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Give your kitchen the stylish touches it deserves with a thoughtfully selected set of blinds, shades, shutters, or curtains. This brief guide will give you everything you need to know to pick kitchen shades and blinds that look great and stand up to the special conditions a kitchen presents. You’ll learn that there are endless possibilities, with great looking options for every set of kitchen windows.
10 Shades and Blinds for Kitchen Windows
There are endless options for kitchen window coverings. We’re going to talk about some of the most effective solutions and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each option.
Cellular Shades
One of the most popular and modern kitchen window treatments on the market, cellular shades provide excellent privacy and light control and protect against heat and cold. In kitchens, cellular shades work best when they’re far from water, cooking surfaces, and anything that might stain the cellular fabric. Cellular fabrics are by no means delicate, but they are not designed to stand up to hot grease or repeated soakings. That said, a wide bank of windows along a kitchen dining area is the perfect location for a set of cellular shades. And, with an available motorized bottom up/top down configuration, you’ll have a set of shades that can be lifted and lowered from both the top and bottom—an incredibly versatile tool for controlling light and privacy.
Layered and Zebra Shades
Also referred to as zebra shades, layered shades have a bold design that adds a modern touch to any kitchen. Like cellular shades, they’re best used in places where water and grease can’t harm them. A layered shade provides filtered sunlight and can be adjusted quickly to give you just the right amount of light.
Roller and Solar Shades
When it comes to ease of use, you can’t beat roller shades and solar shades as kitchen shades. Roller shades come in a huge range of opacities, giving you everything from sheer to room-darkening capabilities. Similarly, solar shades offer a variety of openness levels, allowing you get just the right amount of light and view to the outdoors. For kitchens with wide banks of sunny windows, a solar shade or roller shade might be ideal. These shades are also excellent options for multi-use kitchens where kids might be doing homework or someone might be reading—it’s easy to open and shut a roller or solar shade.
Roller and solar shades get their versatility from their fabrics. Solar shades are particularly tough. They’re made with extremely durable materials and stand up to the sun’s harsh rays as well as dirt and grim better than just about any other type of shade. Roller shades come in an interesting array of fabrics, giving you options galore. And both roller and solar shades are easily motorized to become the sleekest, most easy-to-use window treatments on the market.
Classic Roman Shades
A classic Roman shade is another excellent choice for kitchen windows. A classic Roman shade would work in kitchens where a solar shade is appropriate. Like solar shades, classic Roman shades are highly durable and they work extremely well in sunny windows.
Tailored Roman Shades
Tailored Roman shades are less often used in kitchens. But many of the lush fabrics in the tailored Roman shade collection would work quite well in a kitchen, provided they’re not on a window that’s up against the stove, ovens, or sink. The advantage of choosing a tailored Roman shade is the variety of fabric options that are available, giving you the ability to find the perfect color, texture, or pattern.
Sheer Shades
Sheer shades are another shade that can add an interesting design element to a kitchen. These fabric blinds soften light and add a delicate elegance to a room. Like cellular shades, layered shades, and tailored Roman shades, sheer shades should be hung out of harm’s way.
Wood and Faux Wood Blinds
For durability, solid good looks, and versatility, you cannot beat wood blinds and faux-wood blinds as kitchen blinds. Both are at home in a kitchen. The classic look of real wood adds a unique dimension to any room and is particularly at home in a dining area. And faux-wood blinds are ideal for kitchens—their ability to stand up to heat and humidity is unmatched, making them the perfect choice for a kitchen. Both wood and faux-wood blinds are available in a range of colors and finishes that let you match them to your kitchen’s décor. And a cordless set of Graber wood or faux-wood blinds is a work of art—no other cordless blinds on the market can match their whisper-quiet performance.
Vinyl Blinds
For a budget-friendly window treatment option for your kitchen, consider vinyl blinds. Not only do they stand up to abuse, they have a clean, simple look that’s right at home in some kitchens. Choose from a variety of colors and enjoy a simple, easy-to-control, easy-to-clean window treatment that does its job well, day after day.
The Bottom Line
Kitchens are busy, sometimes messy places, but that doesn’t mean they can’t look stylish and even sophisticated. Choose the right kitchen window treatments and you’ll have a room that’s as attractive as any other room in your home. Contact a Graber Design Expert to get started.
