I you want discount curtains, the trick is finding cheap curtains and drapes for your home with as little hassle as possible. There are many places you can go to find great deals on curtains and drapes for your home. You can find them in department stores, specialty stores and even online stores. The best way to find a great deal is to determine a number of different places you may want to purchase discount curtains or drapes from and then keep track of their sales and promotions.

Cheap Curtains and Drapes

When new models and patterns come in, typically a store will liquidate older styles and patterns that aren’t selling as well. This doesn’t mean they’re any lower quality, they just aren’t what’s trend at the time. This doesn’t mean you won’t find something that matches your style and tastes perfectly. It’s worthwhile to find out about any closeouts or clearance items that may be available at the retailers you shop with. Sales people won’t typically push this type of product, so you have to be persistent to find the best possible deals.
You may also be able to find discount curtains and drapes that have been purchased as a special order and then returned to the store at a highly discounted price. This kind of thing happens a lot more than you might think. Something that might look good in the store doesn’t always end up looking good in someone’s home, so there are bound to be times when returns happen. This is probably one of the best ways to get cheap curtains and drapes as special order items are more likely to be brand new and come in the trendy styles that everyone loves. Retailers know the odds of finding someone else who wants the exact same special order are extremely low, so they mark them down to rock bottom prices to ensure a fast sale.

Another way to save on discount curtains and drapes is to look for stores that offer discounted items that have some kind of manufacturing flaw. Products that don’t pass quality control standards in the manufacturing process aren’t sold the same way normal products are. They are usually marked down and sometimes even sold in different stores that specialize in discount merchandise. Most of the time, you can find great looking products that only have minor flaws that are hardly noticeable.
Discount retailers are another great source of cheap curtains and drapes. Discount retailers specialize in purchasing overstocked merchandise and closeouts from other retail stores and selling them at a huge discount. The merchandise in discount stores will turn over quickly though, so you must check back often to find the best products at the best possible prices. Due diligence can pay off in stylish new curtains and drapes at a fraction of the normal retail price.
You can also use online auctions to find great deals on curtains and drapes online. Online auctions provide a global marketplace which encourages competition among not only manufacturers selling directly but also retail stores, dealers and even people selling things personally. With so many people trying to sell so much of the same stuff, the prices are often lower than anywhere else. Shopping online may even be your best option for finding cheap curtains and drapes.

Curtains and Drapes

Curtains and drapes provide important functions in your home yet are often taken for granted. They block out light and sound but also help insulate your home against heat and cold. They also play a huge role in the overall style and personality of any room in your house. They can be fun and flashy or dull and dreary, but either way they say a lot about you.
You may be wondering what the difference is between curtains and drapes and if it even matters. Originally, three types of curtains were used on a window, a sash curtain, a draw curtain and an over-drapery. The sash curtain was used to filter light, the draw curtain was used to block light completely and the over-drapery, now just called a drapery, was a purely decorative layer. In formal rooms, with adequate ceiling space, all of this was topped with a valance to hide the hanging hardware for the curtains and drapes. Most people don’t go to the hassle of including all these different layers unless they have a very formal space.
Nowadays curtains and drapes are used almost independently. Most people don’t really know what the difference is between the two. It’s not important to get too caught up on the terminology if you are unfamiliar. As long as you are happy with the style, fabric and hardware you’ve chosen, it doesn’t make much of a difference what you call it.
There are many options to consider. You might just hang curtains of lace, silk or another sheer fabric over your windows. This will look good and diffuse the light coming in, but it won’t provide much for privacy. You could also use the same sheer fabric curtains over blinds that you can use to block out the light completely. You could even have drapes that block out light completely over your blinds to provide the best insulation and privacy possible. It all depends on how much light you want to let in and if you want to have to open and close your drapes or blinds every day.
When searching for cheap curtains and drapes you should consider what length you want to get. In general, the longer your curtains are, the more dressy or formal your look will be. Shorter curtains, such as curtains people typically use in their kitchens, imply a more casual and relaxed environment than longer, fancier curtains would. You could pick curtains at a formal floor length, long enough to reach your window sill, long enough to cover your window’s frame completely or even long enough to romantically puddle on the floor.
In a formal room your curtains should just barely touch the floor, but not be long enough to pile up. This adds to the clean feel of a formal room, and also keeps your curtains cleaner by not rubbing all over the floor where they can collect dust and hair. A romantic room with artistic accents might be better suited for curtains that drag on the floor. You should also consider safety when determining the length of your curtains and drapes. They shouldn’t be long enough to be in danger of catching fire from a stove or electric heater.

Typical Pricing

Curtains and drapes vary in price significantly. They can be anywhere from $2 to $2,000 per panel or more. The price will mainly depend on the size of the fabric used, quality of construction, style, and whether or not they are brand name. Designer curtain brands are typically more expensive than what you’d find at the big box stores.
The cheapest curtains and drapes you will find will typically be made out of lower quality fabrics that are produced in common sizes. The typical size of a curtain panel can vary from 15 to 50 inches wide. A common length for curtains and drapes is 84 inches, though most kitchen and bathroom curtains are only 36 inches. These panels will typically only cost $5 to $15 each brand new or as low as $9 to $40 as a pair.
Other fabrics such as silk, linen, and brocade will cost significantly more and typically run $20 to $150 per panel in stock sizes and as much as $250 or more for a pair of curtain panels. Department stores will typically carry these types of curtains, though they are more expensive than the bargain basement discount retailers.
Made to order window treatments that a custom made to your measurements from a retailer or specialty stores will cost you anywhere from $250 to $5000 per panel, depending on who you go through. Custom curtain panels can be cut to within 1/8 of an inch so you can have curtains made to fit any space, no matter how big or small. Sizes will typically range from 15 to 170 inches in width and 10 to 170 inches long. Custom window panels may also be offered in a variety of different materials from the low end cotton all the way up to high end silk panels with interlining and extra accessories.
Energy efficient curtains and drapes can be anywhere from $20 to $150 or more per panel. They can be even more if you must get them custom made to fit your windows. Most retailers offer energy efficient curtains now in a number of styles, so it may be possible to find them at discounted rates when they go on clearance.
Sheer curtains, which are often combined with other thicker curtains, offer little privacy and don’t block light very well by themselves. They can cost anywhere from $10 to $120 per panel, which usually depends on the materials used and the brand. It also depends on the size of the curtain panels and if you buy them in a set or separately.

Cheap Curtains

Getting curtains and drapes can be a quite expensive process, even if you buy the panels yourself and install them yourself. The reason why curtains are so expensive is because of how much fabric they take to construct. Think of how many t-shirts you could make out of just one of your larges curtains. It can also be quite time consuming to produce some styles of curtains such as those that have linings, tie backs or other fancy decorations. The amount of manual labor involved in producing curtains has a huge impact on their cost.
If you are looking to stretch your dollar, you can always get by simply framing your window with curtains. Use curtains with narrow panels that just barely cover your windows without covering the frame. You can create the look of curtains without paying for all the extra fabric that goes into much wider curtains that bunch up. If you are looking for some added privacy you can always use blinds behind your curtains.
The best way to get a great price on curtains is to choose less expensive fabrics. Using a large amount of cheaper fabrics is still better than using less of a more expensive fabric and barley covering your windows. You won’t actually have to wear your curtains like you would with the clothing that you buy, so the materials you use won’t matter as much in the long run. Expensive fabrics might look fancier, but you can still make a great impression with cheap fabrics, if you pick a great pattern and style.
If you opt for less expensive curtains you can always use embellishments to dress them up a little bit. A quick trip to the local arts and crafts store will provide you with all the beads and fancy decorations you need to make your cheap curtains and drapes as fun and fashionable as you are. This is a great alternative to actually making your own curtains. The hard part is done for you, and all you have to do is the fun part or making them look fancy with inexpensive supplies.
Of course, the cheapest way of all to have amazing curtains and drapes that don’t break the bank is to make them yourself. If you have a sewing machine you can use, and a little spare time, you can make incredible window treatments from the comfort of your own home. This allows you to find the perfect fabric at the best possible price to create your curtains from. Sewing curtains is also extremely easy, even for the novice seamstress. Most of the lines are completely straight which makes them very easy to follow.
You could also buy curtains and drapes made from energy efficient materials that help to insulate your home and save on your energy costs. You might pay more for these up front, but they will likely pay for themselves in time. Keeping out the heat of the sun and the cold of a winter night can truly make these cheap curtains and drapes budget friendly, and also environmentally friendly. Make sure your discount curtains are right for you before buying.