A Cultivated Nest

Inspiring Frugal Living Ideas For Your Home & Garden

My New DIY $20 Curtains

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I love decorating my home  by using my creativity! I’ve been wanting to put some buffalo check curtains in my dining room for a few years now. So one day I was in TJMaxx and I was looking at the merchandise on those rolling carts they use to bring out the new stuff  and I saw a couple of packages of black and white buffalo check tablecloths. I do believe a light bulb appeared over my head!

A Cultivated Nest Tablecloths used as curtains-budget decorating idea

So I took 2 of them off their cart before they could even put them on the shelves! (isn’t that terrible 🙂 ) Came home and took my toile curtains down and clipped up my tablecloths and instant buffalo check curtains! DIY cheap curtains that don’t look cheap!  LOVE THEM!!

DIY cheap curtains buffalo check curtains that are really tablecloths

Using tablecloths as curtains isn’t a new idea, but I’ve just never found any tablecloths that I wanted to use as curtains before! Oh, I changed my living room around and put the red wicker chair that I painted in the dining room for now. It’s a great height for my dining room table! If they didn’t take up so much space, I’d change all my dining room chairs to this Ikea wicker one – it’s soooo comfy!

bistro check tablecloths

Back to the curtains…each tablecloth was $9.99 and the size I used was 60×84.  As you can see from the photos , my curtain rod hangs a few inches above my door frame. I already had the curtain clips since that’s how my toile curtains were hung, but they’re not expensive. You can get them at Target/Lowe’s/TJMaxx/Bed Bath & Beyond….basically anywhere. I see them at the thrift store all the time too!

budget decorating idea - tablecloth curtain

If they had had a longer size I would have bought it but this size is good and the price was fantastic for new curtains! $20 total for new curtains!

diy cheap curtains - tablecloths as curtains

One of my tips for decorating on a budget is to keep an open mind. I had originally wanted red buffalo check curtains but when I found these black and white tablecloths I said why not try them. Also, I knew that people had used tablecloths, sheets etc as curtains, but I never had- so I wasn’t too sure about that whole aspect. But again, I was willing to give it a shot.

budget decorating idea

Did I mention that I LOVE them!

Want to see more of my dining room? Click on the photo:

preserved boxwood wreath with gingham ribbon

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Comments

  3. I love your new curtains. What a great idea to use tablecloths. I have rooms that need window coverings. I’d better start looking in the tablecloth department!
    ~Adrienne~

  4. I love them and want them. I have red and yellow buffalo check, you can never go wrong with that pattern. So pretty and stunning. I am sharing on my FB page today:)

  8. I love them, too, Manuela! They go great with your placemats! I did tablecloth curtains for my granddaughter’s room. I got lucky and found two really long length white ones at Target. It’s amazing what you can come up with when you think outside of the box!

    • Thanks Kathy! I got those placemats long ago at Big Lots and use them all the time. I’m amazed they haven’t faded from all the washing!

  11. I love them, too! I think the black and white is wonderful against the yellow wall. The red chair, perfect accent. I just shopped at an IKEA for the first time this past weekend. LOVED IT!

  13. They look great, and nice price! I doubt anyone would know they are tablecloths unless you told them. You did good! 🙂

  14. I spent the weekend searching fabric stores for either blue & white or red & white buffalo check. I may have to search online for tablecloths instead. Yours are perfect for your dining room!

  15. As well you should. They look fantastic in that room. The red wicker chair gives you that pop of red you’ve been wanting so it’s win-win all around! Well done, you little lightbulb you!

  16. They turned out great! Your dining room is beautiful, and I love the red chair. It gave the room the perfect pop of color. I love that you improvised, and made what you found work. Very creative indeed. Awesome job!

  17. I love them too! The whole color scheme is beautiful. The Sunflowers are the perfect touch! Great job!

  18. Oh, my goodness! I love them too! The tablecloths are just perfect and look wonderful. They look like they are thick too! The black and white checks look great with your pretty yellow walls. Now I’m going to start looking at tablecloths in a new way!
    Be a sweetie,
    Shelia 😉

  20. I love them! I just paid $139 for 2 black gingham curtains from Country Curtains. Annnnndddd there’s no telling when they will be shipped cause there on back order. Good find and deal!

    • I had been looking at the red ones from Country Curtains Go to Homegoods or TJMaxx and see if they have the tablecloths in the meantime. If they do you might even want to cancel your order since those curtains are on back order. 🙂

  21. I love them too!! What a fabulous find…and all because you think outside the box! Don’t you think you enjoy something much more when it’s a bargain? Of course, my philosophy is that it’s not a “bargain” unless you really love it (otherwise you have spent money, not saved it)…which makes these new curtains a true bargain. 🙂

  23. Well I love them too! Score !and I am so going to Homegoods:)Love them in your dining area with that wall color too!

  24. I love them! I really do, and you have turned on the little light bulb in my head. I’m going to be keeping my eye out for table cloths now because I haven’t been able to decide what I want for my living room and this would be a way to try different things or be able to change out panels when I get a mind to in my other rooms.

    • Glad I was able to give you an idea! I figure I can always use one as a tablecloth and one for fabric if I decide I’m tired of them.

  27. Well, good for you for letting your heart speak to you! You knew what you wanted and took the chance that it would turn out just as you wanted it to… and it looks just wonderful! I love the pop of color and texture with the red wicker chair. You have made your dining room a real treat.. a pleasurable place to enjoy a meal!!

  31. What a great idea to use tablecloths as curtains, and these are perfect! And such a great deal, too. What a beautiful room…

  32. This is fantastic!

    They look wonderful! The wheels are turning in my mind….I’ve been wanting new living room curtains….

  33. That is just beautiful and prettier than anything I saw in that big stack of magazines I just went through so I could get rid of them. I know you will enjoy this beautiful room even more

  34. They look awesome and I love using tablecloths for curtains! I’ve used sheets before also! The black and white buffalo check looks great and that pop of red in the chair…awesome! Thanks for sharing at TTF this week.

    Linda

    • Thank you! It says in the post where to buy the clips and yes they are made for curtains.

  36. Good for you keeping an open mind when it comes to decorating. Sometimes you just have to think outside the box. Your tablecloth used as curtains look fantastic in your dining room. One could never tell they are tablecloths. I really like the clips you used and the color scheme.
    I have used shower curtains for window treatments but never tried a tablecloth.
    By the way thanks for stopping by my blog and leaving a comment.

  37. Those look amazing! Good catch grabbing them off the rolling cart…and no that’s not terrible. Your dining room is gorgeous.

  38. Manuela, congratulations on your feature at Dwellings. I’m visiting from there this week. Your curtains are wonderful. Just perfect for your colorful dining room. I love the yellow walls with the b/w checks and that red chair looks great too..Happy Sunday..Judy

  39. Oh gracious! I’ve been burning for checks for the past three days…Now I see your curtains and I want them even more. And I LOVE that you used tablecloths. I’ve used sheets for years (cheap enough I can change them out on a whim) and can’t bring myself to pay what curtains cost, but now and then I stumble upon a great buy. Now I shall remind myself that at this point my budget won’t allow me to purchase anything no matter how great a buy..I will NOT shop , I will NOT shop, I will NOT shop…lol

    • Terri, they have them in navy and red. I just bought one in red yesterday – couldn’t find 2 in the size I needed. That’s the irritating thing about TJMaxx!

  40. I love the choice of fabric! The curtains look wonderful and you would never know they were tablecloths! Great job. I am going to feature this post on Wednesday in my “Features from TTF #117” post! Thank you for sharing them with us!

  42. I love your new curtains! They look beautiful in your dining room! I want new curtains in my bedroom but even fabric will cost me $144. I going tablecloth hunting!

    Linda at The French Hens Nest

  43. LOVE your curtains. I will be on the lookout for some tablecloths now! I have been dying for some black and white buffalo in my dining room too, but couldn’t afford them. I bought some fabric at Joann Fabric and it has made me happy, but I would have much rather found tablecloths like yours. We have very similar taste!!!

  44. I love everything you did in your room – especially the tablecloth drapes. I am glad to discover your blog and am going to look at your other posts now :).

  46. What a brilliant idea, I never would have thought to use tablecloths for drapery panels! Black and white is classic, you can never go wrong with that choice! Fabulous!

  49. So cute, Manuela and how smart of you to think outside the box. Featuring these at this week’s party.

  50. I am the queen of decorating cheats and I love this idea! What could be better than a pair of instant custom curtains! I am pinning this for sure! Just lovely! 🙂

  51. I love this!!!! We are in a new home and I Have been trying to come up with drapes for the dining room. I now need to look at TABLECLOTHS!!!! Thanks for the idea. XO, Pinky

  53. Great job thinking outside the box – your black and white buffalo check curtains look fabulous! I made a set of curtains from the red Christmas tablecloths at Target (on sale) last winter and honestly, could anything be easier or more affordable? But I’m kinda loving on your buffalo check! Did you already have the “matching” placemats or did you make them? Thanks for sharing with us, saw your feature at Savvy Southern – congrats!

    Mary

    • Hi Mary,

      Thank you! Yes, I’ve had those placemats for a long time. I got them at Big Lots.

      Thanks for stopping by!

  55. You are brilliant, Manuella! Your new curtains are beautiful and really, unless you had told us, we would never have guessed that they are table cloths!

  56. What a fabulous find! I love the bold impact they bring to the room. Great job!

    I currently have drop cloths clipped to my curtain rod. I even cut up extra scraps and hot glued them on the bottom of the curtains as ruffles.

    I love thinking outside the box while also saving money!

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