Custom Curtains

Window treatments are an easy budget makeover when redecorating your room.  Spend a little money for a lot of impact in any area of your home.  Use accent colors to pick up a particular color in your décor.  Ten percent of  your color scheme in any room should involve an accent color, and curtains work well for this task.  but what if you can't find the perfect pair for your room?  Consider having them made, with a pair of panels topping $100, it may just fit right in to your redecorating budget.

Measure

To determine the width, measure the window and any coverage you need outside of the window frame.  Hanging curtains slightly outside the frame can add width and height to a window.

For fullness, double the measurement to determine the width of the curtain needed.  If you’re really looking for a full, lush look in a more formal room, you can even triple the measurement.

For length, add two to three feet for hemming.  For larger patterns, you may need to add more to the length to end the pattern properly.

Remember that most fabric widths are 54 inches wide.  Most window treatments use two panels.

Choose a Fabric

This is the fun part – choosing fabrics for your window treatments add a whole new world of decorating options.  Facts to remember when choosing fabric are:

  • Satins and jacquards are used mostly for more formal rooms, as they hang straight and formal.
  • Sheers work well for casual curtains, if they’re needed for privacy or light control, they need to be paired with another choice.
  • For an airy or casual look, linens look lovely – particularly for cottage decorating or tropical retreats. 
  • Dark colours will make a room appear smaller, while light ones will make it appear larger. Bright colours give the illusion of drawing in and shortening, where pale ones give depth.
  • Vertical strips can height to the window and the room.
  • Large patterns will make the room looks smaller, while smaller patterns can enlarge it visually.
  • Bold prints, particularly those with large patterns, look best in larger rooms, such as great rooms.

Choosing a Style

There are a variety of styles in curtains, which are defined by the curtain heading including these three popular styles:

Pencil Pleat 
The most common type of curtain, there is generally a 3 inch heading – which is the top portion that determines how the drape hangs.  It offers several options for hooks and gives a straight, crisp look and moves easily on the rod.

Pinch or French Pleat
Pleats pinched in groups of two or three, with spaces between which spread when the curtain is extended

Tab Top
Offers a less formal, modern look and is used with a decorative curtain rod.

So what do you do now that you’ve measured, chosen fabric and picked a style – you can sew them yourself if you have the skills and a sewing machine.  The heading is not as difficult as it sounds, as there are curtain heading tapes to take the place of stitches.

You can also have someone do the dirty work for you.  The going rate for curtains is $20 - $80 per panel depending on the fabric and style.

Custom drapes or curtains may be more budget-friendly than you think when choosing window treatments for your rooms.