For a homeowner on a budget, draperies can be terribly expensive. So expensive that most of us resign ourselves to using our kid’s old Barney sheets or a Confederate flag until we can save up the thousands of dollars we need for a set of custom drapes.
There are better alternatives to cheap window coverings besides an old sheet. For bargain priced draperies, blinds, and other style of windows coverings, you might wish to check these places first:
Full sets of custom draperies often turn up in thrift stores at amazingly low prices. I’ve seen lined, full panel sets priced as low as $25. The colors may be a little funky but at these kind of prices, a little funkiness is OK.
If the draperies are made of cotton or linen, you may even be able to dye them using Rit dye.
Furniture consignment shops
Second hand furniture stores and consignment shops sell like-new home furnishings for a fraction of their original price. These consignment stores are a great place to find draperies and fabric curtains.
Discount department stores
Places like Shopko, KMart, Fred Meyer, and Burlington sell inexpensive plastic mini blinds or wooden blinds at bargain basement prices. These blinds range in size from 24″ to 84″ in width and are a great temporary window covering solution. The quality of these plastic blinds do vary with the more cheaper lines lasting only a few years before falling apart.
Home improvement stores
Big box home improvement stores sell wooden louvered blinds at reasonable prices, starting at $25 for a 24″ wide window. Most home improvement stores can even cut the blinds to fit.
We used home improvement wooden blinds in one of our children’s bedrooms and even after 10 years of constant use, the blinds still look like new.
Import markets
If there is a Pier One or Cost Plus import market in your town, check their clearance sales for low cost fabric drapery panels. Unlined 24″ full length panels range in price between $5-30.
Can’t find the right look? Instead of drapery panels, pick up some colorful sarongs instead. Sarongs can be attached to a curtain rod using a spring loaded cafe clip. Sarongs paired with a wooden louvered blind is a fabulous combination.
Department store white sales
Check the white sales at your local department store for colorful sheets that can be turned into no sew cafe style drapes. Spring loaded cafe clips and curtain rods can be purchased at fabric & sewing stores such as Jo-Anne’s House of Fabrics.
Shop for bargains on line
Factorybargaindrapes.com and halfpricedrapes.com are two sites that stock heavily discounted draperies and curtains. For price comparisons of other on-line stores, indoors.pricegrabber.com is also great resource.
Window coverings can be expensive, but for a low cost alternative that looks more expensive than it really is, one of these alternatives may work for you.
