Suggestions for Budget Window Treatments? Good Questions

Q: We recently moved in to our first house, and I was thrilled to have a clean slate to decorate. I am having difficulty, though, with window treatments, even as I acknowledge how important they are to the big picture. It seems like every day I stand at stare at my windows, especially those in the living room (pictured), completely devoid of useful innovation.

I would love some inspiration from your readers, specifically from a budget-conscious standpoint. If it makes any difference in suggestions (because of climate or weather, perhaps), I am in Houston, Texas.

Sent by Allison

Editor - Any advice from fellow Texans or anyone for that matter about Allison's window treatment question?

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Comments (19)

What is "budget minded"? Target and TJ Maxx are good places to shop on a budget.... Ikea has some excellent choices, too. When I sold my house, I pulled down all my pottery barn drapes and rods and replaced them with Ikea purchases.

Are you willing to make curtains?

Pottery Barn has some excellent value curtains for the first time ever: http://www.potterybarn.com/products/cameron-cotton-drape/?pkey=csolid-drapes-shades

I think PB's drapes are superior to anything you'll find at the "value" stores because of the fabric, construction (most are lined), and finishing.

There's also a Pottery Barn outlet in TX:

Texas
Prime Outlets
3939 IH35 S
San Marcos, TX 78666
512-805-1002

Last but not least, I think West Elm is also a good value. Not as good as PB, but the quality is great for the price.

Urban Outfitters (online) has wonderful bargains. I just purchased some Alexander Gerard print panels and used them as dummy panels on either side of an in-stock bamboo shade purchased at Home Depot. The look if fabulous, I get so many compliments. Urban Outfitters is owned by the same company as Anthropologie, fyi. Love.

Well, for around $25-30 a panel, Target has a pretty good selection. Annas Linens, too. They're not as nice at Annas but if you own a sewing machine you can punch them up by adding ribbon or nicer fabric to the bottom. Also, i'm not sure if this would work in your case, but Little Green Notebook has a really budget minded diy pelmet box project (http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2009/09/easy-pelmet-boxes.html).

oh i meant to say that because there is such a small distance between the teo windows, you should treat it as one single window, as far as treatments go.

We have an IKEA in Houston and their selection is very affordable. I would suggest placing one rod at the height of the ceiling around the corner in the left of the picture and hanging panels all the way across the two windows as posted above. Hanging them at a matching height to the room to the left should tie the two rooms together and move the eye across both.

Like this: one long rod across the top (about 6-8 inches above the top of the window). Two bamboo roller shades. Three floor-length curtain panels on clips with rings - end, end, center. All from Lowe's. Now, that's pretty basic, but you could swap out plain curtains for cute Ikea curtains, vintage bedsheets, curtains from the thrift store...

JC Penny has frequent curtain sales. A couple of years ago, I got 108 inch panels (I forget the fabric, but thick & heavy) for $30 each. I got 108 inch shears for $9 each. There's not a lot of variety in color or pattern, but if you're looking for something neutral, it's super cheap. Overstock.com also has a decent selection of low-cost window treatments.

I live in Dallas and recently purchased a house. Surprising i found great Heavy duty curtains at Ross. Please note, this is hit or miss, but if you have time and patience you can find great steals. The curtains i got were 13.99 a piece. They came from target, where they are still available at 30.00 a piece!

If you do decide to make your own and aren't a seamstress check out craigslist....a lot of people are always eager to make a few bucks. just a thought.

Also, another tip, checkout targets clearance on their back endcases.....i found some roman shades there for 30% OFF....beautiful! but the sizes didn't fit. Sometimes a little patience and persistence pays off.

I know this has been posted already, but treating the two windows as one large window is a fabulous idea.

Try Ikea or Target for the rod. Ikea carries a great cream rod called the LUMMIG which would match your style well. At 79", I'm not sure if that is long enough for you, but it is only $19.99: http://www.ikea.com/PIAimages/0090051_PE223381_S3.JPG

Looking at your windows, they seem to be a shorter height. If you don't want to hem a pair of curtains, look at fabric shower curtains from Target or Walmart. They come in great prints, and if you use the fancy hanging hooks, you'd never know they were shower curtains! I did it in my own home: http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qIoPoW-fXPI/Sya0VQH9sHI/AAAAAAAADzw/96tFBVBsbZs/s1600/Curtains%2Band%2BDrapes%2B002.png.

FYI - I do staging and redesign on a budget for people in the Houston area. Check out my website: www.InspiredHomeStaging.com and feel free to contact me if you have any other questions!

My most brilliant curtain idea ever? Ikea's Deka wire and curtain clips, with twin flat sheets clipped on. Really, you could use any fabric, but sheets are already hemmed and guaranteed washable, for getting rid of the dirty that always migrates in during the summers. You can find sheets in just about any solid color, though I might suggest brightening your room with a nice clean white! That's what we have up right now, in the form of Ikeas cheapest crummiest sheets. To sleep on, they would be quite coarse, but as curtains the texture looks almost linen like.

And if you don't like the clip look, sheets easily convert to rod-pocket if you unpick the seam at the sides of the big turndown. Takes five minutes -- doesn't show any mess from more than an inch away.

definitely pull down those blinds... and may i recommend cost plus world market for inexpensive, beautiful curtains? plain or patterned, it's where we always find exactly what we're looking for!

(after? a stop at target for curtain rods that match!)

I ditto IKEA -- they have longer curtains there, than the standard 84" you'll find at most stores. I'd suggest pulling the sofa away from the wall and hanging floor to ceiling (or almost to ceiling) curtains behind. I think a wall of fabric looks very elegant.

Target curtains are going to be too narrow and too short to make a big impact here, IMHO. Have you thought much about your overall design, Wall colors, etc.?

I use two queen duvet covers (TJ Maxx, $35 each) as curtains, they are longer and wider than curtain panels. But, I'm now getting a bit tired of the sheet look.

The Ikea rods are the best deal around.

check bbb sale bins, I've gotten some nice panel sets for 75% off, also sale section of target as well as Ross, TJMaxx and Homegoods

I was recently introduced to BrylaneHome.com. They have VERY inexpensive curtains (like, 2 panels for $8!) and they are decent quality. I'm about a week away from purchasing temporary curtains for our entire house!

Lots of great suggestions above regarding curtain panels...another local resource for you is Curtain-Tracks.com, that offers for a wide range of drapery hardware...you can pick up locally and save on the shipping.

http://www.curtain-tracks.com/

I suggest thinking beyond just putting up curtains...there are a lot of ways you can transform off-the-shelf curtains into window treatments that offer a more dramatic look...accents, valences, cornices.

I second hellowest's easy-breezy-beautiful. Bamboo is great because you can lower them to shut out hot sun, but they'll still allow some air movement. It's what I have here in so. CA, and it works great.