Sheer HILJA Curtains and RÄCKA Curtain Rod from Ikea

Our blinds are up! Finally! They’re Levolor and they give me the finished look I’m going for in our décor. But despite how pleased I’ve been with the outcome, I still thought the windows lacked a certain polish.

Doing a DIY install of these sheer HILJA curtains and RÄCKA curtain rod from Ikea turned out to be a quick and affordable way to make the space feel more complete.

We’re making a lot of home updates at once, which can really add up if you aren’t careful. On the low side, curtains normally cost around $40 per panel, we needed at least 4 panels which would cost us about $200. Which is more than we wanted to pay. I needed to find something that was relatively inexpensive but would still deliver on quality and elevate the room’s appearance.

So, I began researching options at Ikea. It’s one of my favorite places to shop for home décor because it’s so affordable. With solid reviews and all of the specifications I wanted, the HIJA curtains and the RÄCKA rod seemed like the best options. We purchased those and all the accompanying pieces (which are sold separately).

Materials

Curtain rod (Shorter one is 28 in. – 47 in. | Long 83 in. -152 in.)
Bracket
Hooks
Rings
Finals
Curtains
Nails and Anchors

How to install HILJA curtains and the RÄCKA curtain rod

Installing the curtain rods was pretty easy. It’s important to note that they do NOT come with screws that attach the bracket to the wall. Crazy right?!? I was a little shocked by that. We purchased these drywall anchors and used leftover screws from the blinds.

Everything else is pretty straight forward. Using the hooks from Ikea really helps the curtains keep their pleats.

Pro tip: These curtains tend to be quite wrinkly toward the bottom. Consider purchasing a steamer to keep them straightened out if you’re not a huge fan of ironing.

I’m loving what these add to our burgeoning living room decor. They’re subtle and sophisticated at the same time, providing a nice, neutral foundation for us to build on. Be sure to let me know what you guys think in the comments!