Where to buy bedroom curtains – ready-made or made-to-measure, this is where I always shop for stylish and affordable choices
From voile to blackout and eyelet to pleated, this is where to shop
Wondering where to buy bedroom curtains? I’m here to help. As Ideal Home’s Sleep Editor, I’ve spent the last five years researching where to buy all of the key ingredients needed to create a relaxing, stylish, and practical bedroom, so I know that bedroom curtain ideas are one of the finishing touches that can make or break your bedroom design.
Whether you’re looking for blackout curtains to keep the daylight at bay in the early hours of the morning, thermal curtains to keep your bedroom temperature under control, or simply some stylish ready-made or made-to-measure window dressings to introduce colour, texture and pattern into your bedroom, this is my shortlist of where to shop.
John Lewis
Ready-made: yes
Made-to-measure: yes
Fabric swatches available: 5
John Lewis sells both ready-made and made-to-measure curtains, making it easy to find a bespoke look for your bedroom.
In made-to-measure options, there are over 10,000 fabrics available, with a choice of up to six headings and a variety of linings. You can order up to five swatches online, or collect them in-store.
Once you’ve selected your fabric, you can book a free estimating appointment, where the brand's experts will measure and provide a full quote for your chosen product. Your curtains are then made, and a time to fit them is arranged.
Alternatively, there are hundreds of ready-made options too, in a variety of eyelet, pencil pleat, blackout, voile, and patterned and plain designs.
Shop now: John Lewis bedroom curtains
Dunelm
Ready-made: yes
Made-to-measure: yes
Fabric swatches available: 5
Dunelm also offers ready-made and made-to-measure curtains, with five fabric samples available to help you make your colour, pattern, and texture choice.
At Dunelm, you can have an online or in-store consultation for free, but unlike John Lewis, Dunelm's measuring service isn't free; it will cost £40 for an at-home measuring service, although this is redeemable against your fitting if you choose to proceed with your order.
Dunelm's prices for both ready-made and made-to-measure curtains are also some of the most affordable on the high street.
Shop now: Dunelm bedroom curtains
Next
Ready-made: yes
Made-to-measure: yes
Fabric swatches available: yes
Next offers both ready-made and made-to-measure bedroom curtains, with made-to-measure options handled by a third-party service called Fitting4U. You can submit an enquiry to find out exact costs for measuring and fitting.
If you opt for ready-made curtains, there are thousands of options available, including designs from Laura Ashley, Cath Kidston, William Morris, Graham & Brown, and many more.
Shop now: Next bedroom curtains
M&S
Ready-made: yes
Made-to-measure: no
Fabric swatches available: no
M&S offers only ready-made curtains, but there are over 200 options to choose from, with a wide range of widths and drops.
You can choose from eyelet or pencil pleat curtains, alongside a wide variety of weights, from lightweight voiles to soften a window or add daytime privacy to light-reducing thermal and blackout bedroom drapes.
Shop now: M&S bedroom curtains
Habitat
Ready-made: yes
Made-to-measure: no
Fabric swatches available: no
Although there's no made-to-measure service, Habitat is another good option for affordable ready-made bedroom curtains.
The brand also offers curtains made in collaboration with Morris & Co and Scion that deliver some great patterned fabrics with matching bed linen and accessories available.
Shop now: Habitat bedroom curtains
Other options
- 247 Curtains: made-to-measure and ready-made options
- Curtains2go: ready-made curtains
- Hillary's: made-to-measure curtains
- H&M: ready-made curtains
- IKEA: affordable ready-made curtains
- Select Blinds: curtain, blinds and shutters based in Scotland
- West Elm: ready-made curtains
How to choose bedroom curtains
- Ready-made or made-to-measure: Depending on where you shop, bedroom curtains are usually available in ready-made or made-to-measure options. Ready-made curtains will come in set widths and lengths, and tend to be cheaper. They're also available to buy and hang immediately. In contrast, made-to-measure curtains will have a lead time and so take longer to arrive, and they'll generally be the more expensive option of the two. The bonus is that you can get any size you want made up, and there tend to be *far* more fabric and finish choices available with made-to-measure curtains, so you can create bedroom curtains that are the exact fit for your bedroom design ideas.
- Size: Do you want your curtains to finish just below the windowsill or to reach the floor? How much width do you want in your curtain fabric? Most curtain retailers will have measurement guides in store or online, but window dressing experts often also advise using the ‘high and wide’ rule when it comes to choosing where to fit your curtain – especially when thinking about small bedroom ideas – so factor in the ‘more is more’ rule, rather than scrimping on fabric.
- Think about performance: ‘Start by thinking about what you need your curtains to do, as well as how you want them to look,’ says Helen O’Connor, product and trend manager at 247 Blinds. ‘Bedrooms have quite specific requirements in that you may want plenty of natural light during the day but privacy and a much darker environment at night.’ That might mean you layer a thin voile curtain (for daytime privacy) with a thicker lined curtain for night.
- Consider blackout or thermal options: ‘If darkness is important, look for curtains with a good-quality blackout lining and think carefully about the fit, as light can creep in around the edges of the window,’ advises Helen. ‘Full-length curtains with generous coverage can help to minimise this.’ ‘If early morning light tends to wake you before your alarm does, blackout curtains are a great choice,’ agrees Allison Tyson, head of brand strategy at Select Blinds. ‘It’s worth considering energy-saving options too,’ says Allison, such as thermal blackout curtains, ‘which can help regulate the temperature at your windows.’
- Colour, pattern, and texture: ‘Then comes the fun part, says Allison, ‘choosing the color, texture and pattern that feels at home in your space.’ When it comes to choosing the way your curtains look, ‘consider how the curtains will fit in within your wider bedroom scheme,’ says Helen. ‘Curtains introduce a large area of fabric, so colour, pattern and texture can have a real impact on how the room feels. If you like to update your bedding, paint colours and accessories fairly regularly, then opting for a versatile curtain in a colour or texture you know you’ll continue to love is a good long-term choice.’
