How To DIY Curtains For French Doors

Curtains for French doors offer privacy, light control, and insulation, helping maintain a comfortable indoor temperature and reduce energy bills. They can also enhance the aesthetic appeal of a room by adding softness and color to large glass panes. The costs of French door curtain panels vary widely depending on fabric, size, and style, ranging from around $20 for basic panels to over $300 for custom or designer options. The rods, of course, are a separate expense. With a little bit of effort, though, you can DIY a custom set of curtains and rods for your naked French doors that provide all of the benefits of an expensive curtain set, but at a fraction of the price. This project requires a sewing machine, a saw, thread, sandpaper, a 1x2-inch length of lumber, paint, eight screws, and a screwdriver. 

The linen will cost you as little as under $6, and the lumber shouldn't be more than $2, bringing the total to just $8 plus hardware. For this budget-friendly project, you can use supplies you have on hand to save even more money. Of course, if you have oversized doors or a taste for expensive fabric, this DIY will cost you a bit more. It will still be more affordable than a new set of rods and curtains, and the fact that they can be customized to your decor? Priceless.

To begin this French door curtain alternative, measure the height and width of the glass on your doors to ensure you have the right amount of wood and fabric. Be sure to cut enough fabric to wrap around the 1x1x1-inch rods you will make. The curtain panel width should also be twice the width of the door glass, and extra if you are planning to sew pleats. Now, cut your lumber to the measured width and lengthwise, so that it now measures 1x1 inches. At this time, you should also cut eight 1-inch pieces from your lumber board, sand, and paint everything. Next, sew the curtain hems and rod pockets at both ends of your panels.

Assemble your curtain rods by screwing one end of each rod onto one of the 1-inch lumber pieces, taking care not to drive the screw completely through the small pieces. Then, slide on the curtain panel, and do the same with the other end. When you're finished with this step, you should have fully assembled curtain and rod sets that are ready to install on your French doors. To attach the units to your doors, finish driving the screws through the lumber piece and into the doors. If you want your new French door panels to be taut, attach them at the top first, pull them tight, and then attach the bottom rods.

Now that you know how to DIY a set of French door curtains, it's time to think of ways in which this project can be customized. Of course, choosing a fabric that complements your home's decor is one way to do this. Having French door curtains that open is another way. If you want to be able to open your door curtains, you could sew two fabric panels for each rod, which would allow you to slide them apart when you want to let light through.

This DIY can also be used with other door windows that need covering or even regular windows. Because these rods are fairly compact, this curtain idea would be great for corner windows where the curtains won't need to be pulled back from the windows. Another fun way to use this concept is for a faux headboard. To do this, you can choose any fabric that matches your bedroom's motif, make the rods, and nail the unit to the wall behind the head of your bed. For example, fabric panels with a beautiful Turkish design would complement a bedroom with wicker furniture or other natural accents. This is a great budget-friendly boho-chic alternative for your bedroom.