Curtains can be the perfect finishing touch for a room, but in my experience, they’re often either too pricey or they don’t have quite the look I want. If you’re looking for an easy, affordable way to add soft, pretty curtains to your home, these no-sew ruffled curtains might be the solution you’ve been searching for too. This approach combines a no-fuss DIY style with a clean, elegant look that feels cozy yet refined. Plus, it’s a fraction of the cost of custom curtains!
While drop cloth curtains are another popular DIY curtain option (like the ones we created in our guest bedroom, detailed in our No-Sew Drop Cloth Curtains post), I wanted something with a lighter, airier feel in our current home. After trying different options, I found the Vivan curtains from Ikea, which offer just the right amount of softness and romance, especially when given a few little tweaks. This hack, using curtain clips and an easy folding method, creates a lovely ruffled look at the top—no sewing required!
How to Make Easy No-Sew “Ruffled” Curtains
Supplies
(Supply list contains affiliate links for ease of shopping!)
*Some have mentioned that the Vivan curtains are not available on Amazon or at Ikea. I’ve also used this same curtain hack with other curtain panels. Most recently in our dining room with these ones from Amazon.
Instructions
- Wash the Curtains: Wash curtains according to package directions. This will make them softer and they will hang much better than if not washed.
- Hang the Curtain Rod: Remember to hang “high and wide” to give the impression of larger windows and to let in plenty of light.
- Attach Curtain Rings with Clips: Add the curtain rings with clips to the rods. An uneven number on each side/for each curtain panel works best. For our living room curtains, we used 7 rings per panel. In the dining room, we used 5 for each panel (we used a total of four panels in the dining room).
- Create the Folded Hem: After washing curtains, lay them out over a chair or on a table top upside down. Depending upon the height of the curtain rods, fold the small hemmed edge (what is meant to be the bottom of the curtain) over to create sort of a ruffled edge. For our living room curtains, this fold was about 11 inches. For the dining room, because of the bulkhead, the fold was closer to 13 inches.
- Clip and Hang the Curtains: While carefully keeping the fold in place, attach the curtain panels to the ring clips. First clip one end, then the opposite. Next attach the center of the curtain using the middle ring clip, followed by the remaining clips. (I just eyeballed the distance between clips, but you can measure if you’re more particular than I am.)
And that’s it! By simply flipping and folding the panels, you get a soft, ruffled edge at the top and a beautifully wide hem at the bottom. This DIY no-sew curtain hack gives the look of custom curtains without the high price tag, bringing elegance and style to any room.
FAQs
Yes! While Vivan curtains are a great option, other light fabric curtains will work. You just need panels that hang well and can handle the folding technique.
Absolutely. This hack works with any curtain rod, though clip-on rings are ideal for creating the ruffled effect.
You can, but washing them first helps soften the fabric, giving it a better drape and making the curtains look higher quality.
More Ideas for Curtains
Easy No-Sew “Ruffled” Curtains
Create stylish no-sew ruffled curtains with this simple Ikea hack! Get an elegant, budget-friendly look without sewing—perfect for any room.
Materials
- Ikea White Vivan Curtains
- Black Ball Finial Curtain Rod
- Large Wood Curtain Rings with clips
Instructions
- Wash the Curtains: Wash curtains according to package directions. This will make them softer and they will hang much better than if not washed.
- Hang the Curtain Rod: Remember to hang “high and wide” to give the impression of larger windows and to let in plenty of light.
- Attach Curtain Rings with Clips: Add the curtain rings with clips to the rods. An uneven number on each side/for each curtain panel works best. For our living room curtains, we used 7 rings per panel. In the dining room, we used 5 for each panel (we used a total of four panels in the dining room).
- Create the Folded Hem: After washing curtains, lay them out over a chair or on a table top upside down. Depending upon the height of the curtain rods, fold the small hemmed edge (what is meant to be the bottom of the curtain) over to create sort of a ruffled edge. For our living room curtains, this fold was about 11 inches. For the dining room, because of the bulkhead, the fold was closer to 13 inches.
- Clip and Hang the Curtains: While carefully keeping the fold in place, attach the curtain panels to the ring clips. First clip one end, then the opposite. Next attach the center of the curtain using the middle ring clip, followed by the remaining clips. (I just eyeballed the distance between clips, but you can measure if you’re more particular than I am.)
By flipping the curtain panels upside down, you get a softer top hem and a nice wide lower hem. And of course, you get the look of soft ruffled curtains for a fraction of the price!
Have you tried any no-sew ruffled curtains in your home? I’d love to hear what solutions you’ve come up with for stylish, budget-friendly window treatments! Share your ideas in the comments below!
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Oh my gosh Shannon….I love this idea!! It’s genius!! I might just do this too!!!! ?
I’d love to see it if you do!
Where did those slipcovers come from? I love them! Thanks…
They are Ikea Ektorp slipcovers on and Ikea Ektorp sectional.
Thanks Shannon. I love your site.
Glad to hear your FIL is on the mend.
Thank you!
love, love, love this idea! know what i’ll be doing tonight and gosh, golly, geeze…will have to make an ikea run this weekend lucky me 🙂
🙂 So glad you like the idea and will be able to implement it in your house too, Mary!
Looooooove this idea! I actually did something similar! Was having a heck of a time finding nice curtains. While at the Supercentre I noticed they had lovely linen-looking table cloths – $20/ea! So yeah, I did the same hanging trick with rings and fold over (cuz I’m not gonna hem these guys!) And voila! I did a soft grey in my dining room – tan colour in my kitchen. Makes me smile that they were only $20 a pop – and they wash nice too cuz they’re tablecloths (not lined though – but I’m ok with that too!)
Thanks for letting me know about the IKEA curtains – I need some nice ones for a bedroom!!
P.S. glad to hear your FIL is on the mend – it’s hard when our parents aren’t well! Just went through that last year. Prayers for a full recovery!
Great idea, Faye! Apparently sheets can make great curtains too. And thank you so much for your prayers!
Love the floor lamp. Do you have a source?
It’s from Wayfair. It’s the Logan lamp and you can find it here.
These are perfect for my living room. THANK YOU. I’m shouting it yes!!!
Lol. So glad you’re excited about the idea, Kristy!
What a wonderful idea!! Headed to Ikea this weekend as I need some curtains for my daughter’s bedroom! Can you tell me where you got the chair with the slipcover? Is that an Ikea chair? Thank you for your creative tips.. your new home is coming together so nicely and is gorgeous!!
Yes, they are Ikea chairs that we found second hand. 🙂
Great idea Shannon. I do like IKEA curtains! I wish I could hang curtains in our house but we have electric baseboard heaters so it’s a No No to hang them longer than 6 inches above the heaters and they don’t look right that short. Yours look really nice and I like the soft look of them. Thanks for the tip of hanging them upside down! Have a nice evening.
Blessings,
Pam
Oh yes! We had electric baseboard heat when I was a kid. You could use blinds and then hang curtains just to be pretty wider than the baseboards if they aren’t too wide.
Great look for your new windows. It does look very elegant plus I like the look of the black rods.
I will have to remember this trick for future needs.
Waiting to see what more you have to share!
Helen
A little black in every room is a great styling secret!
Sounds easy and looks awesome. Was looking to do something like that for our bedroom! Will have to try! Thanks!
Maybe try thicker curtains, or hang blinds too. I’m not so sure these offer enough privacy for a bedroom window!
My curtain, or actually valance hack was using table runners. I just wanted something simple and light for the windows in my keeping/kitchen area where I already have plantation blinds. I wanted to replace the blinds, but just couldn’t find what I wanted at a good price, so decided to just replace the heavy red print valances I have had for 10 years, instead. I found some ivory burlap table runners that had a nice jute trim on them and I didn’t want them to be gathered, but just straight and simple. I cut them in half and hemmed the tops and sides of them and also bought Ikea rods to slip them onto and they turned out great. The runners were already lined and only cost me $10 each at The Home Store ( Garden Ridge ). So each window only cost me $5. I plan to show them on my blog soon.
Sounds like an awesome hack!
Praying for Dean’s Dad- that he’ll recover quickly and completely.
Love the airy curtains! I’m enjoying watching you make your new house your own-
Thank you so much! We appreciate the prayers.
Love how this looks! I’ve been looking for an idea for a beach look in my living room, and I think this would be perfect! Thanks for the great idea!
I hope you can make it work in your space Pam.
That is a very creative idea. They look classy & soft. Will have to try that in my study. Thanks for the inspiration.
Soft! Yes, good word for it!
Love this idea. I have a question for you. I have a traditional sofa in my living room. It is like new because we don’t use that room much, but it is an ugly color. I would like to put a white or cream color slip cover over it, but the back pillows are attached to the back of the sofa, not separate. So what do you suggest? Do I detach the pillows to cover them? thanks for you help I just love your ideas!
Hmm. Good question. Where will you be getting your slipcover from? Will it be custom?
This looks like a great idea – I’m planning on a re-do of a VERY SMALL bedroom in our home that had currently been used as a ‘catch-all’ for boxes, etc. Want to be able to use it when one of the grandkids show up to stay over. Thinking of stamping the top half of the walls and was puzzled about what to do with the window without spending a fortune trying to ‘match’ whatever I pick for the bedding.
Will let you know how it turns out.
That would be great! I’d love to see how it turns out.
I’ve been concerned about you guys but didn’t want to pry. Y’all will be in my prayers; I know recovery from a stroke isn’t always easy on the patient or the family.
I know. It’s so hard to share enough with you without oversharing other people’s personal details. Plus we really didn’t know what happened to Dean’s dad until after we came home. Thank you so much for the prayers.
What a great way to use IKEA curtains! I have taken down almost all curtains in my home (after one kid started yanking them out, pole and all!) but I think it is time to add them back into our space again. Love the softness they bring to a room!
Oh man! Not fun! Good luck adding them back!
I cannot believe how beautiful and affordable these curtains are!!! I’m definitely going to try this in my living room!!!
Awesome! 🙂
Shannon how tall are your ceilings in this room?
The full height is just over 8′. But not by much.
Ok thank you. I really can’t get over how affordable and beautiful those curtains are. I’m on the website ordering them now.
Such a great idea! I absolutely love how it turned out! Thank you for sharing.
xx
Neelam
http://patternsandprosecco.com/
Thanks, Neelam!
I did this in my living room with a heavier weight curtain from Ikea and LOVE IT! Sucha fabulous idea! Thanks for sharing it. I want to do it in all of my bedrooms as well and want to use these curtains that you are suggesting. I am concerned that they are too sheer though. What is your opinion?
Maybe hang blinds as well as curtains? I don’t think these curtains are private enough for a bedroom.
Love your idea .It’s not what money can buy, it’s what your taste can achieve! Sandee Traverse City, Mi
Thanks, Sandee.
I saw your dining room on Pinterest. I’ve been all over you site, but couldn’t locate the source for you wicker looking chairs in the room. They look like Ikea, but I’m also curious about the cushions. I didn’t see the thicker ones at Ikea. Thanks for you help!
Unfortunately I’m not sure about the cushions. The chairs and cushions are both Ikea but we picked up the cushions in the store and I have no idea what they’re called or anything. I’m so sorry!
Are your rods black and wooden rings black. When i looked on amazon i found the black rods and only walnut wooden rings.
Yes the rods and rings are black. Keep looking! I’m sure you can find some!
I love white curtains! I have a problem in my new open concept house!
There is a bay window, the 2 very narrow windows on either side of the big window, looking out into the backyard
I bought custom blinds – white – slatted blinds for the house through out
There just is no room for a curtain or valance between the windows plus it needs to tie into the living & kitchen space, color wise
If this looks terrible, we can repaint it, instead of curtains, because these windows are so close
Together & like a bay window, kind of in its own “bay window enclave or nook,” we are going
To paint the very small amount of wall space between the windows my Sherwin Williams SeaSalt ,
But I Will stay in the “bay window nook” area with the SeaSalt, We have painted the interior side of the exterior
Doors SeaSalt & the backside of a bar facing the dining area space SeaSalt, we are about to start searching for the right white paint for the walls in this 3 rooms in 1 open concept space / all my furniture & accent pieces are in the blue/ greenSeasalt color family & I love white……….wishing I could just hang curtains! But I have my white curtains in other rooms & the white slatted blinds through out…as I have said, when you moved, I wanted to move & we sold & bought right after you did! Love your style Shannon!
Hello Susan. Could you put white curtains on either side of just the two outer windows (not between them and the bay window)? 🙂 Congratulations on your new house too, by the way!
Great curtain idea can you say where the chair and or slipcover is front , that is in the photo
The chair and slipcover are originally from Ikea, although we bought them second hand from someone locally.
Very pretty however your window frames are next to the ceiling. Do you have any ideas for Window frame that is 18 inches from the ceiling? I love the drapery to flow to the floor like in your post but I am not sure that I can buy ikea drapery in that length. Thank you!
Actually, they are only right next to the ceiling in the dining room. They are not in the living room or kitchen. You could simply make the folded-over part shorter. Or buy longer curtains. Ikea sells many long versions as they don’t hem them and give you the option of how long you’d like them to be.
Do you mind sharing which heavier curtains you used to do this with? I’m also wanting to try this with a bit less sheer curtain. Just wondering what worked best for you. Would love to see pics if you have any as well! 🙂
I’ve done this with the sheer Ikea curtains I mentioned and also drop cloth curtains I made: https://homemadelovely.com/drop-cloth-curtains-living-room-small-update/
So pretty. Are the rods and curtain rings from ikea?
Nope. They’re from Home Depot and/or Amazon.
What an awesome idea to hang these drapes upside down! I’m off to Ikea to buy some for my dining room! So pretty and lets lots of light in.
I bet they’ll look lovely in your space, Kate!
We wanted to continue having the light in the room yet have privacy. We did this same thing with flat 100% cotton sheets from Walmart starting at 5.00 per panel. We needed to shorten some so we made a double roll at the top. We did not turn any upside-down as we used the top hem as our fold line.
Felt the same about the expense of shutters when I built my sum room. Bought ‘Vivian’s too. The price was so good. I needed 12 for the sunny side,hemmed them easily. I can’t believe the softness they bring to my room!
They are so soft and lovely, aren’t they?!
Love that idea for soft romantic inexpensive curtains thank you. I’ve seen a similar look for inexpensive crossovers, using tab curtains & decorative hooks evenly spaced over top of window, hook both curtains tabs on hooks then tie each curtain back with tie backs, looks effective also.
Ooh, very nice idea. Thanks, Pamela!
That’s brilliant!
Thank, Anna! 🙂
I love them. thanks for this post.
You are so welcome! Thank you for the kind words!
IKEA has a few really good curtain options. I just put the Ritva ones in my house and they look elegant.