Curtain And Blind Cost Factors: What Factors Affect The Price Of Bespoke Window Dressings?

One of the biggest impacts (and fun) you can have in your home is with your window dressings and soft furnishings – who doesn’t want that feeling of having a considered and beautiful home that you are proud of and that makes you feel at ease. But there is no doubt that to get it right can be a significant investment because of the expertise, craftsmanship, fabric and hardware involved.

As with anything, understanding what drives the costs will enable you to get the best value and joy for every penny spent and the beautiful home you deserve.

byKatherine Brown/January 6, 2026/inLearning Centre

Curtain And Blind Cost Factors

Number And Size Of Your Windows

The first factor that will impact the cost of your window dressing project is the number of windows you have and their sizes.

Style And Complexity Of Your Windows

The style and complexity of your windows will significantly affect cost. For example, the hardware for a bay window is more complex than for a straight window. The shape of your bay window (straight bay, segmented bay, or curved bay) and the number of angles will affect the cost of hardware. Measuring and installation will also be more involved.

Will You Choose Curtains Or Blinds?

Your decision about whether to use curtains or blinds for a window will affect the cost. In most cases, a home will have a combination of the two. This can be driven by suitability, but it can also be a conscious decision to make your budget go further.

Curtains tend to cost more because they need hardware (tracks or poles) and the associated installation costs and they typically use more fabric than blinds.

Pelmets can be a beautiful design feature, and for the right window, can be a brilliant investment.

See how we mixed curtains and blinds in a stunning Cotswold Farmhouse>

Curtain Cost Factors

For curtains, the factors that affect the cost are: the heading type (pencil pleat, pinch pleat, wave), the lining (standard, blackout, thermal, interlining), the length of the curtains, fabric type and price per metre.

Curtain Heading Type

The heading you choose for your curtains will dictate the amount of fabric required – some heading types require more fabric than others. For example, wave curtains are one of the most fabric-hungry headings and require 2.2-2.4 times the fullness compared to a single pinch pleat, which requires just 1.8. Pencil pleats can also be 2-2.5 times the fullness, depending on the look you are trying to achieve.

A double pinch pleat (2 times the fullness) and a triple pinch pleat (2.5 times the fullness) will both need more fabric than a single pinch pleat.

Curtain-making costs are based on the number of fabric widths (standard width is 1.4m) needed to cover the window with fullness, so the heading type will not only impact the cost of fabric but also the cost of making.

If your heading choice were to take you into an additional width of fabric, it becomes a more significant decision than purely a matter of style.

Similarly, the width of your fabric will impact price, especially on delicate embroideries which are often less wide than the standard width of 1.4m – which may mean you need more fabric and making costs are increased.

Your heading type not only impacts fabric quantity and making costs, but can also impact the cost of your curtain hardware. For example, wave tracks and poles are more expensive than standard tracks and poles, which adds another cost factor.

Curtain Lining Type

Curtain linings are really important because they protect the fabric from fading, improve the drape of the curtains and have important benefits such as blackout and thermal insulation. While linings are a cost factor, we wouldn’t recommend compromising function to save money in this area. The lining will make the curtains last longer, and so saving money here can be a false economy in the long run.

If you are lining and interlining (adding a felt-like material for added luxury and warmth), then you will pay more for making as well as the additional materials for lining.

Katherine’s Key Takeaway – lining your curtains can be another way to add joy, such as with striped or coloured linings.

Unlined curtains can be a great option for privacy, sun filtering, softening a view and dressing/creating drama – where blackout and warmth aren’t required.

More Curtain Cost Factors

Fabric Type

The type of fabric you choose may influence the cost of your curtains – for example, velvets and delicate fabrics will need to be entirely hand sewn.

Curtain Fabric Cost

In many cases, fabric will be the biggest single element in the cost of your curtains, and that’s absolutely right and proper – especially if that fabric brings you joy. The reality is that on most projects, you might have a mix of fabric costs in order to balance the budget, and a good curtain designer will help you make the best, most informed decisions on where to spend your fabric budget.

Trimmings

Braids and trimmings are an excellent way to elevate the look and give that very bespoke finish, especially when using a plain fabric, but they do clearly add to the cost. That said, if you’ve fallen in love with a beautiful trimming that you want to use on your curtains, then maybe you can save on the fabric cost, by opting for a reasonably priced plain.

Katherine’s Key Takeaway: Plain fabrics are a great place to economise because you can add a trim to get the wow factor without breaking the budget.

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Blind Cost Factors

Blinds can be a really good option to make your budget go further, as they require less fabric than curtains and don’t require any hardware (unless you want to motorise them). Blinds tend to work better on smaller, more straightforward windows; that said, they can be shaped for unusual spaces and can work very well on bay windows.

Katherine’s Key Takeaway: If you’ve set your heart on an expensive print then using this on a roman blind can be less eye-watering than using it on a pair of full-length curtains.

The usual cost factors apply to blinds – size, complexity, linings and trimmings.

Read: Blinds for Victorian and Edwardian Homes

Size Of The Blind

Deciding where to position the blind can make a difference to the price, especially with roman blinds, where a few cms wider could mean the blind needs an extra width of fabric, which doubles the fabric cost and will increase the making cost.

Linings

For roman blinds, we would always recommend they are lined and interlined – unless they are designed to be for privacy only and would therefore be unlined.

Borders and trimmings can dramatically enhance the style of your blinds, as can adding a shape to the bottom – yes, these joyful enhancements will add cost, but the additional personality they will bring will be worth every penny.

Fabric choice and pattern placement can make a big difference to cost – if you have chosen a bold pattern how you place that pattern on the blind can result in you needing more fabric, so we recommend you discuss with your designer early on.

Style Of Blind

There are various blind styles, which vary in price considerably. Roller blinds tend to be much cheaper to manufacture than roman blinds, which are handmade and therefore a lot more labour-intensive. If a handmade roman blind feels out of reach, don’t worry – we can laminate the back of most fabrics and then put these onto roller blinds – so you don’t have to compromise on your fabric choice.

Katherine’s Key Takeaway: Adding trimmings and shapes to roller blinds can be a cost-effective way of getting a truly unique and personalised statement into your home.

Creativity And Craftsmanship

A key consideration in your window dressing project will be the quality of craftsmanship and level of support that you want. You can go it alone with an online supplier or, would you prefer to be guided by a professional curtain designer and maker?

Read our article: Benefits of a Professional Curtain Designer VS Buying Online

Great window dressings don’t just happen – it involves good quality measuring, craftsmanship, technical know-how and experienced installers. Having a curtain expert by your side will allow you to unleash your creativity and pursue bold ideas, confident that they will not let you make expensive mistakes or end up with window dressings you regret.

Katherine’s Key Takeaway: Don’t scrimp on good quality craftsmanship. You’d be better off having less expensive fabric made well by expert craftspeople than losing all the benefits of a wonderful but costly material with poor construction.

Get Your Bespoke Window Dressing Project Off To The Best Start Today

We’re here to help you achieve your dream – we believe your window dressings should be ‘fabulous not average‘, and we’ll do everything in our power to help you love where you live!

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About The Author

Katherine Brown began her career project managing major house renovations, giving her a rare mix of creative design ability and deep technical understanding of construction, hardware, motorisation and installation. For the last decade, Katherine and her team have delivered bespoke window dressings and soft furnishings for homes across London and the UK, including large heritage properties, complex architectural spaces and full-house projects where every room demands a tailored approach.

She works with some of the UK’s most respected interior designers as well as private homeowners and her work is recognised for its precision, considered detailing and a calm, collaborative design process rooted in trust and craftsmanship.

Katherine is particularly known for her thoughtful use of trims and layering, and for her belief that well-designed window dressings can quietly transform how a home feels—bringing clarity, comfort and a sense of ease to everyday living.