Have you checked J-C_Penney's,Tar-get or L-owe's?

Add BB&B and Home Depot to the list.
Diameter of of the curtain rod depends on window size and the drapes. I prefer 1 1/8" as a standard size and just purchased a 48-88" rod with a basic finial for $32 (20% discount) at BB&B. Decorative finials would be extra.

Last year I purchased these 48" white wooden rods with ball finial from Lowe's for my daughter's room. At $14 a piece, the price was right. Diameter is 1 1/8". Are they as nice as my son's custom rods- absolutely not. But they are attractive and get the job done. I would definitely purchase them again.

http://m.lowes.com/pd/Style-Selections-48-in-White-Wood-Curtain-Rod-Set/3033356

Think about what role window treatments can play in conserving energy for you. It can make a big difference if the rods curve around to the wall (see Pottery Barn for an example of cast iron version) and whether your draperies will fit inside the frame or cover it. Position the rods so that heat doesn't escape up behind the drapery or is directed up to the ceiling. If you need privacy all the time and insulation some of the time, you probably want double rods. Hardware and material are unexpectedly expensive, so it's worth making them a practical decision!

Thanks for the tips. Our house is amazingly energy efficient, the cost to heat and cool has been tracking that of our much smaller condo so far. I tried Home Depot and Ace Hardware and both had a number of resin rods that I didn't care for.

For the main floor I'm going to look at custom, but for the lower level I'm trying to get off the rack. I guess I just thought the rods at Restoration Hardware looked very nice, but I haven't seen them in person.

Hi there
To get the 20 percent discount coupon for BB&B go to their website and register for it. It will usually come via email in a few days. They will then continue to email or send more coupons via postal mail about once a month.

I had RH rods and egg shaped glass finials in our previous house... liked them very much, but they were very expensive and we just had to leave them behind when we moved... I chose not to buy expensive hardware for this house and purchased at penneys for much less.... they look fine. same size rod- 1 1/4". I brought some of the RH rings with me here, but needed ~4 boxes more and found some that closely matched online for about 1/2 the price.