Window treatments, in general, are what gives your home that homely feeling. The way in which you decorate the windows can have a great impact on a room’s atmosphere. They present a wide range of options in terms of patterns, materials, textures, and colors for privacy control, decoration, and the amount of natural light allowed to enter. A few of them even provide high-tech characteristics like solar material that helps in limiting the heat gain in the room thereby, protecting you from harmful UV rays.
Since kitchens are a hard-working space in the house, choosing a suitable window treatment is imperative. The window treatments should be such that they can withstand heavy cooking activities as well as greasy vapors while offering appropriate light and privacy control. Additionally, a complete makeover can cost a fortune. Therefore, by just replacing the outdated window treatments your kitchen will achieve a fresh look.
Tips for Choosing Kitchen Window Treatments
Here are three important tips for you to remember while you are making kitchen window treatments at home:
1. Safety
Safety is essential when it comes to choosing window treatments for your kitchen. The kitchen is the hub for baking and cooking which implies the presence of smoke, heat, scalding liquids, and so on. You should stay clear of materials that absorb odor or are flammable, such as polyester. Also, consider avoiding high-maintenance materials that are difficult to clean. While certain materials work well for other rooms in your house, they can be more vulnerable to damage when exposed to heat, smoke, and other hazards in the kitchen.
2. Size and Location of Kitchen Window
Kitchen windows may vary in size as well as location. While most kitchens have at least one small window behind the kitchen sink, other kitchens are adjacent to broad windows. Firstly, you will have to decide as to which kitchen windows you want to install window treatments to for obtaining precise measurements. Then, you need to find out the length and width of window treatments, type of curtain rod brackets, and other details. Also, the window location can affect how well you can play around with various light levels. For instance, if your kitchen window is present above the kitchen sink and you opt for letting in more natural sunlight, then try making short cafe curtains that don’t entirely block out the light from entering the window.
3. Type of Material and Heading
Not all materials of window treatments are suitable for kitchen windows. For example, fabrics like velvet, suede, or silk don’t match a place like a kitchen. However, cotton or sheer voile looks more practical. The heading style of curtains can also affect the overall appearance and feel of the kitchen windows. Some of the popular types of curtain heading for kitchen window curtains are pleat, rod pocket, and tab-top. While a pleated heading appears attractive above a farmhouse sink, the tailored rod-pocket curtain suits best for contemporary kitchens. The material you choose must be moisture resistant because kitchen expose all stuff to high level of moisture. If you are choosing window treatments for windows placed above a sink avoid fabrics and wood as they will warp and peel off in no time.
How To Make Kitchen Window Treatments At Home
Selecting a window treatment for your kitchen is tedious when you look at the amount of work that goes into keeping them clean. But, window treatments for the kitchen can be made at home easily which can be decorative while being functional.
- Turning Dish Towels Into Beautiful No-Sew Cafe Curtains
While tea towels serve the practical objective of cleaning spills or drying dishes, they also have the perfect size to make cafe curtains. These are plain panels for covering fifty percent of the window. Most of the dishtowels are handmade using several fabrics with embroidered or printed designs. Sewing isn’t required for making café curtains from tea towels, as are already hemmed on four sides. The curtains made of dish towels can be hung on a plain rod from clip-on rings. Position the rod towards the window’s center. This easy and simple window covering will look perfect for bay windows of a breakfast nook or above the window in any kitchen.
- DIY Shades for Small Kitchen Windows
DIY shades are the best solution if you want to customize the look of small windows in the kitchen. You can choose budget-friendly materials such as gift-wrapping paper that has striking patterns that mimic designer fabrics. You just have to ensure that the breadth of the paper roll is a bit larger than that of your kitchen window. Additionally, textile beach wraps introduce graceful pops of color to contrast with neutral cabinetry. Another attractive alternative is using coffee bean bags or other textured cloth as their bold prints and textured appearance offer depth and draws attraction to your windows. They should then be secured with pins on the window frame and stacked up using hemp strings.
- Make Quick Valances from Any Fabric
A plain valance works perfectly for windows possessing sheer curtains or blinds to offer light control and privacy. With simple sewing methods, it is simple to make a valance using any fabric that synchronizes with the decor of the room. Measure the width of the window to determine the valance size and then decide on from what height it must hang before you start sewing. All four edges of the cut-to-fit fabric should be hemmed. On the top, make a 1-inch hem and ensure that openings are left on every end for a rod to pass through. The bottom corners should be pulled up halfway through the top when all hems are proper in place. With a few hand stitches, it should be attached to the back of the fabric and the proper draping should be gained by straightening the bottom border.
- Make Simple Drapes Using Drop Cloth
The drop cloth fabric offers adequate light control and privacy. It also possesses the same look as linen at a reasonable cost. With four trimmed sides, sewing is not needed to make dramatic drapes until the adjusting of length is needed to suit a particular window. Hardware is the major factor while using drop cloths to make drapes. Consider using a clip-on type of ring along with an appropriate rod or a grommet kit that makes holes at the top of the drop cloth for a rod to pass through. Try decorating them with ribbon trim or paint for a customized look. These are easy quick fix window treatments solution for your kitchens. They can be a temporary solution till you get your professional manufactured window treatments.
