Kitchen Window Treatment Magic

Your window treatment choices can make all the difference in how your kitchen feels. Here are some ideas for making the center of your home a happier place:

Go with less, get more

Toss out heavy window coverings and try minimal shades. Strip away heavy window coverings and replace with simple shades. An upholstered cornice is a good trick for using less fabric, as is a flap valance.

Pick on-trend colors

What’s popular in kitchens for 2021? Neutral wall paint colors with bold accenting window treatments. Off-white, natural linen, and light champagne walls are being complimented with saturated golds, greens and corals. Terra cotta shades are being mixed with greens, blacks and golds. Gray-tone wood shutters are preferred to darker brown ones today.

If your kitchen is small, light and cool colors will make it feel bigger and brighter. Dark, warm colors make a large kitchen seem cozy.

Think texture

Natural-fiber shades are in. Their texture adds visual interest when paired with the ever-popular, smooth-rolling functionality of Roman shades.

Filter the sun

Sunlight is great in moderation. Too much makes the kitchen hot and unpleasant. Wood blinds or woven wood shades filter natural light without looking heavy.

Top-down, bottom-up shades soften the sun, while offering a unique view and privacy.

A durable solar shade can protect you and your interior from harsh UV rays. Solar shades are made of strong PVC materials that look new for years. You can custom-order the degree of UV blockage you desire.

Aluminum mini blinds also work well over a kitchen sink. They are built to last, and allow a multitude of light and privacy settings.

Get curvy

With all the straight lines in most kitchens (the cabinets, appliances, countertops), it’s a nice idea to introduce some space-opening curves in your window treatments.

An arching valance is a good option over the sink. Other ideas include a curved cornice, a box-pleated valance with a curved hem, or a London shade with inset corded pleats.

Soften the space

Your window treatments can add stylish softness to the solidity and utilitarianism of bulky, metallic appliances and smooth, hard counters.

Watch the water

When looking at natural materials, be careful about using them over the sink. They can discolor or warp when exposed to too much water.