Want to get our first set of 'proper' curtains - DH baulking at the price, is he right?

[RhinestoneCowghoul]

We have had tatty IKEA ready-made curtains hanging from cheap poles in our living room for the past five years (since we moved in - they were a temporary measure).

The living room is our main room, with archway through to small dining room, and the only room we haven't really decorated. We recently bought a fairly expensive new sofa, which is lovely, but the rest of the room is painted cream, DH is making some wooden furniture and I would like some nice curtains to set it off.

Trouble is I have just had a quote and DH is a bit by the price. I spend a lot of time at home, and also think that proper thick curtains with decent lining will help keep heat in. We are not extravagant in general and have money saved that could cover the cost about 10 times over.

WWYD?

If they were something relatively neutral that could be kept for a long time, withstanding re-decoration etc. then I would say go for it. We have cheap curtains in the living room and they look pants.

Decent, well made curtains in a classic material last for years - and really 'finish' a room off. So yes, go for it!

Looks at b and q ready made curtains...

Erm

Depends how much is a lot.

A friend of mine paid £1500 for her living room curtains. They are nice but no way would I have paid that much.

If you can afford it get them though...

[sits on fence]

If you have shopped around and are confident that it is a good price for what you want/are getting then go for it - they will last a long time and they will save money through insulation

My dh (and I) were aghast at the price of proper thick lined curtains when we had ours made. We have large front windows so we needed floor to ceiling ones. They cost an arm and a leg (well in my eyes). I rang a few friends to check that we weren't paying over the odds and they all said the same thing - curtains are bloody expensive. My DH refers to them now as curtains made of gold. But they are lovely lovely and do a really good job of keeping the heat in.

I know someone who paid 5K!!

How much is the quote? Have you shopped around online?

We got some nice lined ones online last year, did five windows for about £350 IIRC.

[thud]

I could feed 30000 orphaned chimpanzees peeled grapes for a year for £5k

We got ours from this website, can't fault them.

interesting use of (hypothetical) £5K, Sagacious

We got our first proper curtains last year from John Lewis having had Ikea throughout for more years than I care to remember. Made to measure, fully lined and all done and delivered in 7 days cost £350 for full length covering double width French windows (ie 2.5 metre doors).

No regrets at all, they are fab, they do keep the heat in and we love them. I think that was a good price as they are v heavy and look great.

We did however also get the JL chrome curtain poles/ brackets/ ends etc and they were a further £200 which made me a bit . But we couldn't be arsed hunting around for cheaper alternatives and they do look fantastic also. That was a big span too so wouldn't be as much for a normal window.

Yes, i redid curtains this year. Suddenly (well after 11 years in the same house) realised we'd had some very makeshift ones up all this time. Except in the spare room, for some ridiculous reason.

We paid between £1k and £2k for each set of french windows (3 in all) and around £750-1k for each regular sized window depending on the choice of fabric. Also more on accessorized cushions/valances/washbags/throws etc.

It was actually reasonable value. Shopped around quite a lot, for once. None of the fabrics were expensive although all the curtains were lined.

£350 seem very cheap reasonable.

My dining room ones were £1700 (2-3 yrs ago)for 2 pairs of full length thermal lined in this (yes will date horribly, and everyone has similar!) and matching velevet pelmets (no not the frilly kind, the box kind covered in fabric to disguise all the surface pipework for the heating) on corded tracks fully fitted and dressed.

DD's were £1,200 not including fabric but inc lining, pretty shaped box fabric covered box pelmets (to cover pipe work and the fact one window is completely crooked and a different height - although not enough that it looks quaint, rather than shoddy workmanship) corded tracks and tiebacks all fully fitted - they hopefully will last her for many, many years!

Link didn't work

here is your opportunity to scorn my taste!

I paid £105 in John Lewis 5 years ago for some really nice thick lined curtains in a fantastic fabric. Neutral but some pattern.

Still didn't work, I'm giving up ...not that you are interested anyways

Remember it is not that difficult to make your own! I am no craftswoman but I have made loads!

Can I give you a tip?

Wait until the January sales. Often, fabric for curtains comes down to half price and you will get your £350 curtains for £200.

I got mine from Dunelm Mills for about half the price they would have cost a couple of years ago.

well, got all the fabric for ours - which are all fairly fabulous, rich velvets, thick cottons, heavy slubbed silks in gorge colours - from a fabric outlet [everything £2.75 per metre], then made up by a lady-who-does-curtains for £80 per pair. They are lined and finished really well. So you can get really good things made to measure way, way cheaper than the usual stores.

OMG I am at the price of curtains. Glad I dont have any!

LBL's advice is soooooooo true. We always do up our house in the Christmas and Easter sales. Especially after Christmas prices plummet. Or should that be pelmet

I have never paid large amounts for curtains. Get my own material and found a lady who made them up for me considerably cheaper than anywhere else ie £12 a width so £48 for a pair of double width curtains. I've always managed to find good quality fabric at a reduced price by shopping around in the sales/Ebay so have ended up with lovely curtains at considerably less than I would have paid in most places.

Sadly she has stopped doing it now but I am better on a sewing machine and can make them myself but not confident enough to line them so buy thermal linings from Dunelm. Just did a pair for a very large single glazed window, they have made a huge difference to how warm the room is.

www.dunelm-mill.com/category/Special+Offers_Special+Offers/

I did the same measurments for made to measure and the price was 409 - ready made the price is £39

That is for 90x90

Thanks for all the replies - got caught up in cooking tea and have just had a chance to look through. Some good things to ponder...

I think the prob is that we are used to doing most things ourselves around the house (esp DIY fiend DH) but I'm 7 month pg and have a toddler to look after and I don't really want to make them [petulant whine].

The quote was from John Lewis, was £1,200 for two large windows, including fitting tracks. We could prob knock off £250 by doing the tracks ourselves. I think the price for material and making up the curtains is pretty reasonable.

The best way to get a good deal is to find the fabric you want, source it on ebay or from an internet fabric supplier (check they are ok and registered etc) and ask a local curtain maker to make them for you.

JL charges a silly mark up on curtains.
I know this as they once did a quote for us (similar price to yours) and I thought it was way too much. I asked around for local curtain maker recommendations and found someone who in fact makes the JL curtains (they outsource it) and she did it for around a third of the price.

Also curtain makers often have fitters they use and can get poles/track for you at discounted price. HTH