I have custom pinch pleat silk drapes with heavy interlining.
My recollection is the silk was $59 per yard.

The labor was expensive, but they were hand finished and they are the quality and workmanship that I have always wanted and was finally able to have in our retirement home.

I guess I'm trying to tell you they were $$$$'s. You can get drapes that have a similar look for a lot less without the heavier weight and workmanship and they will be fine.

Or you can have some made of more expensive fabric--there are so many price points on draperies and upholstered goods, I think a good eye and a knowledge of fabrics and details, and the ability to find a good bargain here and there can help a lot when trying to get the most for your money.

Demifloyd, your curtains look to be at least two widths of fabric (54" x 2), so the curtains fishfacenj is considering will not be nearly as full as yours'.

Personally, I would not buy anything already made up from Calico Corners. The husband and wife in Florida who made a houseful of curtains, slipcovers, bedding, etc. for us do quite a bit of contract work for CC---they do not, contrary to popular belief---have their "own" workroom. They job it out to different workrooms and individuals and the quality varies greatly. This couple told me the markup on the CC work and it was almost DOUBLE what they charged me as a retail customer.

A good friend purchased a loveseat from Calico Corners, to be covered with material she purchased at CC. They required her to buy 25 yards of 54" width fabric (that is half a bolt!), and charged $2500 for the sofa/upholstery in addition to the fabric. There is NO way this item could have used more than 12 yards of fabric according to any guidelines for matching stripes, etc., and her fabric wasn't even a matched print. When the sofa was delivered there was no leftover material, as there should have been. The loveseat was well-made, but was certainly not in the $3500 league... she could have bought something much nicer for that price (fabrication + material).

I don't know where you live, presumably in New Jersey, but I would not purchase anything from Calico Corners unless you simply LOVE the curtains and have to have them. I would also raise an eyebrow at the decorator's suggestion that she haggle with a retail establishment on your behalf.... that doesn't sound right, as the designers I have known and worked with normally would not deal with a CC-type place, anyway,

Remember also that you will have to buy the drapery hardware (poles, brackets, etc.) and pay an installation fee in addition to the cost. If they aren't exactly what you wanted, I would pass and do something custom on your own. If you do want them, look them over very carefully, as the original customer may have found a flaw in the material, they may hang unevenly, etc. Ideally, silk curtains should be lined with baby flannel and interlined, and should be weighted evenly along the hem. Once you've bought something like this there is generally no return or redress. CC requires a deposit on custom work, which is usually hefty enough that people don't simply forget to pick them up.

Please do not buy into their pressure to purchase now!. Take your time and learn what you will be purchasing. You can do way better than their $700 price point.

Thanks everyone. Demifloyd, your drapes are gorgeous (and they look similar in color to the ones I'm contemplating--a light blue with a hint of green. A color I call ocean, but whatever it is I love it!)

No one is pressuring me. I chose from a few color ideas, and it happens that these drapes "go" with what I chose (and wasn't pushed into choosing). The decorator I'm working with isn't a "typical" decorator; her business name is "Style on a Shoestring" and she doesn't charge a fee on items she buys for me, so it makes no difference to her if I spend $50 or $500.

Since these drapes are on clearance, and she works a lot with this particular location, they told her to make an offer. They'd rather get something for them than have them just sit in the store. If I wanted her to she could go to Manhattan to fabric places to find "better" options for me to make custom drapes, but I'm a simpler (and lower budget) person and don't actually want to go crazy on curtains!! My other rooms have my-budget-friendly curtain plans...this is the one room that something more formal would look good.

I can bring them home and hang them, and if they aren't the right size or just don't "work" in the room, I can indeed return them. Thanks, kswl on the lining info/detail...if I bring these home, I'll definitely inspect closely :)

kswl - thank you for posting such a thorough and informative response. It is replies like yours that keep me addicted to this forum.

fishface - I'm in NY and had a husband/wife team in PA make all the drapes (pinch pleats w/ embellishments) from high end fabric that I found at a deep discount ($5 to $26/yard for fabric that retails for $100 to $366/yard). I had 26 floor length panels made as well as 8 pinch pleated sheer panels for my downstairs windows. They did all the measuring, gave me tips, and then installed them. Doing a quick mental calculation, your price seems very high to me considering your comment on "style on a shoestring".

Thank you, ff--I had dreamed of those drapes for years and was determined to have them before I died! They don't photograph very well because they do, indeed, have a bit of sheen to them with a "green" in them--you do have a good eye!

I think you should definitely try the ones from Calico Corners--you have nothing to lose. Also, I have visited The Curtain Exchange in Houston many times, they have gorgeous drapes (as they will call them, "curtains,"), very similar in quality to the ones I have. They are not inexpensive, but not as expensive as some custom drapes, and the good thing is no waiting time! I waited for the workroom to have time to do mine for 7 months.

They have a list of stores on their website.

curtains

Keep us posted.

This is a very interesting discussion as I am looking at window treatments right now. I was just at CC and their price was half the price of the local furniture/design store!

Hi,

I think Calico's prices are ridiculous. Go to villageworkroom.com and check out their fabrics and prices. The owner is so helpful and is willing to help you over the phone. They are out of PA and really reasonable. I had a decorator in San Diego tell me about them and I've used them ever since.

I think that you should make them an offer. You have confirmed already that you like the fabric and it works with your room. You can personally inspect the workmanship and CC does usually include interlining in their silk drapes, so they hang nicely (confirm this, because you don't want silk drapes without interlining if you're paying custom prices).

I'd offer them $450 or $500 if they are interlined. That's a good price, and you will not be able to come close to custom interlined silk drapes at 96" length for that price.