sunlight

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

For J. Finlay’s Roman Shades, Motorization Is Key

/ Larry Walker
White Select Blinds motorized roman shades under custom cornice

One of the best parts about our industry is seeing what people are able to do with the window treatments they order. While we are certainly aware of what each of our products can do, seeing them in action is truly something else.

And when our customers are proud to show off their rooms with some freshly-installed window treatments, we want to make sure they get that chance. Becoming a “Happy Customer” is how you get entered into a contest to win a $250 Visa gift card.

Not surprisingly there are plenty of entries (we are the highest-rated and most-reviewed window fashions company in the world, after all), but looking through them one thing we’ve learned from our Happy Customers is that there is no one style or color that makes them, well, happy. Every room requires something a little different, and we’d like to know more about what went into creating each unique look.

The best way to find out is to ask, which is what we’re doing here.

So welcome to one of our newest Happy Customers, J. Finlay, who ordered Classic Roman Shades in the Simply White color

J. told us the shades arrived sooner than expected and were easy to install, while the upgraded motorization is a hit.

Long Wood Dining Room Table Under White Roman Shades

We’re certainly glad she’s happy, but why go with the Roman Shades in the first place?

“I decided to order my Roman Shades from Select Blinds because of the price, quality, and choice of colors.  I wanted white so it would match our window trim/crown molding and wanted a more contemporary look, so I chose the flat fold option to replace my heavy blinds.

“Since my window faces west, it was a difficult decision whether to go with blackout shades or light filtering.  I chose the light filtering, and as you can see in the third picture (below), it works beautifully partially down with bright sunlight shining.  Choosing the motorized remote was also a factor in choosing this shade.”

It is great to know that installation was easy, as we’re sure you couldn’t wait to start using your new shades. Now that they have been up for a bit, what do you like best about them?

“With the motorized remote, I can easily raise or lower this shade to allow more light into the room, and lower it when the sun is on the west side of the house.  My cats can now sit on the window ledge and look out at the world on that sides of the house, and when it’s colder, they love to lay on the floor where the sun shines in.

“Since they are white, I did spray the front of the shade with fabric protector spray, and used a UV spray on the back of the fabric since Florida sun is brutal.”

Dining Room with Area Rug with White Roman Shades from Select Blinds

Of course we want the cats to be happy, and it’s good that both you and your feline friends are enjoying what the shades have to offer. It’s clear why you are a fan of your Roman Shades, but is there anything else you’d like for us to know?

“I will definitely consider replacing another blind in my house with a Roman Shade from Select Blinds.  Detailed measuring instructions and online videos really helped when placing my order.”

That’s what we like to hear, both for shopping with us again and being helped by the instructions.  We for sure understand why some would be hesitant to do this all on their own, but we’re glad you found out how simple the process can be. From a look at the photos, it’s easy to see why you’re a fan!