There are times that we’ve splurged on drapery/curtains – because BELIEVE me it can be a splurge, but often worth it if you can hang with the initial investment – which can be hard to swallow. But more often it’s not in the budget, especially for blog makeovers or any of our e-design clients. Luckily there are a lot of really, really great options out there that are readymade and very affordable. For the project above we did Ikea, and oh hey, for the project below, we chose Ikea, too.
Uh. Also for this project, below, we did Ikea, too. Listen they have the longest simple white drapes that can be hemmed (even with hemming tape) to be shortened to any size so they can feel custom even though they aren’t.
Now this one, below, was custom and as you can see it is pretty darn beautiful. I think for this clients entire house, probably 10 sets of curtains with lining, rods, rings, 2 roman shades and including installation it was $15k. Steep, I know.
But forget that price if it’s not in your budget because we have a roundup for you that hopefully is. We have spoken about this before, last year, but figured it was time for an update. Before you buy make sure you refer to our How Not To Hang Your Curtains post. Now, as usual, I haven’t vetted any of these in person, so I have no idea what the quality is like. When in doubt go for cotton or linen as anything with shine can look cheap. Furthermore, most of these are not sold in single panels so make sure you are ordering enough. Without further ado, our favorite 40 curtains under $50 and 48 from $50 – $100.
1. Korben Plaid Curtain | 2. Diamond Fade Curtain in Peach | 3.Blue Alcott Curtain | 4. Smoothweave Curtain in Navy | 5. Forest Green Velvet Curtain | 6.Mid-Century Etched Grid Curtain | 7. White Ritva Curtain | 8. Mjolkort Floral Curtain | 9. Teal Zigzag Curtain | 10. Ivory Striped Sahaj Jute Curtain | 11. Sheer Window Panel in Blue | 12. Mid-Century Etched Grid Curtain in Horseradish | 13. Orange Ella Curtain | 14. Quincy Cotton Panel in Navy | 15. Foulard Scarf Print Drape | 16. Vivian Curtain in Light Blue | 17. Faux Silk Curtain in Cream | 18. Bordered Applique Drape in Gray | 19. Gray Ingert Curtain | 20. Easton Blue Curtain Panel | 21. Lavender Striped Sahaj Jute Curtain | 22. Farrah Window Panel in Jonquin | 23. Metallic Dots Curtain in Blue | 24. Blue Line Linen Curtain | 25. Paisley Printed Cotton Curtain | 26. Vivian Curtain in Pale Pink | 27. Chambray Curtain in Belgium Blue | 28. Metallic Sheer Drape | 29. Blue Wave Crinkle Sheer Curtain | 30. Graffiti Print Curtain in Blue Lagoon | 31. Ashby Blue & White Printed Curtain | 32. Yellow Ella Curtain | 33. Sheer Check Curtain in Toffee | 34. Quincy Cotton Panel in Lavender | 35. Bright Green Werna Curtain | 36. White Flong Curtain | 37. Blue Striped Sahaj Jute Curtain | 38. Tie-Dye Curtain Panel | 39. Smoothweave Curtain in Mocha | 40. Indigo Dye Curtain
1. Bermuda Palm Leaf Panel | 2. Straightaway Blackout Curtain | 3. Sheridan Velvet Curtain in Ink | 4. Classic Linen Curtain in Charlotte Blue | 5. French Tassel Window Panel in Yellow | 6. Lyla Garden Drape | 7. Clover Blue Cotton Curtain | 8. Linen Window Panel – Light Grey | 9. Triad Twill Curtain | 10. Appliqued Frame Cotton Panel in White/Petal | 11. Falling Circles Curtain in Red | 12. Preston Plaid Drape in Charcoal | 13. Palm Blackout Panel in Aqua | 14. Magical Thinking Tassel Curtain in Ivory | 15. Abha Curtain Panel in Blue | 16. Freehand Blackout Curtain | 17. Textured Cotton Tie-Top Drape in Navy | 18. Pinch-Pleat Curtain in Blue-Green | 19. Bright Linen Blackout Panel in Gray | 20. Pom Tassel Curtain in Navy | 21. Buffalo Check Drapery Panel in Gray | 22. Abstract Triangle Cotton Curtain in Sun Yellow | 23. Light Pink Linen Curtain | 24. Greek Jacquard Curtain in Teal | 25. Ikat Drapery in Indigo | 26. Velvet Curtain in Regal Blue | 27. Harper Blackout Panel in Navy | 28. Taylor Gold Curtain Panel | 29. Modern Chic Curtain in Grey | 30. Paradise Found Feathered Curtain in Pink | 31. Preston Plaid Blackout Drape in Navy | 32. Flambe Striped Curtain in Blue | 33. Falling Circles Curtain in Neutral | 34. Petalwood Curtain in Peach | 35. Half Moon Window Panel in White | 36. Studded Wool Curtain in Heathered Oatmeal | 37. Emily + Meritt Circus Stripe Drape | 38. Stepped Geo Curtain in Midnight | 39. Emma Ribbon Trim Drape in Gray | 40. Henna Blackout Curtain in Blue | 41. Martinique Curtain Panel | 42. Applique Drapery in Petal | 43. Don Check Wool Curtain in Silver Stone | 44. Velvet Curtain in Aqua Mist | 45. Natural Linen Curtain Panel | 46. Frayed Ruffle Drapery in Lilac | 47. Isla Print Drape in Light Taupe | 48. Boxter Plaid Drape in Navy/White
Need more window inspiration? Check out these: How Window Film Changed My House (and life), How We Transformed Our Studio Windows In One Hour, What To Do With These Modern Windows, Ready-Made Roman, Woven, and Roller Shade Roundup. If you want to pimp your curtains out – check out this.
I have these from Ikea, which are obviously a lot of look and for sure not everyone’s cup of tea (my fiance was horrified at first), but I LOVE them and I was really impressed with the quality. They’re fairly heavy and they’re also lined, which I was not expecting at all. I’m definitely pro Ikea curtains now!
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/90295149/
I love those and have bought them before. SHOOT. I should add them to the roundup!!!
That makes me feel so validated in my love for them, haha!
I used your suggestions from your previous curtain posts to buy the curtains and curtain rods in my apartment. I bought the white curtain rod hardware from Ikea and the Drapes option #10 on your list, the Ivory Striped Sahaj Jute Curtain from World Market. I can vouch for these curtains – they were an excellent buy! They look great in my living room. They’re neutral, but still interesting with the jute stripe. You definitely helped my apartment look more put together, so thank you!
oh good!! Love to hear a good review …
I have the ivory and jute curtains from World Market as well and they look great! I always have people asking me where they’re from.
Just FYI, I own the Ikea Ritva curtains, and they are good quality, but not lined, and the color is more off white than it looks online, and the fabric is not solid texture, kinda has a slub/hash weave.
I have the Bright Green Werna curtains from Ikea. I struggled to find a Kelly green set of curtains that weren’t crazy expensive. These are actually less “bright” than I expected. I deeper hue for sure. They are also made from a stretch fabric-yes, stretch. They don’t read at stretchy when hung, but it was a strange texture to find when I opened the packaging. They work, but they definitely look different than the photos.
I’ve bought these now like 5 times. They are GOOOOOOOD. Glad you agree. xx
In my dining room I have bay windows (so three windows, two small side ones and one large one in the middle), but it’s not big enough for a window seat or anything fun. I haven’t figured out any window coverings for this area yet but really need them because it’s on the ground floor and at the front of the house, so our neighbours can see right into the house.
I’m torn between doing coverings that are just decorative (so one panel on either side, but will never cover the bigger middle section of the window), or do I need to do three/four to cover the entire windows… then do I have to hang three separate rods? I cannot afford custom.
Do you already have a post you can send me to on this particular predicament?
I don’t know bay window protocol, but I have seen one rod hung on the wall above the bay window. When the drapes are open, they’re are on either side of the bay window as a whole, and when closed, go across the entire bay window but in a straight line, NOT following the shape of the window. Does that make sense?
Have you thought about three vinyl roller shades? Not the fanciest option and can be a little annoying to operate, but they do the trick and are very unobtrusive when rolled up. You could hang a curtain panel on either side just for looks.
I’d go for shades, too. Even if they are cheap matchstick shades. I can’t picture it but I think it would be cleaner and easier to navigate. good luck!xx
I need help with curtain rods! Can you do a post on your pretty curtain rods you use??
Hi Emily, while you’re still thinking about curtains, how about a post on the hardware??? I had an incredibly hard time finding a good quality rod and rings without the clips – I hate those clips. They look cheap and that’s the last thing I want my custom made window treatments to look!!! I settled on pottery barn, although I was disappointed that their brackets are only 3 inch projections, as it is tight with the curtain and blinds. If anyone knows of something better, please let me know!
Really wonderful ideas for curtains, and very low-priced. A marvelous Blog and so inspiring ideas!
Kind regards, Laura
thank you 🙂
I absolutely love your roundup posts, thanks for all the great suggestions/ sources!
http://www.shopthecoconutroom.com
Such a helpful post and I, too, would love to see a round up for window hardware. Which IKEA curtains are featured in the first three images? Is it number 7 in the under $50? Its always nice to see them in different settings and images verses the IKEA site. Thanks.
What do you suggest for a single window? We have one window on either side of our fireplace. Would you use two panels on each window or one on each window?
Depends on the width of the window. Curtains/drapes are supposed to be 2-3 times with width of the window for proper fullness.
Emily this is such a great post. I am loving your roundups. Lots of great ideas and looks in one spot. You are the only one out there doing this (that I have found) by the way and it is truly a service for all of us designed obsessed people. When I redid my living rooms years ago I made the mistake of going to the Pacific Design Center first to look at fabric for curtains. That is where I walked into the Osborne and Little showroom and fell in love with a William Yeoward turquoise linen embroidered fabric. $6,000 later I had the most beautiful drapes – they make the room and I will have them forever – but until then I had no idea I could get in that much trouble with window coverings! (My dining room was spared this budget buster by a set of crewel drapes from Anthropologie. $265 for the set.) There are so many great affordable options out there. I have more rooms to redo and am on the hunt again. Thanks for sparing me hours online by doing such thorough research. And hey – I might even be able to afford to get… Read more »
Thank you! That post made my day. YES, the perfect custom curtain fabric can make a room, but its such a hard pill to swallow. So glad that these major retailers are helping us out …
Your post couldn’t be more timely! I’m looking for curtains and some of your selections are already on my list.
Would love recommendations for curtain rods too. Is there’s a post on this in the archives, could you point me to it?
OOh I should do one. West Elm, Restoration Hardware and Pottery Barn all have good ones that are on the medium-expensive side. Ikea and target are good and cheap. Custom is expensive but they install for you (and installing curtain rods is my least favorite thing to do in the world :))
I’ve had great success with Target and West Elm curtains over the last couple years.
Agonizing question for you… How do you decide when to do long fabric curtains vs. roman/roller/woven shade vs. blinds? What are some of the questions you ask to figure out the best solution? I have a guest room where I just hung curtains, and I hung them high and wide, but I’m not feeling it. The room has a single window and is set high on the wall. I’m thinking a roman shade may be better. Appreciate any advice!!
OOh, good question. Generally if the room needs softness then curtains help so much. Furthermore if there is a lot of furniture/busy-ness in a room already then shades can help keep it looking clean. Then think about use/function – something its curtains can feel like they are too heavy/flowy for a room, but other times a room can feel cold. Kitchens get romans. Dining rooms can do either. living room depends on the style and the furniture near it (if you want a credenza to be in front of a window then its less ideal to have a curtain because then you need to float the credenza, etc). It’s nuanced and hard, but i hope my rambling helps 🙂
It does 🙂 Thanks!
Why not add a Roman shade and keep the curtains too? I love that look, and unless the room is too busy I think it adds interest and texture.
That could work too. Thanks!
For white linen try the Aina Curtains from Ikea which run $59 for the pair – also available in light grey, dark grey and beige. Very good quality for the price!! They are unlined but can be pinch pleated for an even more custom look.
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/10284201/
Are the white more ivory though? I saw them in the store yesterday and thought that, but it was hard to tell with the light. I needed white, so I put them down. What do you think?
Love this post. Where is that gorgeous gold curtain rod in the third pic down from??
West Elm 🙂
It looks like the one from West Elm here:
http://www.westelm.com/products/oversized-adjustable-metal-rod-antique-brass-t1748/?pkey=cwindow-hardware
Great curtain options!
http://www.petiteandhungry.com
This post is well timed as I’ve been looking for extra long curtains for my windows. The top of my window is 130″ off the floor and I can only find curtains 120″ or shorter. Any suggestions? By the way, I’ve reread all your posts about styling bookshelves as I’ve just had some built in my new home.
This post could not have come at a better time for me! I’ve been searching for curtains for our dining room and after falling in love with a fabric that’s $100/yard (!!!), it’s been hard to find something I love that’s in my budget. Thanks for the help! 🙂
#37 the pb teen stripe is also a black out drape. Stripes and black out for that price? I may die a happy woman.
You’re so funny. You show 4 pictures of plain white curtains and then proceed to provide sources for 80 patterned ones like a simple white isn’t what most of us could use to make our spaces look more magazine-like. I agree they’re not very exciting on a roundup but maybe do a post about the thickest/best bang for your buck white ones (like the IKEA ones that were mentioned)? I struggle with needing a blackout option that is white and won’t break the bank!
This comment made me laugh out loud! “4 pictures of plain white curtains.” SO TRUE! Hahaha
I am with you on this one. I bought the plain white ikea ones with the hopes of hem taping black out fabric into it or sewing it. It’s been months and I haven’t gotten to it. My hand me down sewing machine is collecting dust while I think about it.
So–I have to say, I have the pottery barn kids canvas black out panel curtains in navy blue in my sons room and they are terrific. I think I am going to chuck or repurpose my ikea panels (though they are nice, but I need blackout and I hate curtain ring clips–I don’t get why bloggers like them. They look like crap most of the time.). I am going to “invest” in the pottery barn kids plain white canvas blackout panel curtains. This is for my daughter’s room. She needs the blackout and we did gorgeous wood windows in her room that I would never want to cover up with shutters.
So–I feel you and I hope that you like the PB kids one. They are great for the price point.
We are currently renovating our house and curtains are proving to be rather difficult! Thanks for the tips 🙂
http://www.thebutter.co.uk/
For ready made curtains often the length is just too short for it to hang correctly or the top part like rod pockets just don’t look great. Also, for ready made to close the curtains you have to touch the fabric. Can you share how to transform ready-made into more custom looking and functioning curtains?
I used IKEA Lenda curtains in white throughout my house and they’re perfectly simple and inexpensive. I like Umbra for curtain rods. They’re not terribly ornate, which is just what I needed. I had to cover a large series of windows and couldn’t spend a ton of money on an extra long rod but Umbra had a good option. My favorite is the Cappa rod! http://www.umbra.com/usd/drapery/single-rods/cappa-single-rod-02
Great post!
Can you tell me where the chair in the 2nd picture is from? Love that. Thanks.
Thank you so much! Really rich content and very useful information..
Stunning, absolute stunning. The tub is to die for.