Kitchen Curtains or Kitchen Blinds?
When should you use kitchen curtains to “finish off” your kitchen windows and when should you use blinds? It is very much a personal choice but here are some factors which might sway your decision one way or the other.
Curtains are easy to purchase ready made in various sizes which will easily fit most kitchen windows and can be easily hung from a simple curtain rod fixed above your windows. If you have windows which are not a standard size and shape you can easily find curtain fabric suitable for kitchens and most stores selling curtain fabric offer a making up service. (You may find special deals too where they will make the curtains for free when you purchase the fabric).
Kitchen curtains or blinds for this kitchen?
There seems to be no end of fabric designs available and if you don’t like traditional kitchen fabrics there’s no need to restrict yourself to them as there are a wide range of other designs which would look great in your kitchen – including plain, stripe, plaid, paisley and gingham fabrics.
If you choose washable kitchen curtains or fabrics (and you should) you will be able to launder your curtains frequently to get them looking like new again. The air in a kitchen is full of steam and grease and everything there needs frequent cleaning as I’m sure you are aware.
If you choose blinds instead of kitchen window curtains you will also have lots of choice although not quite so much if you are looking for ready made shades. However you can get in touch with a specialist blind company if you would like more choice or if your windows are a non standard size and order from them. Fitting of blinds is reasonably straight forward. You usually just have to fix brackets to hold the blind at the top of the window recess and you are done, maybe after trimming your blind slightly to fit the gap if required. If you order from a blind company they will usually fit the blinds for you.
Where blinds are less useful is in how easy they are to clean. You will be able to wipe clean hard blinds such as metallic Venetian or wooden blinds but fabric blinds can be very difficult to clean (if you can clean them at all). You may be able to have the blind specialist cleaned at a dry cleaners but washing some blinds yourself will usually take the stiffness out of the fabric.
In the end however the choice between curtains and blinds often comes down to the one thing we haven’t mentioned – the style of your kitchen. Blinds are most suited to high tech and minimalist kitchens whereas curtains look just right in a more traditional or country kitchen where blinds would look a bit stark.
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.
Four Ideas for Kitchen Window Treatments
Window treatments for your kitchen should allow light into the area and improve the appearance of the space as well as being practical in a room where so much cooking takes place.
Choosing a window treatment for your kitchen can be a fun task and not too tough if you measure any curtain you are thinking of buying against those criteria. Always ask yourself whether the window treatment will block too much light and whether it enhances or detracts from the style of your kitchen, as well as looking how practical it will be to keep clean and fresh.
Here are four kinds of kitchen window treatments that are especially popular. Think about which of these would work best in your kitchen and if you’re not sure leave a comment below and we’ll try to help.
Kitchen tiers or Café Curtains
Tiered curtains are a simple style of curtain that lets a lot of light in while maintaining moderate privacy. Café curtains usually cover the bottom half of the window while leaving the top open to allow in light. Tiered curtains usually have another layer – a valance at the top of the window and sometimes side swags. These curtains are frequently seen in cafés, hence the name. Café or tier curtains often have patterns like plaid or checkers, or images of food items. They generally work well in a casual informal kitchen unless they are in a very tailored formal style in a solid color with something like tab tops rather than gathers.
Venetian blinds can be very effective in a kitchen
Simple Venetian Blinds
Venetian blinds are made from slats of wood, plastic, or metal that can be adjusted to open and close using a rod on one side of the blinds. They can also be drawn up or down using a cord on the other side. People don’t often think of using blinds alone but if you choose a classy set, you won’t need anything else to dress your window. Light colored blinds or wooden blinds look great in kitchens and metallic venetian blinds are also excellent in modern kitchens if they match the appliances or handles on the cabinets. These blinds can generally be wiped clean with a damp cloth but it can be a pain making sure that you clean every slat.
Roman shades
Roman shades will give your kitchen a fine, clean look. They can be completely raised, completely lowered, of half-raised. Because they are made from fabric which is raised or lowered in soft folds they soften the hard lines of a kitchen without give a country or homey look that gathered curtains might point towards. Ready made roman shades come in many styles and colors so it’s easy to match them to the rest of your kitchen but if your windows are not standard sizes they can be custom made for a reasonable price. The only tricky part is cleaning. In general these blinds will need to be dry cleaned.
Kitchen Valance
Finally, you can use a valance on the top half of the window either on its own, or combine it with other window treatments. Valances soften the top of the window and hide an ugly curtain rod very effectively. Used alone they draw attention to a great window or a great view without leaving the window too bare. Combining a valance with blinds or shades is also a great look especially where you feel the blind is too simple for the room. Valances are easy to find or simple to make. If you can’t sew, you can do something as simple as drape a scarf around the curtain rod for an extremely easy window treatment.
Have fun with your kitchen window treatments. You can create some great, unique designs for your windows that will greatly enhance your kitchen when you let your imagination loose.
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