In this guide
Custom curtains in Dubai are made for one specific window: measured on site, cut from a fabric you choose and stitched to a heading, lining and length that suit the room. Ready-made panels rarely fit Dubai's floor-to-ceiling glazing, and cheap fabrics fade within a couple of summers. This 2026 guide explains which fabrics actually survive the sun, what drives the price per metre, how the made-to-measure process works step by step, and the mistakes that make an expensive curtain look wrong.
- Custom curtains are priced per running metre of track width, not per metre of fabric — fullness, lining and heading multiply the fabric used.
- Indicative 2026 ranges: roughly AED 120–300 per metre for sheers and AED 250–650+ per metre for lined or blackout drapes, installed.
- In Dubai, UV-resistant linings and fade-tolerant fabrics matter more than pattern — south- and west-facing glass destroys weak textiles fast.
- Expect about 2–4 weeks from final measurement to installation; motorised tracks and imported fabrics add time.
01What "custom curtains" actually means in Dubai
A custom curtain is built around the window rather than the other way round. The installer measures the opening, the ceiling height and the stack-back space, then the workroom cuts and sews panels to exact drop and width. That matters in Dubai, where most apartments and villas have floor-to-ceiling glass, ceilings from 2.7 to 3.5 m and window walls that are often wider than any ready-made panel.
Three decisions define every custom order: the fabric (and whether it is lined), the heading (wave, pinch pleat, eyelet, ripplefold) and the track or rod, manual or motorised. Get those right and a mid-priced fabric looks expensive; get them wrong and even a designer textile hangs badly. If you are still choosing between curtains and blinds, our blinds and curtains guide covers that decision first.
02Choosing curtain fabric for the Dubai climate
The fabric is where Dubai differs most from cooler markets. Intense UV, heat on the glass and constant air-conditioning age textiles quickly, so the right choice is as much about durability as about looks:
- Polyester and poly-blends — the most practical choice: fade-resistant, stable in AC, easy to clean and available in linen-look weaves. Good for bright living rooms.
- Linen and linen blends — beautiful texture and drape, but natural linen creases and can shrink or yellow in strong sun; a lining is strongly advised.
- Velvet — rich and heavy, excellent for bedrooms and cinema rooms, but it shows dust and needs a sturdy track.
- Sheers and voiles — filter glare and give privacy by day; choose a quality polyester sheer so it does not yellow on a west-facing window.
- Blackout and dim-out fabrics — either a coated face fabric or a separate blackout lining; essential for bedrooms, as covered in our blackout curtains buyer's guide.
Linings deserve as much attention as the face fabric. A standard cotton-poly lining protects colour and improves drape; a thermal lining cuts heat gain through the glass and eases the load on the AC; a blackout lining adds both. Interlining, a soft layer sewn between face and lining, gives a heavier, more luxurious fall and is worth it on formal villa drapes.
A good rule: the more sun a window takes, the more synthetic content and the better the lining should be. Silk and pure linen are best kept to north-facing rooms or protected behind a sheer layer.
03How much do custom curtains cost in Dubai?
Workrooms usually quote custom curtains in Dubai per running metre of track width, including fabric, stitching and installation. The indicative 2026 ranges below assume standard ceiling heights up to about 3 m and a manual track; treat them as a starting point, not a quote.
| Curtain type | Price per metre | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Sheer / voile, wave heading | 120–300 | Living rooms, daytime privacy |
| Unlined decorative drape | 180–350 | Low-sun rooms, dressing areas |
| Lined drape (standard lining) | 250–450 | Living and dining rooms |
| Blackout-lined or coated drape | 300–650+ | Bedrooms, media rooms |
| Double layer (sheer + blackout) | 450–900+ | Master bedrooms, full-height glass |
| Motorised track (add-on) | 1,200–3,500 per window | Wide or high windows, smart homes |
For a feel of a whole home: a two-bedroom apartment with a living-room window wall and two bedroom windows typically lands somewhere around AED 6,000–18,000 for custom curtains, depending on fabric grade and whether the bedrooms get double layers. You can price your own windows on our curtains page.
04What changes the price per metre
Two quotes for the same window can differ by a factor of two, and the gap usually comes from a handful of variables:
- Fullness — a wave or pinch-pleat curtain uses 2 to 2.5 times the track width in fabric. Cutting fullness to 1.5 saves money but the curtain looks flat.
- Drop — ceilings above 3 m need wider-roll fabrics or joins, and more labour on ladders or scaffolding.
- Fabric grade — local stock fabrics start around AED 40–80 per metre; imported designer textiles can exceed AED 300–400 per metre before sewing.
- Lining and interlining — thermal, blackout or interlined curtains add material and sewing time but last longer and hang better.
- Track and hardware — a ceiling-recessed or motorised track costs far more than a surface rod, and recessing may need ceiling work.
- Pattern repeat — large patterns must be matched across widths, which wastes fabric.
When you compare quotes, ask each supplier to state the fullness, fabric code, lining type and track model in writing. Without that, a lower price often simply means less fabric.
05The made-to-measure process, step by step
A properly run custom curtain order in Dubai follows the same sequence whether it is one bedroom or a whole villa:
- Brief and samples — agree the room use (privacy, blackout, glare), style and budget; review swatches in the actual room light.
- Site survey — measure width, drop, ceiling type, stack-back space, AC grilles, sockets for motors and any obstructions such as skirting or window handles.
- Specification and quote — fabric codes, fullness, heading, lining, track and motor listed per window, with a clear price and lead time.
- Track installation — often done before the curtains are finished, especially if the track is recessed into a gypsum ceiling pocket.
- Workroom production — cutting, sewing, hemming and heading; typically 1–3 weeks depending on fabric availability.
- Fitting and dressing — hanging, adjusting hem heights, training the folds and, for motorised tracks, programming limits and remotes.
If the curtains are part of a wider refit, plan the ceiling pocket and motor wiring with your contractor early. Our curtain installation guide covers tracks, fixings and ceiling details in more depth.
06Common mistakes with custom curtains
Most disappointments with custom curtains trace back to decisions made before a single stitch, not to the sewing itself:
- Measuring the glass instead of the wall, so the curtain cannot stack clear of the window when open.
- Choosing a pale unlined fabric for a west-facing room, which fades unevenly within one or two summers.
- Letting the hem sit too high — a 1 cm float or a slight break on the floor looks intentional; 5 cm above the floor looks like a mistake.
- Forgetting the AC: curtains that cover supply grilles block airflow and flutter constantly.
- Adding motorisation after the ceiling is finished, which means cutting gypsum and running cables through a completed room.
07Care, lifespan and what goes wrong in the heat
Well-made, lined custom curtains in Dubai typically last 7–10 years; unlined sheers on sunny glass may need replacing in 4–6. Dust is the main enemy: sand gets into the weave, so a monthly light vacuum with a brush attachment and a professional clean every 12–18 months keep colours even. Many fabrics should be dry-cleaned or steam-cleaned in place rather than machine-washed, because shrinkage of even 2–3% ruins a carefully set hem.
Watch for three warning signs: yellowing along the leading edge (UV damage), hems that drop unevenly (fabric relaxing in humidity) and tracks that stick (dust in the runners). All three are easier to prevent than to fix, which is why lining choice and a quality track matter more than the face fabric.
Bedrooms facing east need special thought. In Dubai the summer sun rises very early and hits the glass around half past five, so even a heavy fabric without a blackout lining leaks light at the edges. The fix is a track extended 15–20 cm beyond the opening, an overlap at the centre and, where needed, side returns to the wall.
08How A5renova makes custom curtains in Dubai
A5renova runs custom curtains end to end: a site survey with fabric samples, a written specification per window, workroom production and installation, including recessed or motorised tracks. You can browse options on our curtains page, see finished products in the catalog, or combine curtains with smart-home control or a full furnishing package so that tracks, wiring and ceilings are planned together.