Cozy Living Room Update Part 1: Affordable Linen Curtains

Part one of our cozy living room update was the addition of affordable linen curtains.

It’s been a while since we’ve done any updates to our living room. A few years ago we did a big update in this space with an accent shiplap wall, new furniture & rug, a larger television, and updated the lighting. Since that time, we haven’t done much with our living room other than change the décor on the bookshelves. Well, it’s time our cozy living room gets a little love and an update!

Lately, I’ve been looking at the television wall in our living room and realized it felt kind of cold. Cold is not how I want our home to feel! Quite the opposite. I always want our home to feel inviting, warm, and cozy. I started to brainstorm ideas on how to warm this space without having to start another project or spend a lot of money. (This would probably send Dave over the edge since the kitchen project is still not done!).

So, I decided the first step in updating our cozy living room would be the addition of curtains to the windows that flank our television! I knew I wanted to add linen curtains that were affordable and did not break the bank. (Stay tuned for more updates to this space in the coming weeks!)

Cozy Living Room Curtain Rods & Curtains

Once we decided to add curtains to our living room television wall, I began the search for affordable curtain rods and curtains. Curtain rods and curtains can be pricey, especially if you have many windows to cover. We were only adding curtains to two of the windows in our living room, however I still did not want to spend a lot of money on curtain rods or curtains. Once I started shopping around, I realized there are some beautiful, inexpensive options available when it comes to both.

I stumbled upon these affordable brass finished curtain rods from the Hearth & Hand with Magnolia collection at Target. The updated modern-farmhouse style with the brass finish were the perfect rods to warm up our cozy living room. Oh, and the price was right on budget too!

A couple other curtain rods I love from the Hearth & Hand with Magnolia collection is this French return curtain rod in matte black, and this classic steel curtain rod in an antique brass finish.

Curtain Shopping Tips

Before shopping for curtains, there are a few things you should decide upon beforehand to make your shopping experience a little easier.

• Budget – How much are you willing to spend?
• Style (Drapes, Valances, Shades, are just a few examples)
• Material – Are you looking for thick, heavy curtains or light, breathable ones?
• Length – Measure windows to know which length to purchase (we will talk about this more further down).
• How do you want your curtains to hang? (Rod pocket, grommet, pinch pleat, tab top, tie top, etc.)
• Light Filtering – Should the curtain filter or block light.

I found our affordable 95″ natural linen rod pocket living room drapes on Amazon! I was shocked that I found curtains I liked on Amazon. Upon arrival, I was pleasantly surprised that the curtains exceeded my expectations.

A few more inexpensive linen curtains I found on Amazon were these linen light blocking curtains to filter light in a room, I loved the lace trim detail on these linen curtains, and these white linen pom-pom curtains were super cute.

These affordable curtains for our living room really cannot be beat! Two panels come in each package (four panels in total), the material is high quality (linen blend), and the color was exactly as described.

Why I Purchased Four Curtains For Two Windows

I purchased a total of four curtain panels and hung two panels on one side of each window for a couple of reasons.

1. Our cozy living room is small. We do not have a lot of square footage or wall space in this room, I did not want the curtains to overwhelm or make the room feel even smaller or too heavy.
2. With the television in the middle of the wall, I did not want the curtain panels to obstruct the view of the television (hubby would not like that).
3. Doubling up curtain panels makes it appear as if it’s one long panel, thus elevating the look of your room and the appearance that you’ve spent a small fortune on wide curtain panels!

The Proper Way to Hang Curtains in a Cozy Living Room

Did you know there is a right way to hang curtains, and most importantly a right way to hang drapes?!

Curtains should not hinder your view out of the window or make your windows appear smaller. Curtains should accentuate your windows and make them look longer and taller.

Here are a couple of things to remember to hang curtains properly:

• Install the curtain rod about 8-12″ above the window frame. Measure from the window frame and not the window casing.
• Install the curtain rod about 8-12″ beyond the window frame (not the casing) on both sides, also known as the stack width.
• The curtains should hit about 1/8″-1/4″ from the floor, or puddle about 4-6″.
• Remember to frame the window to accentuate it. The curtains should not cover the window when they are open.

In our living room, we did our best to follow these guidelines. However, the wooden beam to the left of one window and the bookshelves to the right of the other hindered us a little. Just remember to use these tips as a guide and not a rule!

How to Elevate Curtains in a Cozy Living Room

There are 3 simple ways to elevate your curtains to make them look cozy, beautiful, expensive, and high end.

Iron the Curtains

Iron the curtains before hanging them. Although it can be a bit time consuming, it is well worth the time when you are able to hang nice, flat, ironed panels.

Double Up Your Panels

This is something we discussed earlier in this blog post. A simple way to elevate and make your curtains appear fuller is to double up on curtain panels. If you have the room on either side of your window, add two panels to both sides of the window (remember to account for this when hanging your curtain rods). Or, if you have a wall similar to mine, stack two panels on one side of the window.

Curtain Clips for a Cozy Living Room

This is my favorite way to elevate rod pocket curtain panels!

You may be asking, “What is a curtain clip and what are they used for?” Curtain clips are used to hang any type of curtain panel. Simply clip the ring to the panel. Curtain clips are a great way to add 1-2 inches to drapes, since the clips allow the fabric to hang just below the curtain rod.

The general rule is to use seven curtain clips for every one panel that is about 52″ wide.

To figure out where to place the curtain clips on the top of the panel, add small pencil marks on the back of the curtain every 7-8″ to evenly space the curtain rings. Then simply attach the curtain clips to the panel for a relaxed, floppy look and hang the clips on the rod. Or, what I like to do is pinch the curtain panels where I am going to place my curtain clips for a more polished look.

Here’s what I mean and how I like to add curtain clips to curtain panels:

These are the warm gold curtain clips I purchased. I love how the curtain clips create a polished and almost pinched pleat look to these affordable linen curtains.

Shop Our Home

Links to products featured in this post can be found in our new “Shop Our Home” page. I hope this page makes shopping our home a little easier for you! I earn a small commission when you make a purchase from one of our LTK links. Your support helps me continue to create meaningful content for you!

And that wraps up our first cozy update to the living room! What do you think of the addition of curtains to this space? Any guesses on what the next update will be to our cozy living room? Let me know what you think by leaving a comment.

I look forward to sharing more of my home with you and inspiring you to have a well loved home! Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and LIKEtoKNOW.it.

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