Five Beautiful Neutral Curtains on a Budget

If you’ve ever shopped for curtains, then I’m sure it’s no surprise to hear that curtains are expensive.  I’ve learned over the years that you get what you pay for so when it comes to making this investment, you need to make sure you are making it worth while.

Case in point, when B and I were preparing to move into our home way back in 2010, one of the first things we bought and totally splurged on were the drapes in our living room.  I had all these visions of a formal, moody eggplant and silver / grey room that would have been beautiful except after living with his parents for so long, I forgot to consider how we actually lived.  This somewhat glam space with rich, moody colors was completely wrong for who we were even though we “liked” it.

Once we got moved in and actually began living here, it become quite clear that even though the room could be pretty, it was completely wrong for us.  Now suddenly trying to rethink the space, I had eggplant purple drapes that just always seemed like they didn’t belong.  We have lived with these drapes for nearly 8 years now so I have learned my lesson and then some.  Had we gone with a neutral color for the drapes originally, it would have been so much easier to make room updates through our many different stages of life here in this house.

I started thinking about this topic back in November when I started working on our Master Bedroom makeover.  One of the things B really wanted me to change were the curtains in there.  They were ugly, too short and just looked cheap but living on the main street in town, privacy is really important.  Then when I started toying with the idea recently of updating our living room curtains for spring and budget being a big concern, I knew it may also be something of value for you as well.  So, today I’ve rounded up some affordable options for neutral curtains.  Even though I love pattern, I kept it simple and clean.  The perfect window covering no matter what your tastes or style.

I bought these curtains for our Master Bedroom Makeover and while i’m not sure I would call them pure blackout curtains, they work surprisingly well and were well worth the money!  The fabric is heavy but not super stiff or heavy in weight.  It’s not shiny but it’s not super matte like cotton either.  The light beige is just what it sounds like.  It’s not really grey but it’s not really beige and I love the color with all the cooler neutrals that I’ve layered in our master bedroom.

B and I bought a set of these for our bungalow in Philadelphia and used them to close off our glass slider to our deck on the back of the house.  They were not blackout curtains but they did keep the hot summer sun from heating up the kitchen and provided us privacy at night.  They fabric was a good, thick quality and to me they looked an felt like more expensive curtains than they are.

Urban Outfitters has come a long way and even though their clothing doesn’t speak to me anymore, I always find fun pieces for my home.  This curtain comes in a pretty nice range of colors and I love that they are plain and simple but the fringe keeps them from feeling boring.  This is the priciest option which wouldn’t make these the best choice for a room with lots of windows but I thought the discount was nice.

I haven’t used these exact curtains but Overstock is one of my go-to places for all things home decor.  I outfitted my shop with bamboo blinds both in the shop and in the small office and they are perfect.  I’ve also purchased countless rugs, bedding and other things so I’d buy these in a heartbeat.

I own a lot of curtains from Target and I’ve never once been disappointed.  I love that these feel neutral while still having a subtle pattern.  They would be absolutely perfect in our living room but at only 95″ they will be too short for our room.

No matter what room you are looking to update, dressing your windows with neutral curtains eliminates the need to change them up every time your style or tastes change especially when curtains can be such a huge expense for any room.  The five options I’ve shared with you today take the guilt out of changing up the curtains while giving you maximum flexibility as you update and change other things in your room to accommodate your changing style.  Do you have a favorite?  Leave a comment below and let me know.

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