Your renovation is nearly done. The contractor needs to know whether to build a curtain box, the movers come in three weeks, and you have no curtains yet. A quick search turns up furniture stores, online listings, the curtain shop at the neighbourhood centre, made-to-measure specialists and the curtain line on your ID’s quotation. They are all selling curtains, but they are not selling the same thing.
Where you buy curtains in Singapore depends on the window. For a standard casement that matches a packet size, a home store or online shop is quickest. For full-height glass, bay windows, double tracks or blackout bedrooms, order from a curtain shop or made-to-measure maker who measures on site and installs.
Below are the five kinds of places that sell curtains here, what each does well, where each tends to fall short, and what to ask before you pay. We are a made-to-measure curtain maker, so we have an interest here. We have tried to be fair, because the answer changes from window to window. If you want named shops rather than types of shop, see our list of curtain and blind shops in Singapore.
Large furniture and home stores
These are the big-box home stores and department-store home sections. You walk the aisle, pick a packet in a listed width and drop, and take it home that day.
Good for: Speed. Renters. Spare rooms. A simple casement window where the shop size happens to fit. You can touch the fabric and see the colour under shop lights.
Where it falls short: Sizes are fixed. A full-height living room window or a wide sliding door often needs more width and a longer drop than a packet gives. Headings are usually eyelet or tab top for a rod, which will not suit an existing ceiling track. Installation is generally up to you or a handyman.
Ask: What is the exact width and drop of one panel, and is it sold as a pair or single? What heading is it, and does it fit my rail? Is a lining included or sold separately? What is the return policy if it is opened?
Buying curtains online in Singapore
Online sellers range from ready-made listings to “custom size” curtains that you measure yourself and order through a form.
Good for: Price comparison and a very wide range of colours and prints. Custom-size listings can get closer to your window than a fixed packet.
Where it falls short: You cannot feel the fabric, and screen colours are often off. Photos may be styled or not show the product you will actually receive. If you measure wrong, the mistake is yours. Blackout claims are hard to check before delivery. Installation is not usually included.
Ask: Can you post a fabric swatch first? What is the fibre content and care instruction? Is the size quoted the finished size per panel, and does it include fullness? What happens if it arrives in the wrong size or colour?
Checking a blackout claim before you pay
Some curtains sold online as “blackout” let light through, a complaint that comes up on local forums such as r/askSingapore. Before you order, ask whether the blackout comes from a coated back, a woven blackout fabric or a separate lining. If you can get a swatch, hold it against a bright window or a phone torch. Even a true blackout fabric leaks light at the sides and top if the curtain is narrow or the track sits inside the window frame, so fit is as important as the cloth. Our blackout curtains page explains how the overlap is planned.
Neighbourhood curtain shops
These are the smaller shops in HDB town centres and older shopping centres, usually with sample books on the counter and a tailor or workshop behind them.
Good for: Convenience and a personal touch. Many will alter or re-hem existing curtains, and some will come round to measure and install. You can often bring a photo of the window and get a sense of options on the spot.
Where it falls short: It varies a lot from shop to shop. Range, workmanship and installation standards depend on the people running it. Quotations can be brief, which makes it harder to compare like for like.
Ask: Do you measure on site, or do I measure? Who installs, and is the track included? Can you write the fabric name, fullness, lining and heading on the quotation? How long from deposit to installation?
Where to order made-to-measure curtains
Specialists focus on curtains made for a specific window. Usually someone measures on site, you choose fabric from samples, and the curtains are sewn and installed to fit the track. Our made-to-measure curtains service works this way.
Good for: Windows that do not fit a packet: full-height glass, bay windows, double tracks with sheer and night curtains, ceiling tracks, and bedrooms that need blackout with proper side overlap. The fit, fullness and heading are decided for your room rather than taken from a shelf.
Where it falls short: It takes longer than buying off the shelf, because fabric is ordered and sewn after measuring. It usually costs more than ready-made. You have to arrange a visit and be home for the installation.
Ask: What exactly is included: measuring, track, installation, lining, removal of old curtains? What fullness are you quoting? Can I see the fabric samples against my own window? What is the lead time from confirmation?
How ordering custom curtains works
The order of steps is much the same at most curtain shops and specialists:
- Send the width of each window, a few photos and which rooms need to be dark.
- Book a home measuring visit. The fitter measures each window and brings fabric samples so you can see them against your own walls and light.
- Get a written quotation that lists the fabric, lining, fullness, heading, track and installation for each window.
- Confirm and pay the deposit. The curtains are then cut and sewn to the measured sizes.
- Installation, where the fitter hangs the curtains, sets the hook height and checks that each pair draws and overlaps properly.
With us, the home measuring visit takes a $50 deposit that is credited to your curtain order, and our team has been installing curtains for over a decade.
If you are still deciding between a packet and a custom pair, our guide to ready-made or made-to-measure curtains goes through which windows suit each.
Curtains bundled in an ID or renovation package
Many interior designers and contractors include curtains in the renovation quotation and subcontract them to a curtain supplier.
Good for: One point of contact. The curtain box, ceiling height and track position get coordinated with the rest of the works. Handy if you would rather not manage another vendor.
Where it falls short: The curtain line on a renovation quote is often brief, for example “curtains to all windows”. It can be hard to see the fabric, lining and track you are actually getting, or to compare that line with a separate quote. Changes later go through the ID rather than the maker.
Ask: Who makes the curtains? Can I see the fabric samples and choose? Does the price include lining, double tracks and installation? Can the curtain line be taken out if I prefer to buy separately?
Where to buy curtains in Singapore: comparison
| Home chains | Online sellers | Neighbourhood shops | Made-to-measure specialists | ID packages | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sizes | Fixed | Fixed or self-measured | Usually custom | Custom, measured on site | Custom, through the ID |
| See fabric before buying | Yes, in store | Usually not, unless swatches | Yes, sample books | Yes, samples at home | Depends on the ID |
| Measuring | You | You | Varies | Usually included | Usually arranged |
| Installation | You | You | Often offered | Usually included | Usually arranged |
| Speed | Same day | Days to weeks | Varies | Longer, made after measuring | Follows the renovation schedule |
| Best for | Simple windows, renters | Budget, wide colour range | Alterations, local service | Full-height, bay and double-track windows | One contact for the renovation |
What to have ready, wherever you buy
You will get more accurate answers anywhere if you bring:
- The width of each window or track, and the drop from the track or rod to the floor or sill.
- Photos of each window, including the ceiling and any curtain box or aircon unit near it.
- Which way the windows face, and which rooms need to be dark for sleep.
- Whether there is a track or rod already, and what heading it takes.
- Which rooms you actually want to dress now. One bedroom and a living room is a different quote from every room in the flat.
Also check the fabric’s care instructions. In Singapore’s humid climate, how easily a curtain can be washed and dried matters, and the answer depends on the specific fabric. Our article on linen curtains covers how natural and synthetic fabrics compare on that.
Common questions
Can I buy made-to-measure curtains without visiting a showroom?
Yes. Many made-to-measure makers bring fabric samples to your home and measure at the same visit. Seeing samples against your own window and wall colour often tells you more than seeing them under showroom lights.
Is a home measurement better than picking panels in a shop?
For a simple window that already matches a shop size, a shop panel can be fine. For full-height glass, bay windows, double tracks or a ceiling track, a measurement on site avoids the common mistakes: too little width for the gather, a hem that floats or puddles, or the wrong heading for the rail.
Where should I go if I already know I need custom drops?
Go to someone who measures on site: a neighbourhood curtain shop that does custom work, or a made-to-measure specialist. Ask each for a quotation that lists fabric, lining, fullness, heading and installation so you can compare them properly.
Should I buy curtains through my ID?
It can save effort, especially for coordinating the curtain box and track. Ask to see the fabric and a detailed breakdown, and compare it with at least one separate quote.
Where is the best place to order curtains?
For custom sizes, order from a curtain shop or made-to-measure maker that measures on site, shows you samples at home and installs. For a window that matches a standard panel size, a home store is quicker. Compare written quotations that list the same fabric, lining, fullness and track.
Where is the best place to buy ready-made curtains in Singapore?
Large home stores and their websites carry the widest ready-made ranges, and you can see and touch the fabric in store. Check the panel width and drop against your window, and check the heading fits your rail, before you open the packet.
What is the best website to buy curtains from?
Look for a site that states the finished width and drop per panel, the fibre content, the heading type and the return policy, and that will post a swatch. For custom sizes, a maker’s website with a measuring service is safer than measuring yourself, because a wrong measurement is your cost to fix.
How much do curtains cost in Singapore?
The price depends on the window width and drop, the fabric, whether there is a lining, the fullness, the track and installation. Ready-made panels cost less than made-to-measure pairs, but may not fit a full-height or wide window. Our free curtain calculator works out the panel width and fabric you need, so you can compare quotes on the same basis.
Best Curtain Shops in Singapore (2026)
Ready-Made or Made-to-Measure Curtains in Singapore?
How to Measure Windows for Made-to-Measure Curtains in Singapore