Budget-Friendly Curtains That Look Way More Expensive Than They Are

Getting curtains just right does more than impact the look and feel of your favorite room. They can also make a serious impact on your home's energy costs and protect your floors and furniture from fading in the sunlight. But when they're made of high-quality fabrics, feature thick blackout linings or fancy details (like pleats or intricate embroidery), and hang from metallic grommets or custom tracks, curtains can also be extremely expensive. Fortunately, from scalloped sheer options to blackout velvet panels, there are many budget-friendly curtains that look way more expensive than they actually are.

Even if you spend a lot of money on window treatments, there are several mistakes that can make curtains look cheap. Whatever style you choose, don't hang your curtains too high off the ground, leaving a large gap between the bottom hem and your floor. To get a high-end look, aim for half an inch or less. Pooling some fabric on the floor will up the formality of your space even more.

To choose the perfect curtains for your space, measure your windows before deciding on a fabric, style, or color. Once you know what size panels you need, it's time to select a fabric. To filter light in a kitchen or living room, consider textured linens in a neutral color. In bedrooms, heavier weight velvets with room-darkening linings are an ideal choice. And when you want to make a statement, consider pairing patterned curtain panels for a bespoke look.

Linen curtains keep a room feeling airy without letting in too much natural light (or glances from those nosy neighbors). Linen is classic and comes in a variety of neutral colors that work with almost any design aesthetic, which makes investing in a pair of linen curtains practical even if you like to frequently change up your home decor. The natural material is made from flax, which takes longer to grow, harvest, and process than cotton. This is one reason why some linen curtains are so expensive. For example, Pottery Barn's bestselling Belgian Flax curtains cost over $100 for a single 84-inch panel. For wider windows, you could spend hundreds of dollars. 

Instead, get a similar look with the highly rated European Linen Curtain from Quince, for $80 per panel. If you've never shopped with the sustainable brand before, look into company discounts available through bundling, referrals, and public service. Quince also offers deals on purchases of multiple panels. They're available in light filtering or lined room darkening options.

If you prefer something slightly more decorative, consider the Aya Textured Slub Stripe Linen Curtains from Home Depot. At $24 per panel, they're a budget-friendly choice that's easy to hang thanks to a rod pocket design. When you're on a really tight budget but still want the look of linen, Costco's Sheer Linen Blend Curtain 4-pack is another affordable choice. The price works out to under $10 per panel. Consider doubling them up for a fuller effect that looks more expensive.

If you want your curtains to look as good as they feel, velvet is an unbeatable choice. The luxurious fabric is synonymous with elegance, and often comes with a price tag to prove it. Made by weaving thick piles of silk thread, velvet has a rich history that's inextricably linked to royalty. It should come as no surprise that some velvet curtains can cost a king's ransom. West Elm's bestselling Velvet Blackout Curtains will set you back close to $300 for a single pair. Custom panels can cost even more.

Still, velvet is still an excellent choice for a bedroom where you want an expensive look with the added benefit of room darkening features. Target sells two highly rated options for under $50. Hundreds of reviewers give the Opalhouse Jungalow Light Filtering Velvet Curtains a five-star rating, saying the green color is "soft," the decorative macrame trim is "gorgeous," and the fabric quality "feels expensive." Target's Threshold Blackout Velvet Panels also look luxurious. Available in dark green or black, they're sold in a set of two.

Wayfair sells a set of two velvet curtains that are even less expensive and offered in a wider variety of colors. Without the right hardware, the metal grommets on the Mercer41 Deavion Velvet Room Darkening Curtain Panels can cheapen the look. Hang them from a classic black metal rod to keep the overall look expensive. And, opt for a longer length that will puddle the curtains on the ground for a little additional drama.

Choosing function over form is one of the mistakes you may be making when choosing a set of curtains, but considering the amount of privacy you need your window coverings to provide is extremely important. In certain rooms, you'll want to be able to completely block out the outside world. In others, curtains may serve a purely decorative purpose. Silk and sheer curtains are on opposite ends of the privacy spectrum, but both can give your rooms an expensive look.

Like linen and velvet, silk is a natural material that is extremely expensive because producing its soft, smooth, and shimmering texture is time-consuming. Called "the fabric of kings," silk can elevate any space thanks to its eye-catching beauty. When embroidered, it can easily become a showstopper. The Jinchan Floral Embroidered Faux Silk Curtains are highly rated by thousands of Amazon customers who appreciate their beauty, moderate light filtering effect, and high-quality construction that costs under $50. If your heart's set on the silky embroidered look but you need something that provides more privacy, consider the similarly priced Silk Home Mitchell Blackout Curtains at Costco. The Jacquard pattern provides an embroidered look, while the total blackout lining can keep your room dark and cool.

Privacy isn't a big concern? Gentle light filtering is all you need? You can't go wrong with sheer curtains. Choose panels that have scallops or other interesting details, like IKEA's ALVINE SPETS pair that costs just $10.

Custom curtains can be extremely expensive, but they're also one of the best ways to get a high-end look that fits a room's theme or color palette exactly. There are several ways you can achieve a bespoke look with off-the-rack curtains. For starters, opt for a patterned print that incorporates or coordinates with the patterns or colors in your existing decor. Don't be afraid to pick a bold design, like the vivid floral print used in the VILDPERSILJA Multicolor Curtains from IKEA. At $45 a pair, these curtains are affordable while adding a distinctive look that customers compare to the lauded (and costly) work of Josef Frank.

To make the look even more luxurious, double up your curtains by hanging two panels on each side of your window. You can simply purchase two sets of any patterned curtain you like to achieve a fuller look. But for a more expensive look, consider choosing either a coordinating solid or additional patterned panel in a colorway that complements your bolder curtains to tie the scheme together. If you have your heart set on a certain fabric but the yardage costs and production expense put creating custom curtains from it way out of your budget, don't despair. Consider using a smaller amount of your favorite fabric as a border or on decorative tie-backs. You could also use it to cover a pelmet, or fabric valance, that coordinates with less expensive full-length curtains while also covering unsightly curtain tracks or other hardware.

When you're on an extremely limited budget but still want to hang curtains that look expensive, remember that it's primarily the amount of fabric used that makes drapery so expensive. Cafe curtains like the Ticking Stripe Rod Pocket Tiers from the Vermont Country Store come in 24- and 36-inch lengths that provide excellent coverage in a bathroom or kitchen without sacrificing natural light. And, although they can be hung from a curtain rod using clips, opting for a rod pocket style means you can save on additional curtain hardware costs that can quickly add up. 

Like the farmhouse-style ticking stripe tiers, cafe curtains from Urban Outfitters cost under $40 per pair. The company also sells several cafe curtains that don't require additional hardware. Available in toile, ditsy floral, and other prints, their Set of 2 Printed Curtains have looped tabs that make them extremely quick and easy to hang. Other options, including the Paige Stripe Floral Cafe Curtains, have a simple tied top which also requires no additional curtain hardware expense. 

Although it can save you money to ditch it altogether, curtain hardware can make any window treatment style look more expensive. If you're on a budget, don't invest in expensive rods and finials. Instead, consider tucking inexpensive curtain panels behind a decorative tieback like the $34 cast brass Natalia Bow Tieback from Anthropologie. The bestselling Fenghuangwu Handmade Tassle Rope Curtain Holdbacks cost under $10 on Amazon, but also look elegant and expensive.