DIY Custom Window Treatments

Shoestring Budget Custom Window Treatments - If you're struggling to make ends meet, decorating is probably the last item on your budget. Plus, if you rent, odds are there are strict limitations to what you can and can't do in your home. Not to worry, you can still unleash your creativity and make your space your own within a limited budget and without sending your landlord into a tizzy.

Window treatments are a great place to start. You can take them with you if you move and they provide big visual impact with little fuss. Custom window treatments can be made to fit any size window relatively inexpensively.

I found a pair of fabric shower curtains in a style I loved at a discount department store. They didn't match the decor in my bathroom, but I loved them and wanted to use them. They were discontinued and on clearance. The fabric was sturdy, the pattern simple square blocks, and the colors vibrant. I was on a tight budget but wanted to jazz up the plain white box of my living room. I decided to use these shower curtains on the single, tall and narrow window in the room. If it didn't work, I would be out less than twenty dollars plus hardware. The resulting window treatment turned out much better than I expected. I used the idea several more times and kept notes on what worked and what didn't.

These curtains can be made with little to no sewing ability.

Basic supply list: (We'll discuss quantity and size a little later.)

Curtain rod. Simple café rods with brackets can be purchased for as little as $4.00 and usually include brackets. Decorative curtain rods, finials, and brackets can be pricier. I found complete sets for as little as $10.00 and as much as $250.00.

Fabric shower curtains with grommets. I found some simple, industrial grade fabric shower curtains with reinforced grommets in several colors for about $12.00. The cost goes up depending on thread count, brand, and style. I found a few over $100 and beautiful. I prefer to get a simple style and embellish it myself. But whether you like simple, funky colors, or elaborate florals, there is a shower curtain for you. I like them because they are already hemmed and tend to be durable fabric. Plus, the grommets are already in place, eliminating a step.

Curtain rings. There are several styles available, simple to ornate. Be sure to get curtain rings that are big enough in diameter to slide over the curtain rod you choose. Plain metal rings that snap open and closed can be found online for as little as $1.90 for 12 rings. Curtain rings also come in hook style with decorative baubles on the end. These are often found with the shower curtains in department stores. You can usually find fabric shower curtains with coordinating hooks. The hooks need to be sturdy metal so they last and big enough in diameter to fit securely over the curtain rod. Finally, clip curtain rings are large hoops with little clips attached to connect to the curtain. These work well too, but make sure the hook will fit over the edge of a grommet and connect securely. You don't want your curtain falling off the clip and sagging.

Embellishments. A column of large, mismatched buttons running from top to bottom. A row of antique lace across the bottom of each panel. Cutout fabric flowers scattered randomly across the curtain. The only limit is your imagination. I saw a window treatment that had baby-size flip flops hot glued to the top of a pair of curtains.

Next: measurements. Typical apartment living rooms have one to two windows. An older apartment building might have tall, narrow windows. Newer apartments are more likely to have smaller, more energy efficient windows. Make note of the following measurements:

- Floor to ceiling.
- Width of window including woodwork or trim.
- Length of window including woodwork or trim.
- Width of window not including woodwork or trim.
- Length of window not including woodwork or trim.
- Distance from top of window frame trim or woodwork to ceiling.
- Distance from floor to bottom of window frame trim or woodwork.

Now you have decisions to make. There are no right or wrong answers to these questions.

First consider length. Do you want to the curtains to hang from ceiling to floor, from the top of the window frame to the floor, or from the top to the bottom of the window frame? Do you want the hem to puddle on the floor? Hanging the curtains from floor to ceiling will give your room an illusion of height and adds a formal touch. Puddling the curtain hem gives a hint of casual elegance to any style room. Hanging a curtain so it starts at the top of the window frame and ends at the bottom of the woodwork or trim is simple and casual.

Now think about width. Do you want simple straight lines or full curtains? Do you want one curtain that can be pulled back to the side or two curtains that can be split down the middle?

Fabric shower curtains come in several sizes, the standard being 70" long x 72" wide. This is generally more than enough fabric to easily cover one window with a single panel. Decide whether you want one or two panels per window.

If you choose a pattern or print, you probably don't want to embellish the panels or they may look too busy. If you choose a solid color, you have more leeway in adding detail to the curtains.

Slide the curtain rings through the grommets and slide the rings onto the rod. It doesn't get much simpler than that.

If you have high ceilings and want your window treatment to puddle on the floor, simply put two shower curtains together lengthwise and hang from the ceiling. I matched the tops of two taupe color fabric shower curtains together and tied each set of grommets with simple bows or wire edged ribbon that coordinated with the rest of my room. I used clip style curtain rings on the bottom hem to hang the curtains from the rod. I hung the curtains from the ceiling and let them puddle on the floor. The row of ribbons hung slightly lower than the middle of the window and added visual interest to the otherwise neutral curtains.

For as little as twenty dollars per window, these window treatments add great impact to a room quickly and easily.