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.