Wednesday

Kitchen Curtains - How To Choose Them?

Kitchen curtains have more of decorative value than a functional utility. For giving your kitchen that right look it’s important to choose the curtains carefully so as not to spoil the décor of the rest of the place. It will be a good decision to go online to view the available options and to narrow down your choice. You need to consider a lot of factors while deciding on these curtains. You will certainly be minimizing your chances of making a wrong decision by spending sometime on going through the check list provided here.

1. Fabric

There is a large variety of fabrics available for curtains. You may have thick cottons or a fine net, lace or voile. Don’t overlook the fact that thinner materials may not offer as much privacy. Another deciding factor for fabric would be washing and up keeping. Be prepared to hand wash the finer fabrics.

2. Color

Though there is an endless choice of colors, you wouldn’t like to create a mismatch of colors. The basic choice is fixed before hand by the shade and color of tiles already installed in the kitchen. In case the tiles have a neutral color, you might have a wider choice! Warm neutral colors include terracotta, beige or cream whereas cool neutral tile colors imply black, cool grey or white and silver.

3. Design

There is a very vast variety of designs here. You may have floral, striped, plaid or an abstract design. Keep in mind the overall style and effect that you might like to impart. Do you want to get a modern-day look or be happier with a retro? Should it project a country cottage look or that of a city apartment? Need it be colorful or monochromatic?

4. Type of Curtain

Curtains for the kitchen may be full length, window length or even café type. They may have different types of headings and various valances as well as tie backs. Follow the thumb rule: The more contemporary the look, the simpler the curtains should be with plain headings or tab tops. Visualize a country look. That would go well with frills and valances. On the other hand a simpler look facilitates an easy washing and re-hanging. You may indulge in some browsing to view the type of curtains to choose from. Use your imagination and visualize how your kitchen, with its present color-scheme, would look in different types of drapes.


5. Price

Do check the pricing to confirm if it suits your budget and the worthiness of its quality.

kitchen drapes

6. Maintenance

You may already be aware that the atmosphere in the kitchen is far different than the rest of your home. It causes kitchen curtains to get dirty fast and that calls for frequent washing. Wouldn’t it be more convenient to have draperies that can be machine washed? The finer materials may necessarily demand hand washing. Depending on the fabric, some curtains may shrink on washing. Check before hand if the fabric has already been pre-shrunk; else keep a slight margin for shrinkage while taking measurements.

7. Decorative or Functional

Do you want the curtains just to get an added decorative look by framing the window or you would like open and close them very often. That would primarily decide the type and size of curtains you should have. If you economize on the fabric you could have better fabric or some extraordinary designs within the same budget.

8. Right Size

Make sure to have right sized curtains. Short window length curtains are desirable for cooking or food preparation area. This goes well with the informal looks of the kitchens.

To have more of light in your work-area, while still framing your windows, you could extend the curtain rods, rails or poles slightly beyond the edge of the window. That lets in more light when the curtains are drawn back.

9. Safety

You just can’t afford to neglect safety in kitchen for the sake of aesthetics. Choose the right fabric and ensure to keep the curtains away from flame or cooker. Make use of simple or roman blinds to create a partition for windows near a cooker.

10. Ready-made or Custom

If the size of your window permits using readymade curtains you’ll save some money as the ready made ones are cut to standard window sizes. Else, you have to get them made to suit your specifications. There are quite a few online stores, which offer the services of making the curtains as per your measurements.

2 comments:

  1. If you can afford it made to measure curtains will always look and hang better. You will also have a much wider choice of headings and ling types as well as being able to choose from a much wider range of fabrics.

    If you are looking for quality made to measure curtains and roman blinds go to www.curtainsmadesimple.co.uk.

    As well as stocking Prestigious Textiles, Vanessa Arbuthnott and Cath Kidston you can also supply your own fabric.

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  2. Great information Tom..! I’ve been looking for something like this for a while now. Thanks!

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