When updating or renovating the kitchen, don’t forget to pay special attention to the window treatments.

Adding window curtains is a wonderful way to add design interest to the room at a minimal cost.

They also have the advantage of being one of the easiest window treatment ideas to implement; if you can use a screwdriver, you can hang a curtain rod.

Spice up your kitchen decor with some custom curtains. These simple plaid curtains offer privacy but still allow for a bright, airy kitchen.

Special Considerations for Kitchen Curtains

When it comes to kitchens, you can’t use just any old curtain. Kitchen curtains are exposed to a range of heat and humidity that isn’t found in the rest of the home, so fragile or dry-clean only fabrics are best left to the dining and living areas.

Heavy fabrics like velvet can soak up the moisture and take on a musty odor, so lighter weights are more practical.

It’s also better to steer towards smaller-volume curtains. Curtains with frills or flounces or styles that puddle on the floor are not only impractical for a high-traffic room like the kitchen, but they can also be dangerous if located too close to your cooktop.

For safety’s sake, whatever the style or fabric you select, make sure that it is both fire- and mold-resistant.

A romantic kitchen dining area with neutral window curtains.

The first step to selecting the right window treatment for you is to determine what your goals are. Certainly, you want a safe, affordable, and attractive look, but thinking about how your family uses the kitchen can help to set priorities.

If you have a kitchen with a lot of daytime traffic, you may want to focus on window treatment ideas that do not interfere with the flow of natural light into the room. If your windows open to the street, privacy may be a priority. Or perhaps you’re trying to camouflage an unsightly window pane.

By carefully thinking through what your preferences and needs are, you can better select the right window curtain for you.

Next, it’s time to select the actual curtains, along with the assorted hardware that can make every difference between an interesting design element and a boring one.

Not only do you have a variety of curtain styles to select from, but you also can choose to accessorize them with valances, tie-backs, decorative finials, and border embellishments like dangling beads or ribbon borders.

All of this may seem overwhelming, but the key is to start with the curtain and add one or two accessories to finish the look. Be careful of over-accessorizing: a window that is festooned with every accessory known to man will only look gaudy.

Consider these kitchen window treatment possibilities for your own home:

• For a country kitchen – Country curtains come in a variety of styles, including gingham checks, rooster prints, and bandanna prints. You could hang tab-style curtains in a check print and tie them back with coordinating lengths of ribbon. Or use a rooster-print valance with solid panels and wrought iron rooster tiebacks.
• For a Tuscan-style kitchen – Many home stores have Tuscan collections featuring patterns like stripes and grape vines that would look terrific in most Tuscan-style kitchens. Consider using a printed curtain with a terra cotta colored valance. Or hang plain panels and set them off with an ornate wrought iron curtain rod and matching tiebacks.
• For an elegant kitchen – For a more elegant look, consider toile prints or lace curtains. You can find these new, or consider purchasing a set of vintage curtains in an elegant pattern. Because the curtains themselves hold a lot of design interest, keep the accessories to a minimum.
• For a modern kitchen – Consider a minimalist approach with some geometric flair. Try two-toned geometric print curtains with sleek silver tiebacks or sheer panels hung on a curtain rod with angular finials.

It’s also a family gathering place, or a homework station, or possibly the location of family suppers.

In the past, kitchens were often left undecorated or minimally decorated, but gourmet kitchens and eat-in kitchens are designed to be comfortable and to coordinate with the rest of the house.

Given how often they’re used, it only makes sense to make this room as inviting as possible, and if the family is to be gathering there frequently, one consideration must be to protect the family’s privacy.

Add color, privacy and light control in your kitchen decor with window blinds or shades designed to match!

Considerations for Kitchen Window Treatments

Kitchen blinds are an ideal window treatment choice for the unique kitchen environment.

It is a common mistake to approach kitchen window treatments in the same manner as one would approach the rest of the house. However, the kitchen environment is drastically different from that of a bedroom or dining room, and the window treatments should be adjusted accordingly.

Kitchens are generally more humid than the rest of the house, and traffic in most kitchens is high. Window treatments that take up a great deal of space such as flouncy or floor-length curtains would be a poor choice, as would fabrics that do not hold up well under fluctuations of heat and humidity.

Above all, kitchen window treatments should be sturdy and safe. However, this doesn’t mean that they need to be industrial or boring; you can still customize your approach to make your kitchen as attractive as possible.

Why Choose Kitchen Blinds?

Window blinds, on the other hand, are an ideal option for the kitchen. They are easy to maintain, stain resistant, and hold up well under various kitchen conditions.

While most people think about plain white versions when they think of window blinds, a variety of styles are available to coordinate with your existing kitchen decorative scheme. They can easily be raised to let in the sunlight during the daytime and lowered to protect privacy at night. And they are a cost-effective option that can easily be installed in less than a day.

And if you like the look of curtains, you can always combine blinds and curtains to get the best of both worlds.

Whether you go with something decorative or simple window blinds, the eating area in your kitchen is one place you want flexible light control and privacy.

Aluminium and wood or faux wood window blinds are the most common selections for kitchens. Make sure that any woods that you select are treated to hold up well under kitchen conditions.

Bamboo or woven wood blinds roll up out of the way and come in a variety of shades. Vertical blinds are an appropriate choice to cover larger windows or patio doors, since they cover such a large area, but they don’t work quite as well on smaller windows.

Some window blinds are available without pull cords or with retractable cords that remain the same length at all times. These are safer options for children and pets, and they also insure that the cords will stay out of the dirty dishes in the sink.

Blinds can be more decorative than you may realize. By varying the slat size, decorative elements, and color selection, one can seamlessly integrate kitchen blinds into any home. For example, a country kitchen window treatment could include brick red-tinted aluminium blinds with rooster-print decorative tapes.

A Tuscan kitchen could be complimented with a set of dark faux wood window blinds set off with a decorative valance in terra cotta tones. A café-style kitchen might benefit from plain white aluminium blinds paired with a brightly-checked café curtain.

If you are unable to find the right color or print, consider purchasing plain blinds and painting or stenciling them to match. By approaching your kitchen blinds creatively, you can easily develop a combination that will combine style and functionality.