Have Curtains Always Been Expensive?

[Jacaqueen]

After the sub zero temperatures of last winter I have decided to get organised and get myself some decent curtains.

I live in an 1850's house with single glazed sash windows. At the moment I have interlined roman blinds on the windows, which upto last year were fairly good at keeping out the draughts.

Due to the height of the windows off the peg curtains dont fit so I will have to get some made.

Is £800 for double width interlined curtains for a bay window the amount I'm going to have to pay? Plus goodness knows how much for a curtain pole.

Yes, but there are alternatives. If you can find some curtains on e-bay even not the correct size you can unpick, cut out any faded areas and then add another section of fabric. ie base strip plain - patterned centre, plain strip at top. Depending on the style you want to achieve. I have seen amazing curtain some ex display purchased for £1000 going for £100. ALso people who seem and are able to changer their interoirs after 1 year! - amazing.

You dont need to seperatly interline (another saving) A company called Edmund Bell (used by the best) produces a blackout (3 pass) with interlining fixed together. No longer the horrible blackout you used to remember its a soft like thick lining. Excellent curtain makers will have this fabric via mail order.

Id avoid any cheap fabric, go for good brands. also when buying fabric you have to understand the match.

Making large curtains is something I woulnt do myself. Firstly you need the space, a huge clean area (no dog) and experience.

I'd be tempted to get an interior designer to pop over and give you inspiration and what not to do! Some do it for free especially department stores.

Dont opt for a cheap pole. On the otherhand you could have a rail attached to the ceiling with a lath to cover it - very classy!

Have you thought of second hand curtains? There's a great place called the curtain exchange which does second hand curtains, but they never seem to have things that actually look second hand. I got curtains for my bay window that looked like new for a fraction of the price I'd pay for new ones. I messed up badly with my measurements too and they sorted me out and they fitted perfectly, was too complicated for me! Might be worth a try. www.thecurtainexchange.co.uk/

I got the fab curtains made to measure £670 then found they were so heavy I had to get a new pole made to take the weight!Four metre pole!! Wish it would come I'm freezing !

In the end I got silk interlined curtains in a lovely cranberry colour (Laura Ashley) from ebay. They are extra long and pool beautifully on the floor. Only thing is they are a bit neat whern fully drawn but I tend to leave them slightly open and drape them on either side of the radiator which means I still get to see the roman blinds.

They were hand made brand new and only cost £250, which is around the price for the silk alone.
They have certainly cut down on the draughts and the colour makes the room seem much cosier.

i did become a bit of an expert in finding cheap curtains for victorian windows when we were moving lots between rental houses a few years ago.

i think your problem though is that you don't want cheap curtains! is there really nothing ready made that will fit?

i bought 2 door curtains for a bout 20 quid each and they fitted beautifully in one bay.

i also had the most beautiful curtains that my mum made- interlined and with duck egg blue linings but the fabric alone cost something like £450 years ago- i reckon you can double the price of the materials if you want someone to make them for you.

I had some plain taupe twill curtains from Next last year, cost £200 for two big windows and they have been very much admired and I've been told they look expensive!

Wow to some of the prices here! I am currently having some gorgeous curtains made up for a total of around £200. That's including 8 meters of LINEN fabric! I got my fabric from Ecotale, and a local curtain maker is now making them for me. It really pays to shop around like that.

If youare willing to buy online. How about looking at

www.lightinthebox.com/c/curtains_5092

They are in china so you have to factor in the import duty but i have found them really good. My lounge has a patio door, a large bay and a front window and as i have non standard lenght windows so made to measure off the shelf are no good for me.

Would cost a an arm and a leg even in somewhere like Dunelm but by using lightinthebox i have blackout thermal double pleated tops for under £500