The price of curtains can vary hugely depending on a number of factors, but it can be useful to know the average price of curtains in order to plan a budget for home renovations or so you can be sure you’re getting a good deal. Here we look at the price range for curtains and the factors that affect their cost.
Average Curtain Cost
Individual curtain panels can be purchased for as little as $10 each, and custom-made pairs of curtains will typically exceed $500. For a good-quality pair of curtains, you will generally be looking at between $70 and $140.
What Affects Curtain Cost?
When shopping for curtains, it can be useful to be aware of the different factors that affect the cost. Prioritizing the factors that are most important to you. For example, high quality can help ensure you make a good decision.
Size
Most people are already aware that the size of the curtains is, of course, going to affect the price, with larger curtains coming with a higher price tag. This is because fabric is priced according to the foot or meter, so the more fabric that a curtain uses, the more it is going to cost the consumer to buy.
Unfortunately, the size of curtains you need is predominantly out of your control, and instead, this measurement is going to be set by the size of your windows and the height of your ceilings.
In some cases, you can save money by purchasing shorter curtains. For example, in a child’s bedroom or nursery, it can look cute to have curtains that fall to just below the bottom frame of the curtain, rather than curtains that reach all the way to the floor.
If you are working on a tight budget, this can save you a considerable amount of money because short curtains are going to use around half the amount of material as long curtains.
However, in more grown-up areas of the home, such as dining rooms and living rooms, curtains should graze the floor for an elegant look. The width of the curtains is something you can’t alter because you will need to buy curtains that match the width of your window in order for them to be able to fully close.
Material
The material of the curtains you choose is going to be a big factor in setting the cost. Typically, manmade materials such as polyester are going to be on the lower end of the pricing scale, while natural materials such as silk and linen will come at the highest cost.
The thickness of a fabric is also important. For example, a heavy velvet curtain is going to contain more fibers than a sheer voile curtain, and so it is more likely to come at a higher cost. The color and pattern of the materials also play a part in the cost of curtains.
Colors that are very on-trend can make curtains more expensive because it is a case of supply and demand. When a product is seen as more appealing, retailers can charge a higher price for it.
Similarly, if you opt for a curtain color that is considered to be less popular or less appealing, such as bright orange, for example, then you can probably find that you get a better deal because this color is not in high demand.
Patterned curtains are generally going to have a higher cost compared with plain curtains because there is more involved with making a patterned curtain, so this will bump up the price.
Quality
The quality of a pair of curtains is one of the most influential factors that affect the price. A curtain that has been made from a low-quality, flimsy material, with haphazard stitching and no lining material, is going to cost much less than a curtain that has been meticulously constructed with high-quality fabric and threads.
A good-quality curtain will hang beautifully and look elegant, while a low-quality curtain will typically look exactly that. When considering the level of quality you want in a curtain, you should not only think about how you want the curtain to look but also how long you want it to last.
The old saying ‘you buy cheap, you buy twice’ is relevant here because if you buy a pair of curtains that are of low quality, then they will show signs of wear very quickly. This could look like loose threads hanging off the fabric, the hem coming undone, stitching coming loose, or the fabric wearing thin.
The expectation with low-quality curtains is that you will pay a low price, but you are likely going to need to replace the curtains again in a year or so and will have to spend more buying new curtains.
By comparison, if you buy a pair of high-quality curtains, they will be sturdy and long-lasting, and can actually save you money in the long term because you won’t have to replace them for many years to come.
A good pair of curtains can last for many decades, so if you divide the cost by the number of years you expect to keep them, then high-quality curtains can actually work out to be more affordable. For example, if you buy a cheap set of curtains for $20 and they only last a year, then the price per year is $20.
If you buy a high-quality pair of curtains for $100, and they last you for 10 years, then the cost per year is only $10, making the more expensive pair of curtains more cost-effective. On the other hand, if you are somebody who likes to change their decor frequently, then having a lower-quality pair of curtains that you expect to get bored of and replace in a year’s time will be perfectly suitable for what you want them for.
Just remember that the quality of a pair of curtains is not just about how long they last, but also about how they look. A well-tailored pair of curtains can make a room look finished, while a low-quality pair of curtains can make a room appear cheap.
Brand
The brand of a pair of curtains will affect the price, but this is not just about having a fancy name on your curtains; it is also about quality. If you buy a designer pair of curtains, then you will be paying a higher price, but you are also buying into the fact that designer curtains will be produced to a high standard.
Standard or Custom
Whether you opt for standard-sized curtains or custom curtains is going to make an enormous difference to the price of the curtains. In most cases, standard curtains will be suitable because they come in various sizes to suit a number of different window shapes and sizes.
There are very few instances where you will require custom-made curtains. For example, if you have a wall of oversized or unusual-shaped windows, you want to dress. Standard curtains will come at a much lower price than custom curtains because these will have been mass-manufactured, compared with custom curtains that are measured and made especially for your window to your own personal taste.
If you aren’t worried about budget restraints, then custom-made curtains are a lovely touch to a home because you can have them designed to perfectly match your interior decor and the exact size of your window and room. Typically, you can expect that custom-made curtains are going to cost at least three times what you would pay for standard curtains.
Lined
Curtain lining is important for a number of reasons. First, it makes the curtains thicker and heavier so that they hang better and create a more intentional draped look. Secondly, lining helps to block out light so that when the curtains are closed, they will create a darker and more intimate atmosphere.
If curtains have lining, then this is a sign that they are of a higher quality, and the additional material and time spent stitching the lining means that the cost of the curtains will, of course, be higher than a pair of curtains without lining. For people who know about curtains and interior design, lining is an absolute must-have for a pair of good-quality curtains.
Features
Some curtains will have extra features, such as thermal curtains that help to block out the cold to keep heating costs down or blackout curtains that prevent any sunlight from getting into the room for a more restful night’s sleep.
If you opt for curtains with extra features such as these, then you can expect to pay a higher price compared with curtains that do not offer any features. If a certain feature is going to improve your quality of life, such as blackout curtains, then the extra cost is worth every penny.
