I have had the same room for over 10 years and as an almost 24-year-old I knew it was time to move on from my Marvel feature wall, princess bed and my teddy bear collection. As a spring baby, I love earthy and light colours, I wanted a room that was still pink but had a darker floral essence.
My top priority was finding the perfect blackout curtains as the sunny weather started to pierce through my pink ones. Luckily, I found this pink and green flower wallpaper for my feature wall but I wanted a darker curtain to match the vibe.
The first place I checked was Dunelm, I was so happy to find these Recycled Velour Eyelet Curtains for just £35...until I measured my window. Despite my window being short I do love a long curtain, there's something so elegant about having them draped to the floor.
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From the top of my window to my floor it measured 90 x 60, Dunlem increases its prices per length and width. When entering the correct measurements the curtains were then £75, that's £150 for two windows! I know I'm a journalist but I don't have that much in my budget.
After scouring the internet I was left a little disheartened by the prices. Ikea is selling these VILBORG Room darkening curtains for £40 and The Range has these Vermont Velvet Blackout Curtains for £43.99.
Fortunately, I found Woaboy Super Soft Velvet Curtains in Olive Green on Amazon for just £37.49, for two pairs it would cost £74.98, that's 50 per cent cheaper than Dunelm's price. These curtains are said to have an exquisite silky touch and promise 70-85% blackout. Each packet has two curtains for either side of your window and is thick and heavy.
I ordered them immediately due to the positive reviews. One customer said: "These curtains are simply gorgeous. They not only look beautiful…they are made of this rich soft fabric that hangs with the elegance of a much more expensive drape. I was not expecting much (after hit-and-miss purchases over the years) and I was totally surprised.
"Probably the best drapes I have ever purchased online…for quality, beauty and price. I’m definitely going to purchase more of these without hesitation. This was a great overall five-star purchase."
Another added: "I ordered these curtains for my bedroom. After a long search online I decided to buy these ones. The price was great, as I needed two pairs! Arrived quickly, the colour is gorgeous and the fabric is lovely and soft. They are not completely blackout, but do darken the room very well. My only niggle is the creases in the curtains haven't dropped out yet, and they have been hanging for a few days now. Overall I am really happy with the quality and the drape of these curtains, and would recommend them."
I received my curtains with a free next-day delivery, they came in a massive box (a bit unnecessary) but I was relieved to find they were exactly what I wanted. I agree with the reviews above, the curtains felt silky and soft and the velvet effect didn't look cheap or tacky. However, the Amazon curtains were not as creased as the others stated.
They hung perfectly in my room, and when I turned off the lights they provided a much better blackout effect than my previous curtains. The curtains matched my floral wallpaper making it the perfect spring earthy room my heart desired.
I definitely recommend these curtains for anyone who wishes to switch up their home or simply needs blackout curtains to block the summer sun. Amazon is offering these curtains in 10 other colours and longer and shorter lengths. Find out more here.
