remote control faux wood blinds

Kitchen Window Treatment Design Ideas

/ Larry Walker

By SelectBlinds.com

What to do about your kitchen windows? Different rooms in your home have different needs when it comes to window treatments, but think about all the time you spend in your kitchen, in particular.

Treat Your Kitchen Windows

The kitchen is often referred to as the “heart of your home,” where you spend so much time with your family and friends talking, eating meals, telling stories, joking around, celebrating holidays, etc. You rely on your kitchen’s window treatments to not only serve certain functions, but also to look good while doing so. You’ll spend a lot of time seeing your kitchen window coverings, so you want to take extra care that you “treat” those windows just right.

Kitchen Window Treatments: Some Considerations

For starters, you need your kitchen window treatments to be durable and easy to clean – but remember, you also want your kitchen blinds, shutters, or shades to look good and make your kitchen feel welcoming. You can control the amount of light coming into your kitchen, as well as your privacy as needed, all to fit your personal lifestyle.

Faux Wood Kitchen Blinds and Shutters

Faux wood blinds and shutters are definitely durable and built to last, but even better, they are perfect for areas of high moisture and dampness, because they won’t warp, split, or crack over time. Plus they offer the elegant look of real wood blinds. They are also super easy to keep clean. Simply wipe down with a soapy, damp cloth or rag, and then with a dry cloth.

Roller Shades

No matter what your sense of style, there’s a custom roller shade that you’ll love. Highly functional, great at keeping the light out, and with a familiar, classic look. Get creative in the way you express your own individual aesthetic.They are also easy to care for and to clean, especially those rollers made of synthetic materials.

Solar Shades

If blocking out the harsh incoming glare is of concern to you to keep the sun out of your eyes and also to help preserve your interior furniture, you may consider solar shades as an option for your kitchen.

You can select from sheer to opaque and anywhere in-between. Solar shades are usually made from PVC, which means they’re super easy to clean and maintain, and also that they’ll last for several years.

Bamboo / Woven Wood

Another viable option for kitchen window treatments comes in the form of shades made with bamboo or woven woods. Just be careful which window you use them for (keep them away from behind the sink or near the stove), because if they get wet, they will start to gradually come apart. The materials used to make them, like bamboo, grasses, reeds and jutes, help soften the look of your kitchen appliances. Also, they’re known to hold their shape over time, even if you get a lot of sun in your kitchen. Cleaning bamboo is easy, as you can regularly just wipe off dust with a damp rag.

Cellular Shades

Cellular shades (sometimes referred to as honeycomb shades) are designed to insulate against outdoor heat and cold by trapping heat inside their single- or double-layer honeycomb “pockets.” This helps conserve energy and reduce your energy bills throughout the year. Cellular shades can also insulate against and soften outdoor noise when your children are playing outside, or you’re entertaining guests.

As far as “cleanability” goes, cellulars are relatively easy to keep clean. Simply dust or vacuum them off regularly. From time to time, you may want to have your shades professionally cleaned, as they are prone to gather various scents and smells over time. Along with Roman shades, cellulars are also not the best choice as a treatment for the window over the kitchen sink, as they do not do well in moist/damp environments.

Need Some Inspiration?

To help you, here are some of Select Blinds’ most popular options for kitchen window treatments:

2” Premier Faux Woods 

Classic Sheer Weave Solars  

Classic Roman Shades  

Classic Fabric Light Filtering Roller Shades 

Lifestyle Light Filtering Cellulars 

Classic Cordless Woven Woods 

Trust your design instincts. Your kitchen windows are going to look AMAZING.

Selecting the Best Kitchen Window Treatments: Over the Sink

/ Larry Walker

By SelectBlinds

The kitchen and dining room are the heart of any home. Holidays, laughter, Sunday dinners, cooking, homework, late night chats, etc. That’s why so many of your best family stories start in the kitchen.

Custom window treatments provide a fashionable finishing touch that accents and complements the way you design your own interior spaces. Lots of opportunities to highlight with colors, patterns, and texture. Window coverings provide light control, privacy, and peace of mind.

A kitchen is a unique space, and you may have different considerations for how you decorate the windows, based on where each window is located. Your choice of window treatments offer additional opportunities for touches of softness and style in the middle of bulky, metallic appliances and smooth, hard surfaces.

Select Blinds bamboo / woven wood shades for the kitchen window
Select Blinds bamboo / woven wood shades look great in your kitchen sink window,
but be careful about water and moisture in the area.

Maybe you want kitchen window curtains. If you only have one window in your kitchen, you’ll want window coverings that let as much light as possible filter in, while still being able to maintain privacy. You may consider sheer shades. If you have a kitchen window that faces the street, privacy might be a primary concern, with incoming light also being important, but perhaps slightly less so. You may want window coverings that offer a unique view, like Top-down Bottom-up shades. Then there are those windows immediately over the sink. What looks best over them? Time to get cooking. Read on as we serve up a deeper dive into kitchen window ideas and considerations as you find what fits best with your personal style and sense of décor.

Decorative Window Coverings

If you’re thinking about a covering for a kitchen window over the sink, be extra careful that you keep the right kind of materials in mind. You can still go with stylish bamboo/woven wood shades or Roman shades, but be aware that because this area over the sink often involves water splashing, spills, etc., you might have to be extra careful to avoid water damage. Wood blinds are also at risk for getting wet and possibly warping or discoloring, but you might just love the way they look in that window over your sink. It’s always up to you, just be aware of the risks that are involved if you decide on a material that doesn’t take well to water.

Select Blinds light filtering roller shades for the kitchen window
Select Blinds light filtering roller shades allow just the right amount of light
and view into your kitchen, without compromising your privacy.

Privacy

As mentioned, privacy may be a concern if your kitchen sink window faces the street or a neighbor’s home. Roller shades may be what you’re comfortable with in terms of providing privacy, and perhaps with some light filtering functionality.

Light Control

If your kitchen sink window faces the east or west, you’ll especially want to take account of direct incoming sunlight. Direct UV rays can be harsh on your eyes, your skin, your furniture, and they can definitely crank up the heat in a room. A stylish, but heavy-duty solar shade may be what you want to employ over your sink to protect yourself and your interior while you’re doing dishes after evening summer cookouts. Solars are typically constructed of durable PVC materials, so they’ll look great and maintain that “brand new” look for a long time to come. You can also custom order them with the degree of UV blockage of your choice.

Also, consider aluminum mini blinds for your kitchen sink window. Aluminum shades built to last, with plenty of light and privacy settings.

Select Blinds Solar screens for the kitchen window
Select Blinds Solar screens help block out harsh UV rays,
while keeping your kitchen cool. They look great, too!

Functionality and Longevity

In addition to durable solar shades and aluminum blinds for your kitchen sink window, there is another excellent option for a food-prep, dishwashing area. If you love the look of real wood blinds and shutters, but can’t bear the thought of them getting wet and warped, faux wood blinds and shutters might be just the perfect find.  

Not only do they perform amazingly at maintaining light and privacy, they also look great, they’re also super easy to care for, and they’ll last forever. You can clean them with little more than soap and water as needed. Many faux wood slat constructions also feature insulation against heat and cold. The lush look and feel of real wood in your home, and their resilience ensures they’ll never warp, crack, chip, or discolor when exposed to water, food stains, or steam. And much less expensive than real wood. Low-maintenance, and no worry.

Select Blinds Faux Wood Blinds for the kitchen window
Faux wood blinds give any kitchen window a crisp look and feel,
along with privacy and light adjustments.

SelectBlinds’ Staff Recommends:

Here are some of our favorite suggestions for the window above your kitchen sink.

Remember, kitchen window treatments can serve a design/decorative function to go with your kitchen’s décor, but especially for the window over the sink, it should also be durable, provide privacy, and block out harsh UV rays. Choose whatever kind of blinds work best for you, but remember that the most functional ones for that particular window are moisture- and mold-resistant. Happy decorating!

#BlindsWeLove     #kitchenblinds

Kris C. Is a Happy SelectBlinds.com Customer!

/ Larry Walker
“My husband and I just built a new house. During the framing process, it became apparent that the great room was too dark. So we added two long transom windows above the built ins, just in time. We love these windows 23 hours a day, but for about an hour as the sun moves, the glare is blinding. This room has an 11 ft ceiling, so it is a job to get to the windows. We ordered two motorized blinds from the decorator series (no strings!) with a remote control. WOW. What a gift! We are tickled to death! Easy to install and just perfect! Thank you, Select Blinds!”

Designer 2 inch Faux Wood Blinds

We’re tickled for you, Kris! Congrats on your beautiful new home! Motorized blinds are the perfect solution for hard to reach and extra wide windows. And the 2″ Designer Faux Wood blinds you chose in Bright White are the perfect complement to that gorgeous mantle, too. Thanks for ‘motoring’ over to SelectBlinds.com!