Kitchen Window Treatments

A valance can hide the mechanics of an underlying privacy treatment, such as shades or a blind, but in this kitchen privacy isn't an issue. The valance is purely decorative. Shaped with jabot ends, the valance subtly mimics the arch over the range niche. White fabric that blends with the wall and cabinetry enhances the connection. This type of treatment is a good choice for windows above the sink because it's safely out of reach of splashing water.

A fabric-covered boxed cornice can be used to hide the workings of blinds, or it can stand on its own. This cornice, with its ogee-curved edge, reinforces the graceful classical style of the glass cabinet doors. Boxed cornices are good do-it-yourself projects, easy to make using plywood, quilt batting, fabric, and a staple gun. If you design your own, keep in mind that the cornice should be about one-quarter to one-third the height of the window for pleasing proportions.

This variation on a swag and jabot treatment falls from lavish fabric rosettes to create a dramatic vertical emphasis. It calls attention to the architecture of the window. Ordinarily this would be considered a formal window treatment more likely to be seen in the living room than in the kitchen, but the choice of fabric gives it an informal quality that suits the country-style beaded-board cabinetry.

Wooden slat blinds are a practical, no-fuss, no-frills solution for kitchen windows where you need privacy and light control. White blinds blend into the architecture here and work well with the white transitional-style cabinetry, creating a look that blends traditional and contemporary elements. For large windows, blinds with 2-inch or 2-1/2-inch slats are popular, and when the slats are closed, the blinds help prevent energy loss through the glass. Vinyl and wood-vinyl composites are a humidity-proof alternative to wooden blinds and won't fade, yellow, or warp.

Cafe curtains are a traditional choice for kitchen windows because they let light in through the top of the window but allow you to block light and views at the bottom. Even in as grand a kitchen as this one with its soaring 8-foot-tall window, simple cafe curtains offer a discreet way to filter light. Hung on an iron rod mounted to the window frame, the curtains fall just to the window sill. For pleasing proportions, install cafe curtains about two-thirds the way up the window, leaving the top third exposed.

To establish a formal tone in the kitchen, dress the windows with a structured Empire-style valance. Swags, stiff cone-shape pleats, and rosettes add dimension to the valance, which is mounted outside the window frame to create a continuous line of color to balance the black countertop. Although many valances are good do-it-yourself projects, this type of treatment is best commissioned from a drapery workroom.

Mounted below the transom windows, these motorized roll-up shades allow you to control light and views with the touch of a button or a computer command. The custom shades fit snugly within the window frame for a crisp look that complements the architecture, with the three center windows treated as one for a cleaner line.

Bamboo blinds bring organic texture and a clean, tailored look to kitchen windows. Roman bamboo shades draw up in flat folds rather than curling up in a roll. In addition to bamboo, natural woven shades may be made from reeds, abaca, flax, and grasses and offer varying degrees of light control. If you want to emphasize the architecture of your windows, hang the shades inside the window frame. To play up the panel, mount the shades over the window frame as shown here.

Fabric Roman shades can be left raised to serve as an architecture-softening valance, or they can be lowered for privacy and light control. When you install an operable fabric shade above a work surface in the kitchen, choose a fabric with a stain-resistant finish. This keeps moisture on the surface so you can blot it quickly before it stains the fabric. If your fabric doesn't have a factory-applied finish, buy a stain-resistant spray at a fabric store and treat the fabric yourself.

Kitchen curtains can help carry the room's color scheme, reinforcing the accent colors introduced by accessories. Here red and white patterned panels frame the window over the sink. The fabric simply adds color and a softening effect rather than blocking light or views.

Relaxed Roman shades offer a more informal, understated look than classic Roman shades. The lower edge drapes slightly and the panel has a softer, looser look. Like any fabric shade, relaxed Roman shades should be lined to protect the fabric and interlined for better insulation. For kitchen use, it's a good idea to choose fabric with a stain-resistant finish in case of food or water splatters.

Deeper than a valance and less structured than a cornice, this window topper is sometimes referred to as a pelmet. The fabric attaches to a 1x6-inch board that mounts on or above the window frame with L brackets. The fabric wraps over the top and around the sides to create a boxed effect, but the fabric hangs loosely from the support, so the result is more casual than a cornice. In this kitchen, tea-towel fabric has been stitched and trimmed on one edge to make scallops for a country-fresh look.

Classic cafe curtains pair lower privacy panels with a window-softening valance. Cafe curtains with a valance can work over a sink as well as in a breakfast nook. The stained glass window offers another, more architectural solution to kitchen window treatments. Install an antique window in the opening if you're building or remodeling, or simply hang an antique window in front of the existing one using chains and eye hooks.

A layered treatment addresses both the decorative and the functional aspects of kitchen window treatments. Tailored poufs with a box- or inverted-pleat heading and tails make the decorative statement, adding color and pattern and softening the lines of the window frame. Woven blinds provide the function, raising or lowering to filter light and views. The fabric pouf mounts on a wooden strip above the window frame to hide the mechanics of the woven blind.

Floor-length draperies, usually associated with living rooms and bedrooms, soften the kitchen's utilitarian identity and add a note of elegance. Lined and interlined draperies do a superior job of blocking light and views and also drafts. Because this treatment only works on windows that don't overlook countertops or work surfaces, there's no need to worry about fabrics being splashed by food or water.