What do you think is acceptable to spend on curtains?

[Onthepigsback]

Just that. I have finally found a curtain I think would be beautiful in our living room. When I priced it up, with the heavy inner lining and thermal lining (the ideal) it was £700 a pair. If I go for just thermal lining, £550 a pair (I need 2 sets). Is it insane to spend this much on curtains? Not sure its high enough on our priority list for spending like that right now but wanted to see what people spend on a beautiful pair of curtains and think is okay. I'm fine with Dunelm when the style suits or in bedrooms etc.

Are they likely to be up for three years or thirty?

If you can afford it then why not? It would be cheaper however to get a local seamstress to run them up with the same fabric if you can source it. It's certainly not £150 for 2 pairs of thermal linings so I expect the fabric is marked up accordingly as well.

How much have you got to spend on curtains? And how big are your windows? It's a lot of money, but if you can afford it and they will last, maybe it is worth it? Could you investigate getting a local person to make them for you, I'm assuming you are going to a shop at the moment, it might be cheaper?

The windows are large sash ones. We could afford it but we have so much other nice and semi-important (but non essential) things to buy, we are only in the house a year. The shop is an online curtain makers, they source the material from many many well know fabric shops and then make them to spec for you so I will look into buying both the fabric and the sewing elsewhere to see if I can do it cheaper. They will likely be up for at least 10yrs. I would hope I have chosen well and its important to me not to buy things that date. I really am usually very careful with money.

Have you actually seen the fabric in the flesh? If you haven't seen it made up as a curtain in person then don't do it.

I started making 2 pairs of curtains a fair while ago, have only made one of the 4 curtains as I really don't like the curtain when hung. Loved it before. Thought it may grow on me but it hasn't. But that could possibly be because I have one odd one and the other 3 are the old ones

I got samples. Though haven't seen it in its full glory. It is a beautiful linen material, I think it would look great. No way in the world I'd even consider it without being pretty sure it would be beautiful. Thanks for the comments all. I was half expecting everyone to be shocked but owning my own home now, I'm beginning to see that some things do cost a lot and might just be worth it for things that will be there very long term.

I nearly fainted at the price of my living-room curtains, but they still look great twenty-five years later(!). It's a Victorian house with big bay windows.

If you love them and can afford them, you won't regret paying a bit more..

I know curtains can be that much. Your money, your choice. I nearly spent that much once, but pulled back from the brink and spent the money on cheap curtains and a beautiful dining table instead. Never regretted it.

I think for me, I can always think of something else I'd rather spend £1000 on. Plus my DH gets a vote too and curtains are never a high priority for him. But if you'd rather have the beautiful curtains than a holiday/new sofa/new dining suite / whatever else you could spend £1000 on, or you can afford to get the curtains AND all the other big purchases you want, then by all means get the curtains.

wow I was gonna say I got beautiful curtains for 10$ at an outlet store. 550 pounds seems insane, but if it's right for you get them.

We spent around that, converted into local currency, on our living room windows. They are an odd-shaped rectangular bay window, including two wide sash window in the middle and narrower ones on the side.

I love our curtains.

Decent curtains do last.

I remember feeling crazy spending so much, but i've never regretted it.

Does anyone elbow if it's worth refacing curtains with new fabric? I have bought a new house with about 6 huge circular bays windows. There is at least 15k of of thermal lined handmade curtains at the windows with special tracks and pelmets and a 9/10ft drop that the owners kindly left. Some are awful fabric though obviously incredibly expensive. Is it the same cost to remake them from scratch as the lining and tape is the cheap bit anyhow.

I would not be doing this sewing myself...

Know not elbow...

Butwhereto the fabric is a huge cost but time of a skilled seamstress and the linings etc are not insignificant. Long, opulent curtains take many many metres of fabric, which simply adds up.

Would any of the fabrics work if dyed? You'd have to get it done professionally I think. Otherwise, I think I would ask for quotes from seamstresses re-using the liners and compare with from-scratch online companies, which can be very competitive.

Thanks for the advice and apologies for the hijack. In answer to the original question, I think that in an older single glazed house I would happily spend a bomb on curtains. Thermal lined full length curtains honestly used to make a difference of about 10 degrees in our old house. Beautiful classic ones will also outlast all your decorating and even potentially expensive bits of furniture.