How to Choose Kitchen Curtains
Kitchen curtains are not purely functional – they are important in decorating your kitchen so it is essential to get them right if you want your kitchen to look good. If you want to find the right curtains you will probably have to shop online to get the best selection – but how do you choose wisely from the many options available? Here is a checklist of things to consider when choosing curtains for the kitchen…
1. Fabric
Curtains are available in all sorts of fabrics. Consider the thickness of the fabric – do you want a fine net, lace or voile (which may be OK if privacy is not an issue) or thicker cotton or linen / hemp curtains. See also the point on maintenance below as the fabric choice may determine whether curtains are washable. Cotton seems to be most suitable fabric for kitchens as it is easy to care for and has a light airy feel.
Apple green kitchen curtains
2. Color
Do you have a general color theme in mind for your kitchen? This may already be set in stone with the color of tiles you have chosen. If you have picked neutral tiles they will still be predominantly warm or cool colors and you need your curtains to stay in tune with this. By cool neutral tile colors I mean colors such as black, cool gray, pure white, silver. Warm neutral shades would be terracotta, cream or beige
3. Design
You will find all kinds of patterns and designs in fabric kitchen curtains from floral, to novelty, striped and plaid as well as many abstract patterns. Consider what is suitable for the look you have in mind. What style are you hoping to achieve for your kitchen? Contemporary or retro? City apartment or Country cottage look? Colorful or monochrome? Do the curtains fit in with your general theme?
4. Type of Curtain
Curtains for kitchens may be full length, window length or cafe type curtains and they can have many different types of headings as well as various valances and tie backs. The more contemporary the look, the simpler the curtains should be with plain headings or tab tops. A country look is better able to take frills and valances – though you may find you prefer a simpler look to make washing and re-hanging easier. To get help with the type of curtains to choose, browse some online sites and look at some pictures imagining each type of curtain in your kitchen to think about the general effect.
5. Price
Are the curtains within your budget? Are they reasonably priced for the quality of the curtains?
6. Maintenance
Are the curtains washable? You will find that you have to wash kitchen window curtains more than other curtains in your home so it helps if you can pop them in the washing machine unless they are very fine and they are hand washable. Sometimes curtains shrink a little when washed. Check whether fabric has been pre-shrunk and if not make allowance for this in the measurements.
7. Decorative or Functional
Are your curtains meant to frame the window nicely and add a decorative touch and nothing else or do you need to open and close them. This will affect they type (and size) of kitchen curtain you buy. If you don’t need so much fabric you may be able to choose something stunning.
8. Right Size
Be sure to get the right size of curtains for your windows. It’s more practical to have short window length curtains near food preparation and cooking areas and this also suits the informal nature of a kitchen.
If you want to increase the amount of light allowed into your kitchen while still framing your windows, extend the curtain rods, rails or poles a little beyond the edge of the windows so that you see as much light as possible when the curtains are drawn back.
9. Safety
Make sure there is no chance of fabric curtains catching fire. If you have a window near a cooker, a simple roller blind or roman blinds would be a safer option.
10. Ready-made or Custom
Ready made curtains in standard sizes tend to be cheaper but many online stores will make kitchen curtains to suit your measurements if you have non-standard windows.
Where to Get Good Deals on Kitchen Curtains
You will find some kitchen curtains in your local area. They are found sometimes in discount stores but more often in expensive soft furnishings stores and in large department stores. Unfortunately even with high prices it is likely that you will get a limited selection there with not much chance to shop around.
For the best deals you need to go online, which is the case with many items these days. Not only do you save money (and time) by shopping online you also don’t have the cost of making several shopping trips to the various stores in your area. As you know mileage costs and parking charges continue to rise.
kitchen window treatment goes well with this kitchen
So, when you decide to buy kitchen window treatments online, you are making a very sensible decision.
Once you take a look online you will be amazed at how many kitchen curtain designs and styles are available. You’ll find novelty curtains, cafe curtains, designer curtains, curtains in many patterns and plain curtains in every color of the rainbow.
If you’re not sure how to go about choosing kitchen curtains then take a look at our section on How to Choose Kitchen Curtains before going any further and then then follow this guide.
1. Set a Budget
If you want to avoid spending too much, have a budget in mind before you begin. If you’re not sure what a reasonable amount would be, take a look at a few sites to get an idea of the selection available and the range of prices.
2. Browse and Book mark
Create a short list of the kitchen curtains you like. As you browse bookmark your favorites so that you can come back to them.
3. Compare Prices, Quality and Suitability
See how each of the curtains on your short list holds up against this check list
- How does the design and color fit in with your kitchen color scheme and theme?
- Are the prices within your budget? Have you included sales tax (if any) and shipping in looking at the costs? Have you priced a curtain in the right size for your windows?
- Is the fabric of good quality for the price?
- Do they even have the right size of curtain for your windows? Or will you have to pay for alterations? How does this affect your budget?
- Are the kitchen curtains washable in the washing machine? Or will they have to be dry cleaned (more expense!)
- Are the curtains in stock?
- Are there any matching accessories available
- Will the company deliver quickly?
- What is the returns policy if you are not happy with the product?
- Are you familiar with the company / brand of curtains? It’s not necessarily a bad sign if you are not – just extra points if you have bought from them before and were happy with them!
4. Choose Your Kitchen Window Curtains
Choose your best option and order your choice of kitchen curtains. Then you can put your feet up and wait for them to arrive.
Kitchen Curtains FAQ : Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find kitchen curtains with a particular theme or pictures on them (cowboys, vegetables, cats, sunflowers etc)
The best place to find all kinds of kitchen curtains is via online stores (you will never find such a good selection in your local area). Do a search on both Google and eBay for kitchen curtains along with the word for the image you want on your drapes. If you are not successful with that, try the same search with just curtains instead of kitchen curtains and if you still don’t find what you are looking for consider making your own (a relatively easy job) and do the same search with fabric. If these three searches don’t work then I’m afraid nothing will and you will have to look for something similar. Browse around the online curtain shops until you find something you like.
Great kitchen window
I have an open plan apartment so that the kitchen and living room are effectively one room. How do I choose curtains for these two “rooms” in one?
You have a few choices for window treatments when choosing kitchen and lounge curtains for an open-plan or studio home. You can
- choose the same fabric for both windows using a plainer style curtain or blind for the kitchen window and a fancier style for the living room – for example drapes and valances in the living room part and simple roman shades or roller blinds in the kitchen
- choose a complimentary color for the kitchen in a plain fabric, perhaps picking out a color from the lounge curtains or from other accessories in the room
- use plain curtains or blinds in the same color on both windows
- ignore the fact that you have an open plan arrangement and simply define the kitchen space with the décor there and the lounge space with a different style, while still making sure colors and styles compliment each other rather than clashing badly
- choose complimentary fabrics from the same design range such as a floral pattern in the lounge and a coordinating striped fabric for the kitchen curtains
How Do I Measure for Kitchen Window Curtains
You can either measure your window if you are having your curtains made or measure the size of the curtains you require. ( See our guide to measuring for kitchen curtains for more details)
Would Long Curtains Look Right in a Kitchen?
If you are hanging kitchen curtains near a food preparation area, sink or cooker then I would definitely select short simple curtains or blinds for reasons of safety and ease of maintenance, however if you have patio doors or use your kitchen as a dining room then long curtains are fine in those areas.
If you hang long curtains be sure to make the style and fabric in keeping with the informal nature of the room – for example, cotton is more appropriate than lace if you’re going long in this situation whereas short lace cafe curtains are fine (depending on the style of your cabinets etc).
Whatever window treatment you choose just be sure that you will be able to wash your kitchen curtains as they do get dirty quickly in the kitchen atmosphere.
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