Got a big wall of windows and trouble finding an affordable curtain rod? Here's a solution for an extra long curtain rod for under $200!
While I was mulling over my living room makeover plan, I was stuck on how to create inexpensive window treatments for the room. One whole wall is windows – 222 inches of them, to be exact!
I had decided to take down the wood blinds, because even when they were open, they still blocked some light. (It's hard to tell in the picture below, thanks to some photo editing.)
A screened-in porch sits on the other side of the windows, which already limits the light, so I wanted to open things up as much as possible. And I just love the texture and warmth curtains add to a space.
That wall of windows had a lot of hard lines and was begging for some softness. I'm a huge fan of curtains, so that was a no-brainer! And once I picked Hale Navy for the walls, choosing solid white curtain panels was easy. Navy and white is such a classic pairing.
Sectional Sofa (in Twill Parchment) | White Curtains | Curtain Rods | “Midnight” Blue Throw Pillows |Brass & White Lamp | 55″ TV (that looks like art) | Faux Hydrangeas | Grapewood Branch Decor
The blinds also fit the kitchen windows perfectly. I wanted to replace those too, because they had hunter green cloth tape on them, and that just wasn't my style.
Finding an affordable window treatment for the living room was high on my list. I searched for weeks for extra long curtain rods. I found some extender hardware, but it was going to cost more than my budget allowed. So I realized I'd have to come up with some kind of DIY curtain rod solution.
Sectional Sofa (in Twill Parchment) | White Curtains | Curtain Rods | “Midnight” Blue Throw Pillows | Faux Potted Plant | Brass & White Lamp | Faux Hydrangeas | Large Basket | Palna Pillow Cover | Abbeville Blue Area Rug
I considered using electrical conduit, wooden dowels or tension rods for the actual rods. But in the end I wanted a substantial curtain rod with nice finials, and I didn't want to paint anything.
So I went with my preferred budget curtain rods. I needed 3 rods, so they came to $100 total (on sale). You could go even cheaper with a fully DIY rod made from electrical conduit, galvanized pipe or budget rods.
There are 3 sets of two windows on the wall. I couldn't just buy 3 separate curtain rod sets and mount them one by one, since there's only 1.5 inches between each window. So I had to figure out how to join them all together.
Each window set is exactly 73″ wide, so a 66″-120″ extendable rod would work over each one. My plan was to put a bracket over each gap between the windows.
Solution for Making an Extra Long Curtain Rod
I wasn't sure how I'd join them together, but it worked just fine to wrap them with electrical tape and set them into the bracket. The bracket and curtains hide my taping job.
Next I needed cheaper curtains for the rods. I learned that IKEA makes a really nice white drapery panel for only $30 for a set of 2! I needed 3 sets, which brought my total under $100. Yay!
I'll do a more in-depth review of the curtains soon, but if you get them and want to hang them on rings, be sure to pick up some curtain hooks while you're at it. I bought these curtain rings from Lowe's. That added about $60 to my total, but I wanted really nice rings. You can definitely find them for less!
Sectional Sofa (in Twill Parchment) | White Curtains | Curtain Rods | “Midnight” Blue Throw Pillows | Faux Potted Plant | Brass & White Lamp | Faux Hydrangeas | Large Basket | Palna Pillow Cover | Abbeville Blue Area Rug
I love how my semi-DIY extended curtain rods turned out! They add so much personality to the room, and I love how much light now comes in. The curtains don't really block the light since they hang from rings. They tuck nicely between each of the windows.
What do you think? Are you more of a blinds or a curtains person? Or both??
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