Fairy lights change a room’s mood in minutes. This season, a budget-friendly starry option is drawing double takes from thrifty households.
As homes plan their December glow-up, IKEA’s STRÅLA star curtain lights are making a case for cosy brightness at a price that barely stings. The appeal lands in three beats: low cost, gentle warmth and a look that reads festive without feeling fussy.
What’s behind the sudden buzz
At £19, the STRÅLA curtain brings 48 star-shaped LEDs arranged in neat drops that read as a soft-lit cascade. The tone sits at around 2700K, so you get that candlelit warmth rather than a cold, blue cast. You can drape it across a window, stage it on a wall, or run it along a balcony. It works indoors and outside, which broadens the payoff once the tree comes down.
Forty‑eight warm LEDs, roughly 20,000 hours of life, and a £19 ticket: the value proposition is plain to see.
The effect is instant: a curtain of stars that frames the room rather than overpowering it. It feels seasonal at first glance and still appropriate in the darker weeks of January and February.
Key facts at a glance
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Price | £19 |
| Light count | 48 star-shaped LEDs |
| Colour temperature | Warm white (around 2700K) |
| Rated longevity | About 20,000 hours |
| Use | Indoor and outdoor |
| Care | Wipe with a dry cloth |
| Primary materials | Polystyrene, EVA and polypropylene |
The look: gentle sparkle without the faff
Households juggling work, kids and calendars do not have time for tangles. The curtain format avoids repeated looping or guesswork spacing. You fasten a top rail or line to your chosen surface and let the drops hang cleanly. The silhouette is classic enough to sit behind a tree or above a sofa, and it frames French doors rather nicely when guests arrive.
Because the light is warm, you can layer it with candles, paper stars and garlands without colour clashes. It reads as a background glow, so children can settle and older relatives won’t wince under glare.
It looks festive in December, yet still earns its keep when the tree is packed away.
Durability and kid-proof thinking
The bulbs are integrated LEDs rated for roughly 20,000 hours, which translates into many seasons when used for a few hours each evening. The plastic star casings are light, so the curtain is easier to hang and less likely to damage plaster if it gets tugged. A dry cloth sorts out dust or fingerprints.
Set it up with removable hooks or adhesive strips if you rent. For outdoor use, keep the plug and any connector sheltered from direct rain and route cables where small feet will not trip.
Energy use: how to gauge the running cost
Curtain lights use very little power compared with old-school bulbs. The exact wattage varies by model, yet most LED curtains in this size bracket draw a handful of watts. Here is a simple way to estimate cost:
- Check the wattage on the packaging or label.
- Multiply watts by hours used per day, then by number of days.
- Convert to kilowatt-hours (divide by 1,000) and apply your unit rate.
Example assumption for illustration only: if the curtain draws 5W and you run it 6 hours nightly for 60 days, that’s 5 × 6 × 60 = 1,800 watt-hours, or 1.8 kWh. At a typical domestic unit rate, you are looking at pocket change across the season. The point stands even if your set draws slightly more: LEDs keep the bill impact modest.
Plan for six hours a night across the season and expect the energy cost to stay low by LED standards.
Placement ideas that punch above their price
Windows and doors
Frame a bay window so the stars fall just shy of the sill for a tidy edge. On French doors, hang from the curtain pole and secure the ends so they do not catch when you open the doors.
Hallways and stairwells
Run the top line along the banister wall to create a gentle runway of light. Keep drops out of reach of small hands by trimming or securing the bottom loops.
Bedrooms and playrooms
Mount behind sheer curtains to diffuse the glow. In children’s rooms, keep cables tucked and use timers so the lights fade out at bedtime without arguments.
Why the £19 tag resonates right now
Shoppers are watching costs, but they still want atmosphere. This curtain sits at a price where you can justify a second set for a balcony or spare room. The reusability helps too. A 20,000‑hour lifespan means you are not throwing them out after a single winter. That lowers waste and reduces hassle in the busiest month of the year.
Care, safety and storage
- Let the lights cool before moving them, even with LEDs.
- Avoid pinching the cable with nails or staples; use hooks or clips.
- Store the curtain flat on a piece of card to stop tangles.
- If used outdoors, dry the set fully before packing away.
When a curtain beats a string
Standard strings leave you spacing loops and chasing symmetry. A curtain gives you a ready-made grid with a filled visual field, which helps in wide windows or bare walls. You get more even coverage with less effort, and the star shapes do the decorative work so you can keep the rest of the scene simple.
Extra ways to stretch the value
Add a plug-in timer to automate switch-on at dusk. That saves energy by preventing late-night overruns and keeps your seating area lit when guests arrive. If you own dimmable sockets, trial a lower setting for film nights so the stars read as a faint shimmer rather than a focal point.
For households comparing options, weigh purchase price against expected hours of use and the space you need to fill. A single £19 curtain can carry a whole window; two smaller strings might still leave gaps. If you live in a flat with limited storage, the slim profile makes it simpler to pack than bulky garlands or wreaths. Finally, think beyond December: the same gentle glow lifts long January evenings and softens a work-from-home corner without cluttering your desk.
Honestly didn’t expect much for £19, but 48 warm LEDs at ~2700K sounds like the cosy vibe I’m after. If it really works indoors and outdoors, I’m grabbing two for the balcony and hallway. Storage tips were definitley useful.