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Home » Favorite Finds » Budget Window Shades + Curtains Roundup

Budget Window Shades + Curtains Roundup

March 31, 2021 | By Jenna Sue Favorite Finds

If I had to guess what I’m most often asked about—apart from paint colors—it’s where I source my curtains and blinds. Over the years I’ve run the gamut from dirt cheap DIY shades to pricey designer drapes, and have learned what to look for (and avoid) when shopping for window treatments.

fall bedroom decorating

For this roundup, I’m focusing on budget-friendly sources, which can be more elusive if you’re after a polished designer look. Pricing for window treatments can vary wildly, but so can quality and style. There really are so many factors to consider, and a lot will depend on personal preference. The items I’ve sourced are all ones I’ve either used in my own homes, or have on my candidate list for future projects.

heights house powder bath

Most options are customizable by size/color and the curtains are all available in at least 8′ lengths (don’t even think about using 84″ curtains unless you have abnormally short ceilings!) I will also share some keywords I look for (and avoid) when searching for curtains, plus tips to get that designer look.

Table of Contents

  • Click/tap on any one to shop:
  • What I look for when ordering curtains:
  • What I avoid when ordering curtains:
  • Let’s move onto window shades! Click/tap on any one to shop:
  • What I look for when ordering window shades:
  • What I avoid when ordering window shades:
  • My favorite sources for budget window treatments:

Click/tap on any one to shop:

Velvet curtains pinch pleat curtains cotton curtains pinch pleat curtains semi-sheer pinch pleat blackout pinch pleat jacquard curtains pink curtains chocolate linen curtains blue chambray curtains plaid curtains ikea curtains green

Velvet curtains pinch pleat curtains cotton curtains pinch pleat curtains semi-sheer pinch pleat blackout pinch pleat jacquard curtains pink curtains chocolate linen curtains blue chambray curtains plaid curtains ikea curtains green

1. These are the velvet curtains in our bedroom, and the ones I’m asked most about. Ours are Alabaster Beige and the fabric is really nice—most importantly, they’re blackout so we don’t have to use blackout shades as well.

2. I’ve seen other bloggers use these and they look really nice. I love that they’re available in wider sizes as well, which is necessary for pinch pleat!

3. These are a good super low-budget option that I used for the living room at The Riverside Retreat (I used two panels per side to make them fuller). Simple, no frills and provide some privacy.

4. A blackout pinch pleat with a linen fabric-look, available in several sizes and colors. Lots of helpful reviews with customer photos.

5. A semi-sheer pinch pleat, maybe the best price for semi-custom pinch pleat panels I’ve seen.

6. Here’s another blackout-lined linen pinch pleat, very similar to option 3.

7. I love the subtle stripe pattern on this jacquard pinch pleat. The fabric looks nice from the review photo.

8. Lots of color options for these blackout pinch pleat drapes. The fabric looks similar to the ones in our bedroom.

9. A really nice neutral deep brown pinch pleat with a linen texture. The price point is also one of the best I’ve seen, comparatively.

10. You can’t beat the price for these at $30! The denim blue chambray with the stitched detailing is really nice. I’d order two sets to make them fuller.

11. Another cute budget option from Target—I’m a sucker for anything plaid (especially curtains!)

12. Ikea is one of the best sources for budget window treatments. This deep olive green pair is beautiful (and blackout so you can use it in a bedroom).

What I look for when ordering curtains:

  • Wider widths (especially for pinch pleat!) at least 2x the width of your window (per panel) for a full look when closed.
  • Length within 4-6″ of the ceiling height: this will vary depending on ceiling height, but for 8′ ceilings I prefer to hang my rods directly below the crown molding (or within a few inches of the ceiling if no crown molding).
  • Customer photos: product shots can be pretty misleading, and it’s hard to know exactly what the final product will look like installed. I’m often hesitant to order if there are no real-life customer photos.
  • Linen fabric: real linen is quite pricey, but you can get linen blend or faux linen fabrics that have a similar feel. Velvet is also classic (just make sure it’s not shiny polyester!)
  • Blackout or room darkening: Blackout for bedrooms, room darkening for living spaces (unless they’re also paired with window shades). Heavier weight fabrics just feel more substantial and expensive.
  • Pinch pleat or back tab: Pinch pleat is certainly the most popular in the high-end design world, but it also comes at a cost. I also like to use back tab panels and hang them with curtain clips and rings. Either way—curtain rings are my hanging method of choice.

What I avoid when ordering curtains:

  • Sateen, silk or cheap polyester—anything with a sheen
  • Sheer or semi-sheer (usually, there are a few exceptions)
  • Grommet or rod pocket style
  • Anything smaller than 50″ wide
  • Anything shorter than 90″ (for standard 8′ ceilings)
  • Large scale patterns (these can look distracting)

Budget tip: If you love the look of pinch pleat but not the price tag, try making your own! You can make no-sew pinch pleat curtains with regular panels (or fabric) using pleating tape, pleat hooks and iron-on hem tape. Note that you’ll need 2-3x the width of fabric of regular curtains to achieve the same fullness.

Let’s move onto window shades! Click/tap on any one to shop:

bamboo shades roman shades relaxed roman shade striped roman shade gray roman shade budget roller shade fabric roman shade linen roman shade outdoor window shade woven shade ikea striped shade white roman shade

1. I’ve used this budget bamboo shade in both the kitchen and main bathroom at the Riverside Retreat. Love the fact that it’s cordless, easy to operate and you can’t beat the price. Guests have broken both of our expensive custom shades in that house but these have survived!

2. This is a recent addition to our playroom and I couldn’t be happier. Completely customizable, great fabric, blackout and a perfectly tailored fit. It looks much more expensive than it is.

3. Possibly my favorite window shade ever—I’ve used it in three bathrooms and our closet (in white). It’s often out of stock and there used to be more size options, but it’s a killer price if you can make it work!

4. I just love a good striped roman shade! It comes in every size and there’s plenty of real life reviews/photos.

5. This fabric and style look high quality. It’s also blackout lined, customizable and cordless.

6. I searched forever for an affordable, simple blackout shade in an extra large width for our In the Clouds bedroom, and landed on this one. These have stood up to frequent use without any issue, and still look great!

7. This one is only available in a few widths but the woven fabric and subtle stripes are nice.

8. Simple design, nice fabric and cordless.

9. This is actually an outdoor shade I used for two large bedrooms window at the Riverside Retreat. It offers privacy (but not blackout) and a nice woven texture at a really affordable price.

10. Another budget woven shade option, available in any size with lots of different textures to choose from.

11. Ikea has a few roman shade options as well, and this striped look is my favorite.

12. Simple design, several colors, fully customizable size with optional liner.

What I look for when ordering window shades:

  • Cordless
  • Privacy lined or blackout (with a white/off-white liner, especially if the window is visible from the outside)
  • Inside mount: for a custom, tailored look (there are few exceptions)
  • Customer photos of real-life examples

What I avoid when ordering window shades:

  • Sateen, silk or cheap polyester—anything with a sheen
  • Large scale patterns
green kitchen cabinets

My favorite sources for budget window treatments:

  • Amazon
  • Target
  • Ikea
  • Wayfair
  • Overstock
  • JCPenney
  • Walmart
  • Lowe’s & Home Depot
  • Etsy is also another great source if you’re looking for custom window treatments. Prices vary by seller, but you can expect to pay somewhere between the ready-made/semi-custom prices linked above and the fully custom online sources like The Shade Store, Blinds.com and Barn & Willow.

I hope this post is helpful to anyone looking for more affordable options without sacrificing style! The product selection online continues to grow, so I’d love to know if you’ve found any other great sources and I can keep this list updated.

Coming next week… the big closet reveal!

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Mother's Day Gift Guide
How to layer bedding like a pro
Budget Vanity Lighting Roundup
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Anne says

    June 5, 2021 at 10:44 am

    Your blog is wonderful and this post has inspired me to convert my pole picket curtains to a punch pleat! Do you have a go-to curtain clip/ring that you use? Thank you!

    • Jenna Sue says

      June 7, 2021 at 6:59 pm

      Thank you! I usually just use the cheap Ikea rods/rings and I’ve also purchased them from Amazon.

  2. Karen says

    May 28, 2021 at 10:44 am

    Great tips, thank you so much for sharing!! I’m curious what your opinion is on wood Venetian blinds? I love the ability to angle them and still allow light in but get privacy, whereas I’m worried they’re dated and that the window shade options you’ve provided are more modern and stylish. Do any of the options you’ve shared offer both light and privacy still? It’s such a big decision I don’t want to regret it in 2 or 3 years! Thanks for your thoughts!

    • Jenna Sue says

      June 2, 2021 at 2:59 pm

      Hi Karen, I think wood venetian blinds work just fine! They may not be as trendy as fabric roman shades, but they can be more cost effective and I think function is important in this situation. You can get roman shades in every type of fabric (including privacy/light filtering) but I don’t think wood Venetian blinds are dated. Hope this helps 🙂

  3. Sarah Finney says

    May 17, 2021 at 11:49 pm

    Hi! Can you give a source for the light wood chest in your bedroom?

    • Jenna Sue says

      May 18, 2021 at 2:22 pm

      Hi Sarah, it is a vintage dresser I refinished years ago.

  4. Lisa Jones says

    May 7, 2021 at 6:23 pm

    Perfect timing as I’m searching for bedroom drapes. Thanks for the great post.

  5. Amanda McElroy says

    April 26, 2021 at 8:15 pm

    We have 8 foot ceilings in our living room with a pretty good sized dental crown molding running across the top. Our current panels are 84″ long but something just doesn’t look right. They are also velvet and may be a bit heavy for Spring and Summer. What do you recommend? Also, if we do two panels on each side of each window, how do we do the rod?

    • Jenna Sue says

      April 28, 2021 at 9:25 am

      I would mount the curtain rod within 3-5″ from the bottom of the molding so that the curtains touch the floor. You don’t need to do anything differently with two curtain panels on each side instead of one!

  6. Shannon says

    April 22, 2021 at 9:45 am

    Thank you for posting this article! I was looking for budget friendly designer curtains and you did the work for us! I do have a question though, what height would you recommend for a 10 foot ceiling with crown molding?

    Also, love your blog and your style!

    • Jenna Sue says

      April 22, 2021 at 11:20 am

      Hey Shannon, I’m so glad it was helpful! Depending on how tall the windows are, I would probably hang the curtains around a foot higher than the windows or so (our ceilings are 9’4″ with no crown and that’s what I did).

  7. Kerry says

    April 17, 2021 at 7:18 pm

    My twins have a large shared bedroom with 4 windows! 2 windows are the same size, 1 is a very small square and the last is large. I’m not sure how to do window treatments for all of these different sizes. To make matters more complicated the largest window isn’t perfectly centered on the wall where their headboards are. Do you have any suggestions?

  8. Meg says

    April 17, 2021 at 11:05 am

    Thank you for this! We have a lot of windows to dress with a new build and plan to use these helpful links 🙂 Do you have any design advice for black window frames in particular? They will not have white returns/trim around the frame, just drywall. Black windows seem best without coverings, but we will need shades for the bedrooms.

  9. Stephanie says

    April 11, 2021 at 10:32 pm

    Thank you for sharing! I plan on purchasing some of the linen pinch pleats for our Master bedroom! I’m a little confused on which width to order. we have a large 104″ wide window, if I want to order 2 panels which size would you recommend (widths range from 50-120″)?

    • Jenna Sue says

      April 12, 2021 at 8:52 am

      Sure thing Stephanie! You’ll want to confirm if the measurement is for the actual curtain width after the pinch pleat is factored in, or the total fabric width if you expanded it. If it’s the actual curtain width, you should be able to just match the length of your curtain rod from end to end. If it’s the total fabric width, I think even the largest 120″ wouldn’t be enough to cover after pleats and I would get 4 of the 120″ panels. I hope this helps!

  10. Kristen Eff says

    April 6, 2021 at 7:15 pm

    I just bought 2 used Pottery Barn curtain panels (100″ wide) off of Nextdoor for a steal, and when I went to hang them I realized one was what she advertised, and the other is a different length and not blackout. uuuggghhh. 🙂 So I bought Roc-Lon blackout fabric off Etsy (is great fabric) and made my own blackout panel. Sometimes you get what you pay for.

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Hi, I’m Jenna and I’ve been designing and DIY’ing my way through homes since 2008. Join me as I learn, share my experience, and hopefully encourage/inspire you along the way!

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Hi, I’m Jenna and I’ve been designing and DIY’ing my way through homes since 2008. Join me as I learn, share my experience, and hopefully encourage/inspire you along the way!

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