Apartment Decorating Ideas: 4 Inexpensive Curtain Options

Apartments buildings traditionally don’t offer much in the way of curtain options. They might throw a set of venetian blinds on your main windows, but that’s about it. In this article, I’ll be briefly detailing five easy, inexpensive curtain options that anyone can use. Note: all of the following designs presuppose a rod attachment at the top of the window to hang your curtains from. If you do not have one of these, two wall-mounted hooks and a wooden dowel are cheap and easy to obtain.

1. Rod and Clips

The rod and clips assembly for your curtains is by far the easiest and least time-consuming to make. Choose your fabric, cut it into rectangles big enough to cover your window, hem the top and bottom and cut out neat holes at the top, spaced about 1-2 inches apart. Obtain cheap clip-on curtain rings from you local department store, and clip the curtains onto the rod. Done!

2. Rod and Pocket 

A rod and pocket design is slightly more time-consuming, but also fancier-looking than a rod and clips assembly. Cut the fabric of your choice into a rectangle large enough to cover your window (with enough at the bottom to hem and enough at the top to be folded over and sewn into a loop, called a pocket). The rod at the top of your window will be fed through this pocket, eliminating the need for curtain rings. Done!

3. Double-Layer Curtains 

The previous two designs have been single-layer designs, using a single sheet of fabric. The double-layer curtains are extra-fun to have in a room, and add a touch of creativity to your window’s appearance. For the first layer, which is closest to the window, create curtains using the rod and clips or rod and pocket designs detailed above. However, before the curtains are finished, attach a separate layer of different-colored gauzy or see-through material to the top of the first layer, facing inwards. Color and pattern combinations can be used to create hundreds of different looks for your curtains. For example, purple curtains with a gauzy green veil give a room a Spring atmosphere, whereas navy blue curtains with a white veil look more austere and formal. Look through the fabric section at your local craft store for ideas.

4. Unique Handmade Curtains 

For those wanting a more unique touch to their curtains, a variety of one-of-a-kind designs are available, and are open to your interpretations. If you are fascinated by Japanese culture, for example, apple red curtains made with the rod and clips design above, and then hung with a second layer made from a sheer Japanese flag, make a unique and eye-catching theme for a room. For a more middle-European style, try finding a replica old-world tapestry and making your curtains from that. The rod and pocket design works especially well for these heavier materials, and by finding a gothic or wrought-iron rod to go with them, you can make your curtains stand out all the more!

As always, there are many more detailed sources available, and the only limit is your own creativity!

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Jordan Gaither: I’m a Communications major by trade, an artist by choice, a welder by day and a dancer by night (Okay, I made that last part up). Having lived in a succession of cramped, oddly-shaped apartments, I have a wealth of personal experience in apartment living, as well as arranging and decorating to maximize effect and livable space.