Kitchen Curtain Style Options

Your kitchen is a family gathering place that deserves the same attention you’d give to designing any other room in your house.

If you’d like a new look for your kitchen but don’t have the funds to undertake a full remodeling project, consider replacing your window treatments.

Window curtains are one of the easiest ways to increase design interest at a reasonable price.

They’re also easy to install; no confusing measurements or weeks of waiting for their delivery required. Consider the following when selecting window curtains for your home.

Selecting a Kitchen Curtain

Before you begin shopping, consider exactly what you need from a kitchen curtain. Obviously, you want a curtain that won’t be a fire-hazard, won’t break the bank, and will increase the visual appeal of the room, but it’s also important to think about how and when your family uses the kitchen.

If you’re home a lot during the daytime, you may want a window treatment that allows a lot of natural light to enter the room. If you live on a busy street, you might want to make sure that passersby can’t see you when you pad into the kitchen for a midnight snack.

If you take the time to think through these issues in advance, you’ll end up with a better fit when it comes to selecting your window curtains.

Whatever style you select, make sure that your window curtains are kitchen appropriate. Your kitchen is hot, humid, and unless you’re a devotee of take-out, it’s probably busy.

Make sure that your curtains will hold up well under these conditions. And if your windows are close to your stove, make sure that your curtains will be far enough away that they won’t catch on fire.

Kitchen Curtain Styles

Once you’ve figured out your basic needs, it’s time to select a style that suits your kitchen. Generally, you’ll be able to find the material you want in the style you like. For example, if you have a country kitchen, you’ll find country curtains in tab-top, café, and tieback styles.

And if you’re having problems finding the right combination for you, don’t forget to look at vintage curtains, particularly if you’re looking for a more traditional look.

The first step, though, is to select the type of curtain that you like. The following is a list of the most common types of curtains that you’d see in a kitchen:

• Panel Curtain – The panel curtain is probably the most common type that you’ll see in a kitchen. These curtains have a pocket at the top where the rod goes, and they slide back and forth on the rod. You can use one panel to cover narrow windows, or try two panels and tie them back on either side with decorative tiebacks to easily let in the light during the day. Panel curtains also look very nice with decorative valances or finials.
• Café Curtain – The café curtain covers only the bottom half of the window to maintain privacy without fully blocking the light. Generally, they look lopsided without a coordinating valance. Most café curtains are stationary; they’re too short to be pulled or tied back.
• Tab Top Curtain – The tab top curtain has fabric loops at the top which are threaded onto the rod. They can come in longer panels or shorter café styles. Tab tops are some of the easiest curtains to make; all you need to do is hem the panel and sew loops of ribbon to the top. There are also tie top versions that knot above the rod and make for a great casual style.
• Valance Only – Who says you have to have a curtain? If privacy isn’t an issue, consider a longer valance with some dangling embellishments and leave the bottom half of the window open to let in the light.