How to Select the Right Window Treatments for Your Kitchen

There are several items on any homeowner’s move-in checklist, from painting and installing new carpeting, to arranging furniture and unpacking, to getting the utilities turned on.  However, one of the first things you’ll want to do is install window treatments for the sake of privacy, at the very least.  You might focus first on private areas like the bathroom, bedroom, and even the living room, but eventually you’ll get around to the kitchen.

At some point you’ll want to upgrade all of the window treatments in your home for cosmetic appeal, as well as function.  If you wait on the kitchen, however, you’ll only have to do this once.  Of course, this means selecting the right window treatments for your kitchen the first time around.  How can you go about finding the perfect valance, drapes, or blinds for this central gathering place in your home?  Here are a few factors you’ll want to consider when you choose window treatments.

Keep it Light

You always want maximum illumination in the kitchen, whether you’re relying on natural light during the day or LED bulbs after dark.  Your window treatments can definitely have an impact on the amount of sunlight streaming in, so you need to carefully consider how much coverage you want and how heavy your window treatments are before you install them.

Most kitchen spaces benefit from breezy, translucent options like gauzy curtains, Venetian blinds, or lightweight Roman blinds that not only let in some light when closed, but that can be pushed completely out of the way to allow for maximum daylight.  If your main goal is to allow ample sunlight into an otherwise dark kitchen, a minimalist approach with little more than a wispy valance could provide the perfect solution, spicing up your décor without disturbing the flow of sunlight into your space.

A Room with a View

If your kitchen features large windows that allow you to enjoy a view of your yard while you prep and cook meals or wash the dishes, the last thing you want is a window treatment that detracts from the view.  If your windows face the backyard, you may not be terribly concerned about passersby looking in, as you would if the kitchen faced the street or even a neighboring house.  This gives you free reign to choose the barest of window treatments to preserve your view.

Privacy Considerations

Depending on where your kitchen is situated in your home, you might have serious concerns about maintaining your privacy.  Naturally, you don’t want nearby neighbors looking at you from the window across from yours, and neither do you want people passing by on the street to watch you while you cook.  The good news is that there are window treatments that can add privacy while still allowing ample natural light to pour in and providing you a partial view of the outside world.

Your best bet here might be Venetian blinds that open from the top down, as well as the bottom up.  Not only will these translucent shades allow filtered light in when closed while adding sufficient privacy screening, but when you let the top down, you can preserve privacy and get even more illumination, as well as a peek at the sky and the foliage outside your kitchen window.

Styling Concerns

You probably want to choose window treatments that elevate your décor while complementing the architectural style of your home.  You also want to stay true to your own style sensibilities. This can be a pretty tall order, but there are so many window treatments to choose from that you have practically unlimited options to find the perfect decorative elements for your kitchen windows.

For example, an older home might benefit from traditional, lacy, café curtains.  However, if you want to update this classic look to be more in keeping with modern sensibilities, you could simply choose updated panels that reflect more current styling trends and offer both classic and edgy appeal.

Of course, even elevating this traditional style could still smack of kitsch if you live in a modern structure.  In this case, something like a Roman blind could offer the same soft aesthetic as curtains with a more contemporary character.

Professional Help

We can’t all be interior design wizards – we have more important things to do.  The good news is, you needn’t go it alone.  With professional assistance you can narrow your options and find the perfect window treatments, along with exemplary window treatment installation services in Richmond.