One of my most requested favorite sources round-ups is finally here!
I am frequently asked where to find good curtain panels. And it is always a loaded question, because the real question is, “where do I find good curtain panels that don’t cost a fortune?!”
Curtain panels seem like they should be affordable, until you realize one only covers half the window and pretty soon you do the math to figure out you need 8 panels. Suddenly the pretty ones you found for a $100 per panel are out of your reach.
In today’s favorite sources post, I am dishing on my favorite budget-friendly curtain panels.
For many spaces, I source white or cream panels which are pretty easy to find on a budget. It’s like sticking with white lampshades…you can’t go wrong.
Second to that, I prefer curtain panels with a great color or pattern…not overly busy, but enough to make a statement in the space.
Size Matters
No matter how much you spend on curtain panels, if you want a high-end look go from ceiling to floor. Standard panels are 84″, which means the curtain rod has to be right above the window frame for the curtains to dust the floor…not the most flattering look for your room. For standard 8 ft. ceilings, you should get 94-96″ long curtain panels, which will go ceiling to floor and make your room appear taller and larger.
Make your room look taller: For 8ft. ceilings, choose 94-96″ curtain panels to go floor to ceiling. Tweet This!
Here is my roundup of sources for budget-friendly curtain panels. Budget-friendly means under $50 a panel (yes, in curtain world that is budget-friendly), but there are many on here for much less. Each featured curtain panel is linked below.
West Elm – I have a soft spot in my heart for West Elm curtain panels. They always have a beautiful selection. Although they have some that go over $50 per panel, they always have great patterned options that start under $50 per panel. (Shown: Scribble Midnight, Ikat Key, Bold Stripe)
World Market – If your style is more traditional or globally-inspired and you love nature-motif and floral patterns, World Market has you covered. I used the slate green velvet panels to re-cover the slipper chairs in my living room. (Shown: Citrus Ikat Panel, Slate Green Velvet Curtain, Pakshi Bird of Paradise Curtain)
Target – Hands-down one of the best affordable selections of curtain panels in store, but they have even more options online, including longer lengths. We have the navy jacquard Ikat panel serving as a doorway to our understairs playroom. We recently put the navy velvet blackout panels in my son’s room and they are divine…I want to move into his room. (Shown: Jacquard Ikat, Mudhut Samover Window Panel, Farrah Lattice, Boho Boutique Lola Window Panel, Farrah Fretwork, Velvet Light Block Window Panel)
JCPenney – I will be honest, I would pass on most of the window treatments at JCP, but they did the right thing by bringing Jonathan Adler on board. These Happy Chic window treatments will keep your wallet happy, too. (Shown: Elizabeth Canvas Curtain Panel, Lola Sheer Curtain Panel, Chloe Curtain Panel)
H&M – If you style is more vintage or shabby chic, don’t miss out on these super-affordable options from H&M Home, only online. (Shown: Light Pink Chevron, Vintage Edition, Floral Printed)
Pier 1 – Best suited for traditional styles, Pier 1 has a nice selection of patterned drapes. I am not a floral person, but find myself swooning over the midnight floral panels. (Shown: Amelie Scripted, Midnight Floral, Azure Tile)
Z Gallerie – If you like luxe geometrics, look no further than Z Gallerie. These are pretty much their only three options under $50, but they are good looking options. (Shown: Montecito Panels, Geo Panels, Ankara Panels)
Urban Outfitters – For the young, and young at heart, I love the selection at Urban Outfitters. They always have fun saturated colors, gauzy silhouettes, and modern patterns. (Shown: Plum & Bow Confetti Curtain, Plum & Bow Lana Curtain, Plum & Bow Polka Dot Curtain)
Ikea – If you need a lot of panels, or extra long lengths, Ikea is your best options. They have lots of great solids and a few show-stopping patterns. I upholstered my game room benches with the Sanela velvet panels, it is a beautiful material. (Shown: Werna Block-out Curtains Dark Lilac, Sanela Curtains Light Turquoise, Lappljung Curtains Red)
Don’t Forget DIY
If all of these options still seem to pricey, try making your own panels. They are an easy no-sew project. Next to throw pillows, I think DIY curtain panels are a huge money-saver.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.
Jackie – thank you so much for sharing, I like simple white, light and breezy panels and have not been able to find decent quality and affordable ones. My ceilings are 12 ft so I think I would need 120/124″. Can you help?
Kelly, I would highly recommend making your own panels. If you buy all the fabric at the same time (one cut), you can use a 50% off coupon at Joann’s. That is probably the most affordable.
Otherwise check out the gorgeous French Belgian linen panels at CB2, which are 120″: http://m.cb2.com/french-belgian-48×120-white-linen-panel/s449621
Ikea has several white options, and some are available in 118″ lengths.
Also, Curtainworks.com is a great source for long lengths.
Hi Jackie! Thanks for the round up! We have 11 foot ceilings in our 1902 home, and the windows range in size from 5 feet to 10 feet. Is there anywhere you would recommend for longer curtains at a good price? Thanks! :)
Sarah, Check out Curtainworks.com. They have long lengths up to 144″.
Sarah – I have the same issue (12′ ceilings in our 1865 home). Check out Casa.com. I bought these 120″ curtains (I let out the hem to make them 4″ longer). They are only $16/panel. They aren’t quite floor to ceiling, but they are very close (I still have them going to the floor and the begin just above the windows) and they work great for us since we already have blinds in the windows and just needed curtains to finish styling the room. http://www.casa.com/buy?s=stylemaster%2056%20x%20120%22&ref=srbr_ca_unav#fromSearch=Y
Hey Jackie,
What a great round-up! Another good(and surprising) source for cheaper curtain panels is lowes! Check out their “indoor curtains” – I want to get the 96″ Allen & Roth Geometric curtains in Paprika for my bedroom.
Renee, Thanks for the suggestion. I love the Allen + Roth line.
Hi Jackie – Floor to ceiling is very nice if you can do that. What would you recommend for people who have baseboard electric heat – I have read to have your curtains come right about the heater…. Would you still go to the ceiling?
Jodi, Yes, for safety reasons your curtains need to stop before the radiator, but to get the room-heightening effect you should still hang your panels at the ceiling. The good news is you can probably get away with the standard 84″ panels. If you hang them close to the ceiling, you might not have to hem them to clear the baseboard.
Hi Jackie:
Love the post. I have discovered that Hobby Lobby is also a GREAT source. They have extra long curtain panels and often times you can get for 40% off (or even more).
I am really enjoying your blog!
Thanks so much Jackie! I appreciate you pointing out that I can do it myself for an affordable price, I thought it would be cheaper to buy them off the rack somewhere. I will check out Joann, thanks again!
Kelly, Thanks for the tip. Our first local Hobby Lobby opened just last week. I can’t wait to have a few hours to check it out!
Just make sure you do not go there on a Sunday. They are a faith based business and are not open on Sundays.
Lori at WOM-MOM
Such a timely post! I just brought home curtains from World Market last night, and ordered some from Target today. We’ll see which ones make the cut! I hadn’t ever thought about the longer length, but you’re right – I ordered the 95″ from Target.
Jennifer, Sounds like you were one step ahead of me. Sometimes, stores like Target don’t carry the longer lengths in store, but you can order them online. Always worth checking. Best of luck with your new panels!
Thank you! I’m still waiting for the Target panels but have also ordered the Jonathon Adler apple green Charlotte panels (JCP, clearance, 50% off!) and have switched my World Market choice too. My husband is just shaking his head. :)
I love to find a good bargain on curtain panels, but sometimes I find them a little thin. I recently started a huge crush on the Oberlin panels at Lowes. I purchased them for my bedroom, but I want to add a blackout panel with minimal or no sewing. What’s the best way to go about it?
http://www.lowes.com/pd_435901-710-X38102795ZBG_0__?productId=4566328
April, I highly recommend this no-sew blackout lining tutorial from Young House Love: http://www.younghouselove.com/2012/01/fifteen-minute-fifteen-dolla-black-out-curtains/
I have 12′ ceilings and needed curtains at least 120″ long. Plus, we rent, so I knew I didn’t want to spend a fortune on curtains. I was going to buy fabric and make my own (which I did do for the bathroom), but even the fabric was pricey when I needed 8 panels for the living room and 6 for the bedroom. Then I found these 120″ panels on Casa.com for only $16/panel!!!! http://www.casa.com/buy?s=stylemaster%2056%20x%20120%22&ref=srbr_ca_unav#fromSearch=Y They were still a little too short for me, so I took out the bottom hem and made it much smaller. They are perfect for what I need and so SO cheap!
I should note that my windows also have blinds in them, so I didn’t need these curtains to block a lot of light. They were mostly needed to finish the look of the room.
Stephanie, Great find and thank you for sharing your source to help others that might have the same challenge!
Thanks Jackie for sharing your sources. I have curtains from Ikea and World Market which are surprisingly good quality. I love the idea of making my own curtains which I’ve never tried. Maybe I’ll give it a shot for my bedroom redesign.
Lisa, you should definitely try DIY. Other than cost-savings it opens up a world of possibility…almost any fabric can be made into curtains…even tablecloths or sheets.
Hobby Lobby is such a gem. I went this afternoon and found curtains with matching pillow covers. They are also the only place I know that sells adhesive lamp shades to cover with your own fabric. Be sure to check their website for the 40% off coupon.
I love this resource list. Do you know where to get extra big panels? (I need two panels at 60 inches wide X 120 inches long.) Thank you!!
Dee, I assume you mean width. Unfortunately, 60″ width panels will be really difficult to find. Fabrics don’t come that wide off the bolt until you get into upholstery weight or specially extra wide fabrics for sheeting. Instead of looking for extra wide panels, focus on the right length and buy double the panels. Hope that helps!
Oh, interesting idea. So, get a double rod and hang 2 panels inside and 2 outside to cover the entire window? Great idea. Thank you, ~Dee
Dee, That works too, but double rods can be pricey. You can just hang all the panels on the some rod, too. Just hang the rod wider than your window, so you have room for the extra volume when the curtains are open without blocking the window.
thank you :)
Dreaded mistake can it be fixed? I purchased 2 Panels: 120″ H x 54″ W each and my ceilings are 8 feet high.
Construction material: faux silk, 100% polyester
with Grommet/Eyelet header and color blocked on the bottom.
Non returnable what can I do…?
I do love the flowing/ puddle to the floor but do I have to much fabric?
Thanks
Cheryl, Can you sew? If not, it should be a pretty inexpensive job for a seamstress (your local dry cleaner may have a seamstress on staff). Have them remove the excess fabric at the point it switches from one color to another. That way you don’t lose the color on the bottom and you don’t mess with the grommets on the top. You probably have an extra 20-24″ right now, right? Puddling fabric should only be an extra 6-8″ at most.
Thanks Jackie, a great suggestion that I will follow up on. I did forget to mention that the panels are lined which may elevate the cost some. I will post picture when the project is complete, moving this week!
What if you have an older house with older small windows everywhere?