Hey friends! One of the biggest challenges in my new place was finding cute curtains that were also affordable. I had 6 windows that needed covered quickly and I was on a budget. So I searched high and low and found the most affordable places to buy cute drapes. And I want to share them with you today, as well as tips for hanging them!
The Most Affordable Places to Buy Cute Drapes
As you might know, we just moved into our new home in Florida. And one of my first priorities when moving into a home is new drapes.
Why? First, I like the privacy they provide, especially at night. To me, black out curtains are a must in bedrooms. Also, I love the look that comes from gorgeous window coverings framing a beautiful view in the day time. In general, they just add so much to a room!
drapes / drape rods / Trelliage wall treatment / rug / lamp / coffee table / dog bed / sofa/ pillows / end tables are thrifted
For my house, my goal was to spend $100 per window with drapes and curtain rods. I used these rods which are $28-$35 depending on the length. They are beautiful and that left about $65 to spend on drapes.
That was my goal, and mostly what I stuck to when buying our window coverings. For this post, I tried to keep all drape selections to $65 or less for a set of two panels for it to qualify as affordable.
Tips for Choosing & Hanging Curtains
Before I share my favorite sources for cute drapes, here’s a guide for how to choose the best size. Make sure to measure your windows and follow these tips before buying your curtains.
Measuring for Length
So, ready-made curtains generally come in standard lengths. And the normal industry recommendations are to buy curtains in the following heights:
- 84 inches for 8-foot ceilings
- 96 inches for 9-foot ceilings
- 108 inches for 10-foot ceilings
However, one of my regrets in my master bedroom is that I hung 84″ drapes in a room with 8′ ceilings. Sadly, they look too short. If I was to go back in time, I would have ordered the 96″ drapes instead of the 84″ which were available at my local Target. Go longer if you can and avoid my mistakes!
Measuring for Width
Another thing to pay attention to is how wide your curtain will be. This involves the size of the window, and how much fabric you want once the drapes are actually closed. Usually, it looks better when there’s some extra fabric when they’re closed.
- For standard curtains, 1 1/2 X the window width = one panel
- For hanging wide curtains (from the graphic above), 2 X window width = one panel
In other words, if you’re hanging your curtains wider, you’re going to need more fabric to actually cover the windows when they’re closed. My living room curtains on the bigger window barely cover the window at night so I just ordered a second set to get that nice full look (and get total privacy at night).
Final Tip
And a final thing to look out for when you’re choosing curtains- make sure to pay attention to if they’re sold in pairs or singles! You don’t want to order your curtains to find out you only got one panel when you needed two. Plus, paying attention to how they are sold will help you figure out the final price and see if you’ll be on budget.
BEST SOURCES FOR AFFORDABLE DRAPES
Now, here are my favorite sources for affordable but cute curtains! While I only rounded up my 5 favorites from each site, most of them have sooo many more to choose from. Shall we get into it?!
TJ Maxx
1 set of 2 faux linen / 2 set of 2 helix / 3 set of 2 button / 4 set of 2 floral print / 5 set of 2 shimmer
So, TJ Maxx is easy to forget about, but their online shop is really good! They have some super cute options and were one of the most affordable shops AND you get name brand drapes.
Also, their curtains are so gorgeous! Their selection is totally on point with trends. But they also have some more timeless options that would last a longer time as well. And if you like brand names, they’ve got some good ones!
I love how #3 has button pleats! It’s a pretty unique look, so I’m into it.
JC Penney
1 pinch-pleat pink / 2 kayla floral / 3 farrah floral / 4 tassel single panel / 5 velvet jade
Second, JC Penney has a pretty gigantic selection of curtains. Also, they let you shop by some pretty detailed categories, so it’s nice and convenient.
Another pro is that they have a big price range. There are lots of super affordable options, but then there are more high-end ones if you’re looking for that too.
Personally I LOVE tassels on a curtain since it’s so playful. So, #4 with pastel tassels has my heart.
Urban Outfitters
1 Tropical Floral / 2 Jovita Panel / 3 Ladder Lace Panel / 4 Allover Fruits / 5 Poppy
Next, Urban Outfitters has a great selection of curtains! They’re patterns are super gorgeous, and I could browse through them all day.
But they also have great prices, especially for the beautiful fabrics and trendy patterns they use. Swoon!
#1, the one with the tropical flowers on it, is so cute! The bright colors + sheerness of the fabric would keep a room light and bright. I was actually considering these for my living room because that pattern is SO good!
Target
1 white with pink tassels / 2 velvet with tassels / 3 rainbow tassels / 4 floral pink / 5 stripe and tassels
Another good one, our most holy Target (lol!). They have so many cute options for great prices.
And their tassel game is on point! #2 is a gorgeous velvet plus tassels (this is what I had in my last living room). And I actually used #3, the one with rainbow tassels, in Don’s room!
Amazon
1 darkening poppy pattern / 2 grey sheer / 3 green black-out / 4 white black-out / 5 plush pink velvet
Honestly, I’m a huge fan of room darkening and black-out curtains. And what I love about Amazon is how affordable their black-out curtains are. Generally, they have a pretty big selection of them to choose from.
Back in the day, you could only get black-out curtains in very boring colors. But nowadays, there are a lot more options! For instance, #1, the poppy pattern, is also room-darkening. So fun!
Overstock
1 floral / 2 white with grey tassels / 3 boho sheer lace / 4 jade black-out / 5 striped linen
Overstock is another superstar of curtains. While they have a huge selection in general, they also have TONS of categories to choose from for how you want to browse.
Also, they have a lot of unique finds as far as curtains go. And a lot of them are unexpected! Like #3 the boho sheer lace curtains! Aren’t they gorgeous?
Wal-Mart
1 vintage palm leaves / 2 aqua blue / 3 pink metallic shimmer / 4 grey sheer / 5 stripes
So, as far as prices go Wal-Mart is hard to beat. They have lots of cuties to choose from at ah-mazing prices. If you’re on a tight budget, this is where I’d start!
Currently, I’m loving #1, the palm leaves option. This and anything from the Drew Barrymore collection steals my heart!
Joss & Main
1 pink black-out / 2 white with grey tassels / 3 silkora floral / 4 white with grey stripes / 5 blue floral
Another winner for curtain options is Joss and Main. They have so many show-stoppers at a good price. They’re also pretty on-trend, so you’ll definitely have lots of cute options to choose from.
If you’re into a nice neutral option, #4 is a lovely choice. But if you need something to completely black-out a room, I love #1, the pink black-out option. Pretty, right?
Wayfair
1 peach black-out / 2 white with black pom poms / 3 vintage floral / 4 cream black-out / 5 white sheer
Finally, Wayfair is loaded with excellent drape options. You can think of them as the place where you can literally find anything you’d ever want for curtains.
#2, the white with black lacing totally has my heart! But I also love #5, the white with pom poms. Such a fun look!
Conclusion
Well, those are all of my very favorite affordable curtain sources! Which ones caught your eye? Do you have any tips for hanging curtains? Share them with me in the comments below!