How to Decorate Nursery Curtains Cheaply

From organza to simple twill, create a charming space for your little one with inexpensive curtains.

Style your nursery like a superstar without breaking the bank by doing your own interpretation of high-end nursery decor. Use stencils, stamps, appliques and trims to personalize your curtains for your baby or babies. Repurposing old curtains, sheets and swaths of material from secondhand stores lets you create new curtains, patches and trims for old curtains or provide practice material for stamping and stenciling before you attempt the final project. Look for pillowcases and mismatched single curtains at garage sales or thrift stores to create valances that spruce up patterned curtains.

Things You'll Need

• Curtains
• Fabric
• Patches
• Trims
• Embellishments
• Stamps
• Stencils
• Acrylic paint
• Fabric paint
• Paintbrushes
• Cellulose sponges
• Foam brushes
• Craft glue
• Hot glue gun
• Iron-on adhesive
• Fabric-safe tape
• Straight pins
• Paint pens
• Permanent markers
• Yarn

Instructions

Stencils and Stamps

1. Stretch pre-fabricated or store-purchased curtains over a flat surface, anchoring them at the corners with fabric-safe tape. Use plastic or newspaper as drop cloths to protect the table or counter underneath if the material is thin.

2. Tape stencils to the curtains using fabric-safe tape, or use straight pins if the material will not snag at the insertion point. Flatten out any wrinkles or creases underneath that could cause skips or smudges in the stenciled pattern or stamped images.

3. Fill in the stencil using acrylic or fabric paint, adding detail work with paint pens and permanent markers. Use low-fume or low-chemical paints if your nursery is small or if the curtains will not have time to "air out" before the nursery is occupied.

4. Outline the stenciled pattern in puff paint or paint pens to give a finished appearance. Puffy fabric paint can also add dimension to a stenciled decoration. For stamps, acrylic paint will dry more smoothly and apply more evenly than fabric paint, but detail work can be added by hand in puff paint or paint pen.