Anonymous wrote:You made your bed, OP. You can't complain if you decided to go the custom route and eschew semi-custom companies like Budget Blinds (which are not cheap, by the way, they have some very high-end items).

I'm not complaining, just really surprised. I know nothing about home improvement, I've spent most of my adult life in school and never thought twice about peices of home improvement.

500/window minimum unless you are in a trailer home

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I made my own drapes and they are not ripping you off on the labor. If you’re paying retail for designer fabric that’s an opportunity for savings but I don’t think many places will argue on the markup because they know you can just order it yourself at close to wholesale online.

THIS.

Look at some tutorials for making drapes with lining and pinch pleats. It takes a lot of fabric, a very good sewing machine, and hours of work for just one panel.

Yes, you can go cheap. You could buy semi-custom (like Half-Priced Drapes dot come) or from Pottery Barn or RH. Some people can't tell the difference between basic drapes and custom ones. If that's you, which might be the case since you're posting this, don't spend the money.

Thanks for the advice, but I'm an OBGYN and work crazy unpredictable hours and my DH is a LEO. We don't do any DIY. We pay extra for the easy button.

I've waited years to do this because time is so valuable, I hate to waste it on even a 3hr appointment to choose the window treatments. I still have paper shades up in a few of our rooms and it has been years.

Just simply shocked at the prices. I had an idea in my head of what I thought it would cost, but then it came in at 3x.

Anonymous wrote:I made my own drapes and they are not ripping you off on the labor. If you’re paying retail for designer fabric that’s an opportunity for savings but I don’t think many places will argue on the markup because they know you can just order it yourself at close to wholesale online.

THIS.

Look at some tutorials for making drapes with lining and pinch pleats. It takes a lot of fabric, a very good sewing machine, and hours of work for just one panel.

Yes, you can go cheap. You could buy semi-custom (like Half-Priced Drapes dot come) or from Pottery Barn or RH. Some people can't tell the difference between basic drapes and custom ones. If that's you, which might be the case since you're posting this, don't spend the money.

I love drapes but there are a lot of good ways to save money on window treatments that still look good.

Plain white roller shades from IKEA are barely noticeable when open and perfectly functional.

Also from IKEA - AINA is a nice fabric curtain and there are a few others as well that are real cotton or linen or close enough. You can buy three-pronged pins to use the pleating tape at the top to make pretty convincing pleats. They're not lined, but they're pretty good. I would double up on even a smallish window for fullness.

Use a real curtain rod with rings and hooks. You're looking for a ring that goes over the rod with a tiny ring at the bottom to which the drapes are connected with a drapery hook. Pole pocket, grommets and tabs almost always look cheap. You can make pleats with a needle and thread and then attach the hooks to any store-bought panel.

Pre-made panels in the wrong length might look great with a contrasting strip at the bottom. Tape on the leading edge is also nice.

When you are planning your pleats make sure you have 3" or so on the inside of the panel and 4" or whatever you need for the return to the wall.

I also love a cafe curtain in many settings.

Anonymous wrote:You made your bed, OP. You can't complain if you decided to go the custom route and eschew semi-custom companies like Budget Blinds (which are not cheap, by the way, they have some very high-end items).

OP wasn't complaining, just expressing surprise.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes they are crazy. About $500/window for shutters and we have 45 windows. Drapes for just one room were over $10k.

45 windows????

Don't be such a peasent. This is DCUM.

You made your bed, OP. You can't complain if you decided to go the custom route and eschew semi-custom companies like Budget Blinds (which are not cheap, by the way, they have some very high-end items).

Anonymous wrote:I have friends whose window treatments were the trigger for a long road to divorce.

A fool and her money ....

I can absolutely see this happening

I’ve got treatments in the bathrooms and bedrooms only. We’ve got to save $$ for college

I have friends whose window treatments were the trigger for a long road to divorce.

A fool and her money ....

Anonymous wrote:Yes they are crazy. About $500/window for shutters and we have 45 windows. Drapes for just one room were over $10k.

45 windows????

I made my own drapes and they are not ripping you off on the labor. If you’re paying retail for designer fabric that’s an opportunity for savings but I don’t think many places will argue on the markup because they know you can just order it yourself at close to wholesale online.

Yes they are crazy. About $500/window for shutters and we have 45 windows. Drapes for just one room were over $10k.

Anonymous wrote:My window treatments for my home cost as much as my kitchen remodel. Holy sticker shock! Granted I'm not going budget blinds here. Doing shutters and custom curtains, but holy guacamole! I'm never moving!

Budget blinds was not actually cheap when we got a quote from them. We are going with Home Depot. I think it's a waste to spend on expensive ones. We currently have $5 temporary ones up and honestly you wouldn't know unless you are paying attention!

My window treatments for my home cost as much as my kitchen remodel. Holy sticker shock! Granted I'm not going budget blinds here. Doing shutters and custom curtains, but holy guacamole! I'm never moving!