I guess in my title I should have specified that my FDs are the standard 84".

here is a photo! thanks!

Here is a link that might be useful: {{!gwi}}

Your room and pool/view are beautiful, I wouldn't cover any of it up if I didn't have to (i.e. privacy, etc.).

But if you have to, the 96 should be ok, hung high enough, of course.

Hanging curtains higher up make your ceiling appear taller. I would hang panels on either side of the door as a design element and have them just "kiss the floor". It would also create a frame for your beautiful view.

I like draperies hung very close to the ceiling and touching the floor.

ok, good...i was worried there was something I wasn't considering!

I need something on there for two reasons:
1-I truly feel the room needs some texture
2-I like to be able to have complete privacy...even though there is no house behind us, I still feel weird walking around in my jammies at midnight!

oh, bonus reason is that I occasionally like to nap on the couch and want to be able to block sunlight in the room!!!

I will be getting 4 panels, so there will be 2 on each side. I only need 3, but I know that would look unbalanced.

thanks again!

I will keep checking back to see if anyone has a reason not to.

Sorry to disagree, but I hate curtains hung on a rod at ceiling height...unless they are a drapery with sheers under that always stay closed. I think that rod running across the wall looks very strange when the curtains are open.
I would hang them at the height of the tops of the doors.
I think it's a myth that hanging a curtain high makes a room's ceilings appear taller....what it does is make your windows appear taller...when the curtains are closed!

Oh, I enjoy hearing the different opinions, especially when given a *reason* as you did!

I think maybe the rod draws your eye "up"...as opposed to being stuck on the wall approx 1/6th of the way down from the ceiling....so instead of seeing ceiling, rod, FD and then floor...you see rod-ceiling combo, FD and then floor.

This is just a theory I made up on the spot, LOL. I am a complete decorating/WT novice!

Thank you for the input

When I see draperies hung right at the top of the frame, I feel like my head is being pushed down into my neck. It just feels cramped. But, hey, everybody reacts to spatial cues differently.

I feel the same way! I hung curtains in my sons bedroom. His ceilings are lower and run the roof line, so I could not go higher than 84". I feel like the rod is cutting the room in half.

OP, go for it! Here is my bedroom with the 96" curtains hung around my FD, and also the other windows.

My ceilings above my patio sliders in my LR and in my MBR, are 8'. I have the rods over both sliders mounted high so that my drapes hang at 90" and out to the sides of the doors by 12" each door. So my whole patio slider ensemble looks high and wide. I love it, because it makes the room look higher and the drapes can be pushed all the way out to the end of the rod, only overhanging the edge of the slider by an inch or so.

Red

ohhh, newhome, your rooms are just SICK. Gorgeous! I see what you mean...although for some reason I think the crown molding in your bedroom makes it look more...I don't know what word I am looking for, just looks like it makes more sense with the crown. But I think I am going to take the plunge and go for it in my family room.

sidebar: what is that thing in front of your french doors? Is it decorative or does it have a function?

red-would LOVE to see a picture. Sounds grand!!!

also, for newhome or anyone really...

why do you put both blinds and panels? Could you do one or the other? I was planning on ONLY doing panels. Is there a reason I need to do both, or is it purely a matter of taste?

See...I think that rectangle of wall between the curtains and the ceiling and window top, really cuts up the room.
Different strokes...

newhomebulder's bedroom windows show an excellent example of good curtain height. If you notice she has beautiful crown molding and then the curtain rod is placed just under that. It minimizes the amount of horizontal lines at ceiling height thus drawing the eye upward. Since you do not presently have a crown, that is something to think about before you finalize your curtain height. In my LR/DR with 8' ceilings, my curtain height is about 89" (custom). Reason being, ceiling height is 96", subtract 3" for the crown and then another 3" for the curtain rod, since my curtains are hung on rings which hang below the rod. If you look at NHB, first example, the curtains are placed on the rod and so slightly higher. It all depends on the look you want. If you are ordering stock curtains, you can always hem them up to get the height you want since 84" is often too short. Conversely, with 84" you can add a band at the base in a contrasting material.

In most cases I prefer hanging the drapery rod close to the ceiling. But I also find a contrasting drapery rod is distracting so I try to minimize that contrast. Depending on the color of the walls, ceiling, molding and fabric I often use a wood rod and then stain or paint it to blend in better - especially if the drapes will usually be left open.

In one bathroom that had wallpaper with a vertical pattern I used a clear lucite rod which worked perfectly. You barely knew it was there.

We have four sets of french doors in our home. Currently I only have panels up to the the two sets in the Gentleman's Parlor, but all, okay well not the set in the basement wood work shop, will have both shades of some sort and panels hung from rods that are set just below the ceiling. To me it's as personal as what color to paint your walls or heck even as personal as which way the TP hangs. If you love the look Martini then go for it. I think it would look awesome in your home. Whether you do the shades would depend on how dark you want the room. But then you could line your drapes too. I can't wait to see what you decide.
If you think, as does Linda, that there's too much space there you can always hang something decorative there.

lindac - My mother would probably think like you because the home she and my father built had the 8 foot ceilings, and are not used to seeing curtains up that high. My grandmother, on the other hand, would have loved my higher look because her home was the stately southern mansion with 12 foot ceilings.

As justgotabme said, it's a personal choice and works for me.

dirtymartini - The blinds came first. We normally place wood blinds in our home for window coverings, but I have added curtains to several rooms for decorative purposes, mainly, but also to block out more light if needed. When my bedroom curtains are closed, they do not look great because they are meant to stay stationary. However, with this heat wave we have been having, they have remained closed for a straight week. They do have a thermal and regular lining, so having them closed has helped tremendously! If my curtains ever go on clearance, I'll buy another 6 panels to add to my existing panels for more fullness.