20 Household Items You Should Be Repurposing Into Stylish Curtains

While there are numerous store-bought and DIY approaches to covering your windows — as well as many formats like blinds and shades to accomplish this — curtains confer a sense of softness, allowing you a chance to make them an important part of your decor. They are also great to keep out light and maintain privacy, as well as block drafts and make a room cozier.  New curtains, however, can be expensive, with different window configurations costing anywhere from $20 to several hundred dollars per window to outfit with sheers, valances, and drapes.  What you may not know is that there may be many things in your home already, from old dinner napkins to plants and greenery, that can create great budget-friendly curtains or curtain-like results.

Many of these chic alternative curtains are readily available in your home or can be made with thrifted or secondhand items. Most require minimal or no sewing at all to turn them into DIY curtains in a variety of styles perfect for everything from kitchens and baths to nurseries and playrooms. Even better, by using these materials to create curtains, you are saving them from the landfill when you're able to repurpose them in your home.

Turn any throw blanket into a cute window treatment using hook rings that just clip onto the blanket with no sewing required. This is a great chance to preserve favorite blankets you're not using or to showcase heirloom blankets where you can enjoy them daily. Using a blanket is also ideal for creating thick, light-blocking curtains and block drafts over windows and sliding doors. You can also fold the top portion over to create a small pocket for a curtain rod or add grommets to the top.

For a green and natural alternative to conventional fabric curtains, try creating a dangling wall of hanging plants whose tendrils will drape down the window. This is great for blocking views while still allowing a lot of light in. Hang pots in pretty holders or create a window box above the window and allow the plants to drape artfully down. If you don't get enough natural light, you can always use faux plants and vines. To help drape the vines you can also use suction or sticky hooks to guide them.

For pretty dinner napkins that you don't really use but love the look of, turn them into cute cafe-style curtains for a kitchen or bathroom window. A standard-sized napkin will usually cover a small kitchen window perfectly, but you can cut and sew up them together for different sized windows. Hang them halfway up the window and you can still see out the top but have privacy below. Use coordinating napkins on different windows in the kitchen for a cohesive look.

Repurpose varying lengths and varieties of ribbon into a cute window treatment that is as pretty as it is whimsical. While it doesn't block light or allow as much privacy as conventional curtains, it does frame the window and add attractive bits of color. It's especially cute for creating a window valance in a kids room, nursery, or playroom if you don't want to hang longer curtains. You can even choose certain colors that match your decor perfectly. Tie the ribbons directly on a rod or string the ribbons on a cord to wrap around it.

Try a beaded curtain in lieu of regular curtains for a pretty boho chic vibe. This one takes bits harvested from old costume jewelry strung on bead wire or fishing line to create a pretty curtain that makes a soft soothing clack when the window is open and sparkles when sunlight hits it. You can also use small craft store crystal beads, faux pearls, or large wooden beads. A beaded curtain makes a great partition between rooms or can serve as a room divider in a studio apartment that takes up virtually no space on the floor.

If you're looking for a thick curtain that will stay dry easily in a bathroom, you can turn any ordinary bath towel into a no-sew curtain by adding a strip of adhesive stitching to create a pocket to slip the curtain rod through. You can also add grommets or clip-on ring holds to hang them easily on a rod across a window of your choice. Towels are not only less expensive than curtains, but far cozier and more absorbent than other materials. They're also more easily washable.

Another great boho casual alternative to curtains is using vintage macrame wall hangings over your windows. They add a lot of texture and style and aren't as heavy and dark as many curtains. They can block views as well and offer some privacy. You can find vintage versions at flea markets and thrift stores, or you can make your own from twine or macrame yarn. String several smaller pieces together to cover a larger window or use a single one to cover a small bathroom or basement window.

Use leftover fabric scraps from your sewing supplies to make cute patchwork curtains. You can opt for traditional quilting squares. long lines of fabric sewn together vertically, or uneven pieces sewn together in irregular patterns for a fun boho look. If you've got an existing quilt, you could repurpose one of those, too. For extra thickness, cover the back of the curtain with a single piece of complimentary fabric. Or use quilt batting for a thicker curtain that blocks light and drafts.

Turn some cute vintage handkerchiefs into a fun valance for a window. Sew a pocket along the edge of several handkerchiefs then thread them along the curtain rod, gathering them together for a uniform look. Or, you can sew the edge of the hankies together to create patchwork curtains for larger windows. The beautiful patterns and embroidered details will allow you to decorate with a charming cottagecore aesthetic to the room. Look for vintage handkerchiefs in places like flea markets, thrift stores, and antique venues, where you can often find them at a steal.

If you love to collect vintage scarves and long for a way to display them, turn them into a fun vintage curtain that has a lot of variation and style. Sew the edges of the scarves together irregularly to create a patchwork window covering that perfectly suits vintage-style spaces. Choose sheer scarves for a romantic look or solid ones for fuller coverage. Thrift stores are a great source for old scarves, but they can also often be found new at various retailers for a bargain if you're looking to add some new pieces and patterns. 

Turn bed sheets into fun curtains for a budget-friendly alternative. It's an especially great option for bedrooms where you can easily match and coordinate your bedding and curtains in a cohesive way. For a no-sew approach, add clip rings to the top and hang on a metal rod. You can also add grommets to create a pocket seam that will allow you to slide the sheet along a curtain rod. Because they are cheaper, you can use more to get a fuller look and more coverage than expensive curtain panels.

Repurpose some plain canvas drop clothes into stylish neutral curtains that are water resistant. This means they are perfect for windows above the shower or tub since they keep water from permeating and resist mildew and dampness. Just use some fabric strips  or ribbons to sew some ties at the top and secure them over a curtain rod. You can also use clip rings or grommets to attach them to a rod. The canvas is heavy and durable, but also transparent enough to allow some light into the space.

A great use for large wraps and shawls is as casual boho style window coverings. Use some clothespins over a tension rod to clip the shawls in place, or knot them over the rod for a more gathered look that still allows light through in the gaps. This is particularly great for large gorgeous piano shawls that may no longer be wearable but work perfectly for decor. You can also use knitted or crocheted shawls for a netted look that offers some privacy but still allows plenty of daylight in.

There is an easy no-sew way to turn pillowcases from budget stores into simple curtains meant for for shorter windows that can add privacy to your space. Create two small slits in the closed end of the case and run the curtain rod through the top. Leave them hanging straight or tie them back with a cute ribbon or cord. For larger windows choose naturally longer king-size pillowcases. This is also a perfect way to coordinate the curtains in your bedroom with any extra matching bedding. Use mismatched vintage floral cases for a cute cottagecore style look.

A great use for doilies, crochet table runners, and other lacy pieces is to assemble them into a cute patchwork curtain that allows the light to filter through beautifully with a gorgeous patterned effect. To create romantic cottage and shabby chic curtains, sew the edges of multiple pieces together irregularly. These curtains are also great since they allow breeze through to keep the room cooler while still blocking views. Their soft and neutral colors also make them a pretty addition to vintage or modern farmhouse style interiors. 

Use some upcycled jeans to create fun rustic curtains perfect for spaces like kids' rooms or man caves. Cut the denim into strips and blocks then sew them together. This looks great if you use various cuts of both lighter and darker denim for variation. Make sure to use all parts of the jeans, including pockets, rivets, belt hoops and other details that show that they once were jeans. Cut some slender strips to make loops at the top for hanging.

Turn a tablecloth, new or old, into an easy no-sew curtain by using clip rings to hold it along the top at regular intervals. This is especially great for taking advantage of the cute patterns and beautiful detailing often found on tablecloths, which are often far less expensive than ordinary window treatments, even in luxe materials like linen and lace. Their low price means you can purchase more panels for a fuller look overall and better coverage on larger windows or patio doors. 

Use vintage tea towels in all their beauty and interesting imagery to create simple curtain panels that just tie onto the rod. Sew ribbon or simple white ties to the top of each towel then hang them separately along the curtain rod. Since they tend to be shorter, this technique works perfectly as a cafe curtain that leaves the top window free for sunlight to pour in but blocks views on the bottom. These vintage floral panels look cute in a kitchen, but can also work perfectly in a bathroom in a classic check or stripe pattern.

If you have some colorful pom-poms that are leftover from other decor and craft projects, why not turn them into a cute whimsical curtain perfect for a kids' room or playroom? Just thread pom-poms with a needle along a piece of yarn, jute twine, or thick embroidery thread, then tie them over a simple wooden dowel that can serve as a lightweight curtain rod. While they don't block light or drafts, they do highlight the window in a visually interesting and fun way. Pom-pom curtains also make a great way to decorate a doorway or closet.

Coffee bags, usually made of extra sturdy burlap, can be a great rustic curtain either hung individually or sewn together to make a larger curtain. Add large grommets along that top that will allow you to thread a curtain rod through for a more industrial look or use simple clip on hook rings to hang. You can also turn a single coffee or flour sack into a Roman-style shade with a few modifications. Coffee bag curtains fit beautifully in a kitchen or other rustic-styled room in your house.