A nice finishing touch in shaping the kitchen interior is the choice of draperies for the windows. It is textiles that often become that necessary element for creating a truly cozy, relaxing, hospitable atmosphere in which anyone will enjoy not only cooking and eating with pleasure, but also receiving the closest guests, arranging family gatherings. Only at first glance it may seem that the choice of drapery for kitchen windows is as pleasant as it is quick. It is necessary to decide on the type of material, make a color decision, stylistic, take into account the properties of the fabric in operation and the possibility of cleaning the canvases, because the kitchen room has its own exceptional microclimate.
Before you start choosing
Modern manufacturers of fabrics and ready-made solutions for window drapery offer us such a wide range of options that it is not difficult to lose your head from the abundance of models, colors and prints. And to order, you can make textile decoration of kitchen windows of any style. Before you start looking for the ideal option, you need to take into account the factors that affect the selection of textiles for such a peculiar and multifunctional room as a kitchen:
- high humidity;
- constant temperature drops;
- the possibility of droplets of hot fat getting on the surface (it is not always possible to get rid of with the help of an hood);
- cooking smell.
Also, at the preparatory stage, it is necessary to outline the range of functions that the kitchen curtains will perform:
- Sun protection;
- fencing the room from prying eyes;
- exclusively decorative function;
- connecting element between the main «interior participants» (harmony in color, texture or manner of execution).
So, in order to make the perfect choice, you will need to decide on:
- curtain model (execution method, shape);
- type of fabric (texture, density, performance);
- color (plain or with a print);
- price category (you can find analogues of natural fabrics that differ significantly not only in their properties, but also in cost).
Determining the curtain model
The choice of curtain model is mainly determined by the following factors:
- the size of the room;
- dimensions and shape of the window;
- the location of the building relative to the cardinal points;
- stylistic execution of the interior;
- personal preferences of the owners.
Classic (traditional) model
As you know, classics are always in fashion. Therefore, the use of two straight canvases as a textile decor for windows will be relevant for many years. If in the bedroom and living room, traditional curtains most often consist of two thick curtains, which are complemented by light tulle (translucent veil), then in the kitchen you can drape a window with linen without any additions.
Traditional curtains can differ not only in the length of the products (to the floor or to the windowsill), but also in the way of fastening:
- on clothespins;
- on cross-over hinges;
- on clamps;
- on eyelets (plastic or metal);
- with ties.
Traditional curtains can often be paired with other models of textile decor for windows. For example, if the kitchen space has windows of various modifications, a balcony block or doors leading to the backyard, then it is logical to use different models of curtains for different window openings (but most often made of the same fabric). Classic curtains are easily combined with roller blinds, in style «a cafe», curtains and blinds.
Classic curtains are often combined with bamboo blinds. In this case, the traditional model of curtains acts more as a decor, in bamboo canvases serve to protect from the sun and prying eyes.
Small curtains on grommets can decorate your kitchen window. Plastic or metal rings are a practical attachment method. The curtains move easily along the cornice. The appearance of the window curtain is both laconic and modern, harmoniously fits into almost any stylistic option for kitchen design.
Curtains
A light curtain is another of the classic options for decorating a horse in a kitchen space. For sewing curtains can be used:
- tulle;
- organza;
- veil;
- mesh fabric;
- lace;
- muslin;
- any other airy fabric.
Curtains can be of the traditional length – from the eaves to the floor, or only reach the windowsill. They can be used as the main element of window decoration, and in an ensemble with blinds, roller blinds and other types of curtains..
If you have a spacious kitchen with a panoramic window and a beautiful view behind it, then it is logical to use the maximum amount of sunlight that can enter the room and not block its path with dense textiles. Thin translucent tulle would be a great option. Some designers propose to leave the window opening altogether without drapery or to limit ourselves to a decorative frame..
Roman or roller blinds
Rolled fabric curtains are incredibly popular at the moment. The versatility and laconic design allows this drapery element to organically integrate into any interior. Roman blinds are ideal for the kitchen, because most often the windows in the kitchen are of medium and small sizes. This model of curtains does not lose its popularity because:
- simple and laconic in execution;
- convenient and functional;
- perfectly protects the room from the sun and prying eyes;
- can be made of various types of fabrics (in this case, the material consumption will be optimal for a particular window);
- can be combined with other models of curtains, curtains and blinds;
- can be operated manually or by means of an electric drive (from the remote control).
According to the way of execution, all Roman blinds can be divided into three groups:
- classic;
- cascading;
- frameless.
The classic version is the most popular. Such curtains are a flat cloth (most often made of dense fabric), which is collected in uniform horizontal folds when lifted (in the straightened version it looks like a regular rectangle of fabric). The fabric is attached to a frame made of strips, tubes or plates. Curtains can be plain or patterned. Even combined options are often found in modern kitchen design projects..
Cascading curtains, even in a fully extended state, appear as a canvas with evenly distributed horizontal folds. The model looks more elegant than the classic version, but the fabric for its manufacture will require much more.
Frameless Roman blinds are made without slats or plates. The fabric is gathered in horizontal folds using ribbons, braid or simply machine stitching. It is this type of fastening of fabric roller blinds that became the prototype of the classic version that is so widely used today. Frameless curtains can be made from any type of fabric, even light, airy.
Curtains in style «a cafe»
Such curtains or curtains could indeed be found in the interior of a cafe – the fabric covers only the lower part of the window (half or a third). On the one hand, light enters the window almost unhindered and spreads throughout the room, on the other, the space is protected from prying eyes. If your kitchen is on the ground floor, draping your windows this way can be a good option. Moreover, there is often not enough light in the dwellings of the first level, it is covered by trees, shrubs, structures.
Curtains in style «a cafe» can be made both from dense fabrics, and light, translucent – the weight depends on the functions that you regret giving them. There are also no restrictions in color variations – monochromatic options, with a pattern, decor in the form of braid, brushes, ruffles – it all depends on the style of decoration of the entire kitchen space.
Curtains for decoration only
There is another type of kitchen window drapery, which is most often used exclusively for decoration. In rare cases, a small piece of fabric, specially fixed in the upper part of the window, serves to mask flaws in the installation of the window unit or the nuances of finishing. It can be a lambrequin, a fabric cascadingly attached to the cornice, or just a small piece of textile thrown over the bar.
Choosing a fabric for the kitchen
For practical housewives, sellers in modern stores of ready-made kitchen solutions offer the most practical options – fabrics with a special impregnation, which allows them not to absorb odors, repel droplets of fat, dust and dirt, and does not fade in the sun. But how beautiful is this drapery? Is she able to bring in a touch of warmth to create a truly cozy environment? It’s up to you, especially when you consider that it is not easy to care for modern canvases. We offer options for fabrics that can be used in kitchen spaces of different sizes, with windows of various modifications and for a master’s wallet of different sizes:
- linen;
- silk;
- polyester;
- tulle;
- organza;
- cotton (chintz).
When choosing a fabric, it is also important not to forget about fire safety. If the window is near the gas stove, then it is necessary to minimize the likelihood of fire. It is better to give preference to natural fabric, which will not flare up at the slightest contact with a flame..
Color scheme for kitchen curtains
The choice of textile colors for the kitchen window will depend on the following factors:
- the color scheme of the room – the tones of the walls and facades of the kitchen set;
- your desire to make the decoration of the horse inconspicuous, harmoniously blending into the overall picture of the interior or accent, attracting attention;
- if the fabric of the curtains is with a pattern, then you can duplicate it in the upholstery of chairs or stools (seats and backs), decoration of the dining table (tablecloth, walkway, individual rugs or napkins).
Printed curtains
In the field of manufacturing or purchasing ready-made solutions for kitchen windows, it is not easy to single out favorites among the options for colors, patterns and ornaments. Fabric with vertical stripes does not lose its popularity. Thanks to this print, the window visually increases in height., «adding» centimeters and the room itself. If the walls of the kitchen are monochromatic, then the stripes on the curtains can be contrasting in color schemes.
Horizontal stripes help to visually increase the width of a small window.
Geometric and abstract prints are also popular. It all depends on what size your kitchen is and what colors it is decorated in. In a spacious room, there are many more options for maneuvering with large and brightly patterned textiles for windows. But even in a small kitchen, you can use a fabric with an ornament, a pattern, if the walls are finished in a light tone and the design of the kitchen facades also does not differ in brightness.
If you design a kitchen in a country or Provence style, then it is with the help of textiles that you can largely convey the main features of the stylistics. A fabric in a small or medium-sized flower will clearly indicate the style of the interior – these are the colors that allow you to bring a cozy and relaxing atmosphere into the design of the kitchen space.
A similar effect can be achieved if you use a check print. For many of our compatriots, checkered fabric is invariably associated with the interiors of cafes. But a lot depends on the color scheme and the size of the cell..
The print on the curtains can be used as a binding element. For example, in a kitchen interior decorated in neutral or light colors, the only bright spot is the kitchen apron, tablecloth on the dining table, or bar stools. If the same bright color is used in window textiles, then the overall picture of the kitchen area becomes more harmonious..
Or, you can use the fabric decoration of the kitchen windows as an accent element – the only bright spot on a light (or neutral) background. After all, curtains are much easier to replace than furniture or decoration. You can get a new interior (at least with a different mood) by replacing just one design element.
Curtains not only for windows
Curtains and curtains in the kitchen space can be used not only for draping windows, but also as a curtain for cabinets (built-in or mobile), pantry, space under the sink, behind glass inserts of kitchen facades and many other corners of the kitchen that the owners would like to hide from the eyes of guests who may be in the cooking area. Such curtains and curtains can be executed in the same vein as the drapery for windows, or they can differ in the type of fabric and color scheme – it all depends on what interior items are destined to be accents.
