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Modern Farmhouse Living Room Refresh with DIY Drop Cloth Curtains

This little project has been a long time coming. I feel like I’ve been knee deep in projects, and none of them included that area of our home where we spend the most time; the living room. I also knew that I needed curtains to really pull this room together, but I didn’t have a lot to spend. What do you do when you need to update a space without much money?  Keep reading to find out how I gave my modern farmhouse living room a new “refresh” with a few great items and some DIY drop cloth curtains.

Disclosure;  I received a free Rug from Home Dynamix in exchange for including their product in a blog post.

Living room refresh with DIY drop cloth curtains

Let me show you some pictures before my modern farmhouse home decor “refresh.”

There are a few things to notice; or shall I say a few things I don’t like about my living room.

  • Lots and lots of carpet. I wish we had the budget to put down a solid surface floor, but that will have to wait for another day and another dollar.
  • Lots of dead space around the windows.
  • The greenish brown couch (not my favorite, but with two little ones always spilling stuff, it works).
  • The light beige carpet seems to blend in with the color of the couch and the color of the walls.

The first thing I did was add more pillows! I’ve got a great pillow buying guide on how I save money on pillows.

Next, I added a rug from Home Dynamix. Like I said earlier, the lovely folks there provided me with this rug and it matches this space and my modern farmhouse style perfectly.

Now that we have covered the floor with a rug and the couch with a few pillows, we need to cover those windows with some DIY DROP CLOTH CURTAINS.

DIY drop cloth curtains

Curtains can make or break the look of a room. They can elongate a low ceiling, cover up an unsightly wall, and make a boring space just plain pretty!

I had one problem when figuring out curtains for this space; budget.  I have 9′ ceilings, so it’s hard to find an affordable curtain in that length. Solution; create my own DIY DROP CLOTH CURTAINS.

I thought about dedicating an entire post for these DIY drop cloth curtains, but when I realized how easy they were, I knew I wouldn’t have to enough to say for just one post.

Disclosure; this post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This does not affect the price you pay. This disclosure statement refers to the rest of the amazon links and other affiliate links in this post.

Supplies:

DIY drop cloth curtains supplies
  • Canvas Drop Cloth

These come in all shapes and sizes. It just so happens they come in 9′ length, which makes them perfect for curtains.

  • Curtain Rings with Hooks

I used 10 rings per panel. Pictured above is 20 rings for almost $11.

Below is the process I used to create these DIY drop cloth curtains:

  1. Purchase the Supplies
  2. Iron the Drop Cloth  
    DIY Drop Cloth Curtains
  3. Insert the rings on a rod and attach the fabric with the clips.

Make sure you attach the fabric evenly with the clips, or it might hang a little funny. I started by clipping the ends first, and then worked my way to the middle.

That’s it for the DIY Drop Cloth Curtains! This project was so easy!

Now you can see why I couldn’t justify dedicating an entire post to this subject.

Living room refresh and DIY Drop Cloth Curtains 20

I love the way the curtains add “just enough” to make the windows and the wall look finished.

Living room refresh and DIY Drop Cloth Curtains
Living room refresh and DIY Drop Cloth Curtains

You can see more of my modern farmhouse kitchen update here.

DIY Drop Cloth Curtains

You can see more of this TV stand update with milk paint here.

Living room refresh and DIY Drop Cloth Curtains
DIY DROP CLOTH CURTAINS
DIY DROP CLOTH CURTAINS
DIY DROP CLOTH CURTAINS
living room refresh and DIY drop cloth curtains

My kids love this rug. They fight over who gets to “play on the rug.”  It really is the little things sometimes. Sigh…..

living room refresh and DIY drop cloth curtains

I hope this post has given you some easy and budget friendly ideas on how to “refresh” your living room. I love finding easy and cheap ways to decorate spaces. What are your thoughts on the drop cloth curtains and how do you decorate those spaces that you aren’t entirely excited about?

Lindsey**

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  1. Micah says:

    Hello.This article was really interesting, especially because I was searching for thoughts
    on this subject last Tuesday.

  2. […] Modern Farmhouse Living Room Refresh from repurposeandupcycle.com […]

  3. […] added those DIY drop cloth curtains and they really made the windows […]

  4. Jenna says:

    Hi, I found your post trying to find non white couches with farmhouse decor. White will never be an option for us haha! Is your couch more gray or brown? Also is it microfiber? We actually really like microfiber because it holds up so well to kids! And good leather isn’t in the budget yet. Thanks for decorating with non white furniture!! 👍🏻

    • I completely understand. I love a white couch too but it will be years before my kids are old enough to take care of it. It is a microfiber greenish brown color ( I don’t love the color by the way) but it works so great with kids. And your right, microfiber wipes up so easily. I hope this helps!

  5. REBECCA says:

    Your curtains appear different in your various pictures. You have them folded over at the top about 12″ in the later pictures. Can you clear that up for me?

    Thanks,

    Rebecca

    ps. love what you did in the room.

    • OH yes, I sure do. I need to go back and update that post. Originally I had them dragging the ground a little. I liked that look, but my cat had a little too much fun with it. 🙁 So, I folded them over about 10 inches like you said so they would no longer drag the floor.

  6. Anonymous says:

    You did a great job. Only comment your rug should be 2 to 3 Times larger. It should go part way under the couch and extend beyond the edges. This is a typical mistake people make. Rugs should be larger than al the chairs under a table. So many do little rugs under a table. The chars should pull out on the rug. It looks better and makes life easier. The Same under your sofa it would help it stay in place and make your life easier. (Tips from a professional designer.)

  7. Ana Walker says:

    Hi Lindsey, great job on the up cycle and a great source to help budget on decorating. I do have a question. If I wanted to use the drop clothes for curtain panels, what would you recommend to lighten the shade of the drop clothes? I’ve been wanting to try a whiter fabric verses cream or beige. Look forward to your response and keep up the great ideas. Ana W

  8. Thank you Kyra! I thought the same thing until I added the ladder.

  9. Niekiha duncan says:

    Loving the drop cloth curtains. Since they don’t come in “panels” does it make doing a rod less cost effective than ikea?

    • Are you asking if it costs less to buy curtains from Ikea rather than buying the drop cloth and the rings to hold it on the rod?. Is that what you mean? I’ve never compared the price to Ikea, so I’m not sure. Sorry I wish I could be of more help.

  10. With just a few little additions you have turned your living room into a warm and inviting space. Love that cute rug. And the curtains make a huge difference to a room. Oh and the ladder is also a very nice touch.

  11. […] Lindsey shares her living room “refresh” with DIY Drop Cloth Curtains. […]

  12. Carol says:

    Brilliant! Your curtains are wonderful as is the whole room. Featuring when my party opens up tonight!

  13. Bonnie says:

    So did you just use the panels as they were, I.e. no cutting (and therefore no sewing?) I’ve gone so far as to buy the drop cloths before but never got so far as hanging them. My narrow windows would require cutting, I fear.

    • yes I used them as they were. If you did have to cut, you could use double sided fabric tape to make a seam. I’ve used the fabric tape for other curtains before and they worked perfectly. Hope this helps!

  14. Cathy says:

    Love that you used drop cloths for curtains. I am working on some for our family room. Your living room is so cozy and inviting. Love it. Cathy

  15. richellaparham says:

    I’ve seen lots of drop cloth curtains in my day; I’ve even made some. But yours is the simplest technique I’ve ever seen, and they look wonderful! Thanks for sharing a great idea.

    Thanks so much for joining the Grace at Home party at Imparting Grace. I’m featuring you this week!

    • Oh that makes my day! (For the feature and your kind words) My hope is to create simple DIY’s that anyone can accomplish. Thank you for your encouragement. Have a great day.
      Lindsey

  16. […] Living Room Refresh With DIY Drop Cloth Curtains […]

  17. Gorgeous space. The drop cloth curtains are such a clever, budget friendly idea. Thanks for sharing at Snickerdoodle. Pinning.

  18. Lovely! I love the refresh with drop cloth curtains. I’ve been thinking of using some for our kitchen window. Pinned & shared thanks for joining the #InspirationSpotlight party!

  19. Stephanie says:

    Love the way they turned out. I need to do this. Pinning. Thanks for sharing at the To Grandmas House We Go Link Party.

  20. Mary says:

    Ok I could just kiss you!! I have been struggling with window coverings in my dining room. Because I change out my decor all the time, spending $$$$ was a struggle for me. Yay!! Problem solved thanks for the link for the clips too I’m slowly decorating …
    Yours looks amazing!
    http://thriftytonifty.com/part-2-thrifty-decorated-new-house/

  21. Catherine says:

    What a great makeover! It looks fabulous. Thanks for the DIY curtains too. They are always something I know I should get to, but never do!

  22. Erin @ lifeunbalanced.com says:

    Looks great, Lindsey. I have the same Home Sweet Home pillow and love it!

  23. Angela says:

    Your new living room is beautiful! Nice job!

  24. Jodie says:

    This turned out fabulous!! I never thought to use drop clothes like this! Brilliant!
    Jodie
    http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
    #fdflinkparty

  25. Everything is so beautiful! The curtains add even more elegance. I love that round side table too 🙂 Thank you for sharing with us at Funtastic Friday. Pinned!

  26. I Live in a farmhouse, and I love this idea. Thanks for sharing.

  27. Good idea!… and the room looks great! 🙂

  28. Great job – and I love the rug!
    Shelley

  29. Lisa says:

    It’s amazing how transforming curtains, a rug , and some throw pillows can be. Your room looks so much warmer and more welcoming. Great job!

  30. I’m definitely a believer in rugs on carpet. It can definitely help define the space and add much needed texture/color. And drop cloth curtains are awesome. I used them in our master bedroom makeover, and just love them. Thanks so much for sharing at the #happynowlinkup!

  31. Your space looks great! I love your idea to use dropcloth for curtains! I really like your rug, too. I checked out your link and have to put my information in to see where to purchase in my area, but I really want to check it out! Thanks for sharing!
    Kate | TheOrganizedDream.com