Whether your kitchen windows are bizarre sizes, placed in odd locations, facing directly into a neighbor’s home, or simply in need of a facelift, we’ve got solutions for your hard-to-dress windows!
You know you need to cover those kitchen windows (um, who doesn’t need privacy??) but you’re afraid to invest in treatments that you’ll regret later. What do you do?
I’ve heard this before, and today I’m telling you exactly what I tell our clients — how to cover kitchen windows that feel hard-to-dress with treatments you’ll love for years to come.
Finding the right window treatments isn’t just about beauty. Window treatments also need to fit with your existing decor, work for your family, blend with the style of the home, be easy to clean, and last a long time.
The kitchen is one of the most highly trafficked rooms in the home. It’s the center of family gatherings and parties always seem to end up there. With stylish window treatments, you can make your kitchen even more inviting.
Before you choose your kitchen window treatments, you need to take into account where your windows are located. If they’re near the sink, stove, or other food-prep areas where your shades may come into contact with water, steam, or grease splatters, you might consider faux wood blinds, faux wood shutters, or vinyl roller shades because they’re very durable and easy to clean with a damp cloth.
I’m sharing my best advice for finding and evaluating window treatment options that will help you do just that. Come take a look… or drop a question in the comments below!
1. Energy Efficient Honeycomb and Celluar Shades
Honeycomb and cellular shades are the first of their category to be specifically engineered with a cellular design that adds an extra layer of insulation at the window, so you can reduce energy consumption throughout the year and control the temperature in your kitchen while you’re cooking.
Choose either the single-cell design or the double-cell honeycomb-within-a-honeycomb construction if you want maximum energy efficiency.
2. Radiant Roman Shades
Roman shades combine the softness of a drapery with a clean, crisp appearance. They are an excellent choice if you love the look of drapery or curtains but want the functionality of shades.
Roman shades are available in a wide range of fabrics, from heavy, rich-looking textiles to breezy fabric that delivers semi-sheer coverage. Roman shades can be an especially fun way to add a pop of personality or color to an otherwise neutral kitchen.
Be aware, though, that it may not be as easy to clean roman shades as other options on this list. This is especially relevant if you’re planning to install them near the stove or over the sink where grease or other stains are likely.
3. Soft Sheer Shades
To soften the look of your kitchen’s hard surfaces and modern fixtures, sheer shadings have a magical way of transforming harsh rays into a warm glow. Silhouette by Hunter Douglas offers a unique type of shading featuring the Signature S-Vane™ that appears to be floating between two sheers. With the vanes open, the sheers gently diffuse light while the white rear sheer provides daytime privacy.
For even more light control, Silhouette shadings are also available with Hunter Douglas’ Duolite® option that lets you pair a sheer shading with a room-darkening roller shade.
Or, you could go with Hunter Douglas’ Pirouette® Window Shadings that are designed with beautifully contoured fabric vanes that gracefully open and close along with a single sheer backing. With two vane sizes, and semi-opaque and room-darkening fabrics in numerous colors, textures, and patterns, Pirouette shadings will work well in any kitchen.
4. Durable Woven Wood Shades
Woven wood shades are a great kitchen window treatment for softening the look of stainless steel and kitchen appliances. Woven wood shades are made from natural materials, such as bamboo, grasses, reeds, and jute. If you get a lot of sun in your kitchen, woven wood shades are durable and can hold their shape over time.
Woven wood shades can be used alone or with a room-darkening liner. The liner will not only increase your privacy but can beautifully contrast with the natural fibers of your shade, highlighting its texture and add to its visual interest. Like Roman shades, woven wood shades are a bit more difficult to clean than other options, so keep that in mind when choosing kitchen window treatments.
5. Sleek Roller and Solar Shades
Roller Shades have an unfair reputation as boring when they are actually a sleek, budget-friendly choice with clean lines and a range of customization options. Vinyl roller shades are well-suited to the kitchen thanks to their easy care and upkeep.
Roller shades come in a wide variety of colors, patterns, and textiles ranging from sheer or semi-sheer to fully opaque and everything in between. Opt for a roller shade that operates using a spring mechanism to eliminate dangling cords that could pose a danger in the kitchen.
If your kitchen window receives lots of direct sunlight, solar shades may be an ideal option. This specific type of roller shade is constructed from a woven, screen-like mesh designed to filter out harsh UV rays and keep your home cooler while preserving your view.
Solar shades come in varying degrees of “openness,” which indicates the percentage of UV rays that can pass through—for example, 7 percent openness means that 93 percent of UVA and UVB rays are blocked. White or light-colored solar shades provide slightly more energy efficiency and may coordinate better with kitchen décor; however, dark-colored solar shades are better at reducing glare and are often easier on the eyes.
Solar shades offer plenty of privacy when the sun is out, but they become virtually transparent after dark when the lights come on inside. If privacy is a concern—for instance, if your kitchen faces the street or your neighbor’s house—you may want to add a dual roller shade for nighttime or choose a different window treatment option.
Know that you have one of these hard-to-dress windows, but unsure where to begin? Give us a call and we’ll gladly beautify your kitchen!
Warmly,
Jessica
