solid navy, but that was because the trim I found to edge the valance was multi colored. On the bedding I blended another fabric with the valance fabric so the pillows tie the room together.

Desk nook

Close up of valance and fabrics and trim

Dupioni silk combined with valance fabric to make bed pillows....I know the pics are too small for the room....I have some new ones I need to get framed up yet....

Actually, I think you could do exactly what AnnieDeighnaugh showed in her first picture.

You could make the valance portion (for example) 12 inches long (line it, so you can't see what's underneath), and underneath, where no one can see it, use the valance fabric for about 8 - 10 inches.

Then the toile will start further down, giving the illusion of toile underneath, but only you will know the truth. :)

Thanks all for the suggestions. I now have some different options for consideration.

Yet another variation...

Floor-to-ceiling curtains in a French ticking stripe the colors of the toile, hung beside the window with the inner edge just covering the window frame, and a simple soft Roman shade in the toile underneath, also hung at ceiling height, just behind the curtain rod, so that you can lower them for privacy, but when they're open, the lower edge lands just a little below the top window trim, so you don't lose the window itself.

I like your last option.