Decorating Window Treatments Window Projects 16 DIY Kitchen Window Treatments That Block Sun and Add Style By Caitlin Sole Caitlin Sole Instagram Caitlin is the senior digital home editor at Better Homes & Gardens, where she covers all things home, including decorating and interior design, cleaning and organization, paint and color, home improvement, and more. She is a writer and editor with nearly a decade of interior design education and expertise. She has vast experience with digital publishing, including SEO, photoshoot production, video production, eCommerce content, print collaboration, and custom sales content. Caitlin graduated with a bachelor of journalism, with an emphasis in magazine editing, as well as a minor in textile and apparel management from the University of Missouri-Columbia. She also received a multicultural certificate. Caitlin regularly attends trade shows and industry press conferences for market research and continued education. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on September 9, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Carson Downing Whether you're looking for casual cafe curtains or something a little more formal, these DIY window treatments will help you update the hardest-working room in your home. Find inspiration in our ideas for valances, shutters, curtains, and more. 01 of 16 Painted Roller Shades Adam Albright Add a pop of color or pattern to basic cordless roller shades with a sample pot of paint. To get the look of this preppy pink window treatment, simply outline your design (here, a two-inch-wide border stripe) with painters tape, then brush on your favorite color. Let it dry completely on a flat surface before hanging. 02 of 16 Custom Bamboo Curtains Get the Full Bamboo Blinds Tutorial Annie Schlechter If your kitchen window is too wide or too narrow to accommodate standard window treatments, consider making your own. Bamboo blinds can be cut to size with a little handiwork. You'll need a few basic tools, like E6000 permanent adhesive glue, a utility knife, a permanent marker to delineate your dimensions, and an afternoon to create. 03 of 16 Classic Striped Kitchen Window Treatment Carson Downing Installing a window treatment doesn't have to block the light. Look for a bright, semi see-through fabric, like this classic blue-and-white-striped swatch, and fit it to a basic roller shade. When glued in place, the covering adds style without leaving you in the dark. 04 of 16 Roman Shades Get the Full Roman Shade Tutorial Adam Albright For an inexpensive window treatment, utilize wood dowels and your favorite fabric to fashion a DIY Roman shade. This does require sewing and hand-stitching, but the results are well worth it. Double-layered fabric provides extra light-blocking and privacy. 05 of 16 Farmhouse Window Shutters Get the Full How-to Here Carson Downing Add farmhouse charm to your kitchen with easy DIY shutters. They require only four steps to make. After cutting the required lumber to size, simply screw together, fill any holes, and attach the hardware. To complete the look, pair the shutters with farmhouse accents, like fresh flowers, greens, and colorful linens. 06 of 16 No-Sew Roman Shade Adam Albright Decoupage medium takes the place of a sewing machine for these easy no-sew shades. You'll need a faux wood blind cut to the size of your window, plus thick upholstery fabric a bit larger than the blind. Simply remove some slats, attach the fabric, and in minutes you'll have a stylish kitchen window shade. 07 of 16 Tasseled Kitchen Curtains Jason Donnelly For an easy DIY update, decorate basic cafe curtains with tassels or pom-poms. Purchase individual string tassels or tassel trim and simply hot-glue in place. For a crips, clean look, apply them to the back hem of your curtains. 08 of 16 Shibori-Dyed Kitchen Curtains Carson Downing Dress up plain kitchen curtains with shibori, the Japanese version of tie-dye. Start by mixing an indigo dye kit in a large bucket, using the directions on the package. Then use a combination of rubber bands and wood blocks to fold or tie the fabric. Place the panels into the dye mixture. The longer they're left in the dye, the deeper the blue will be. Remove them from bucket and allow them to dry, then wash the panels before hanging. 09 of 16 Upcycled Kitchen Curtains Carson Downing Make use of old leather belts for this fun DIY kitchen window treatment. Take a large swatch of fabric—we used two yards of heavy-duty linen—and hem the edges. With a staple gun, attach a one-inch-square dowel at one end. This is the top of the shade. Take a leather belt and staple the non-buckled end to the square dowel, about five inches from the edge. Flip the shade over and attach a large gold tack, also five inches from the edge. Repeat on the other side. Hang the dowel at the top of the sill, then loop the belts up and around, hanging the buckles on the tacks. 10 of 16 Spray-Paint Kitchen Curtains Steven McDonald Put your art skills to the test with this free-hand curtain upgrade. Press the curtain and hang it, protected by a sheet of plastic, on a vertical surface, like a tall outdoor fence or wall. Apply a few pieces of painters tape inches from the bottom, then spray-paint below the tape to create a solid border. Remove the tape, then spray loops across the fabric, graffiti-style. 11 of 16 Classic Cafe Curtains Carson Downing Make these kitchen cafe curtains in just a few minutes. Press tea towels, scarves, or hemmed fabric with an iron, then attach your choice to a rod with ring curtain clips. A tension rod works best for this project, as you'll need to adjust the rod's height, depending on the fabric's length, and the width to fit the window frame. 12 of 16 DIY Curtain Tiebacks Scott Little Don't let stylish coasters gather dust on your coffee table. Put them to work with this pretty curtain tieback project. Remove any rubber feet or pads from the coaster with a putty knife, then adhere it to a metal curtain tieback with a high-strength multipurpose epoxy. Let the epoxy dry, then install the tieback with a wall anchor and drill, and pull back the curtains. 13 of 16 DIY Chevron Shade Get the Full How-To Adam Albright Transform a store-bought Roman shade with just painters tape and a few well-placed lines. Unroll the shade and find the center point of the fabric. Use a triangle shape (we used an artist's triangle) and pencil to trace lines onto the fabric. Use a straightedge to double-check that the chevron stripes are level, then adhere painters tape to the lines, and brush on fabric paint. After it's dry, remove the tape and install the shade according to the manufacturer's instructions. 14 of 16 Easy DIY Valance Brie Williams A valance adds charm to any kitchen without sacrificing window space. Make your own by cutting a 2x4 to the width of the window. Trim a piece of fabric six inches longer and four inches taller than the desired length. Hem the bottom, then wrap the fabric around the wood and staple it into place. Attach the 2x4 with screws or L brackets. Another option is to cut fabric to the width of your window, then use fusible tape to fashion a loop at the top and a faux hem at the bottom. To finish, slide the valance onto a curtain rod. 15 of 16 Faux Roman Shades Marty Baldwin Fusible tape and a few well-placed tension rods are the secret to this no-sew Roman shade. Get the look by cutting fabric one inch wider and four inches longer than the window you're covering. Attach fusible tape to the sides and bottom of the fabric to "hem" in half-inch seams. Repeat on the top, but increase the seam size to one inch, so there's room for a dowel. Mount the dowel, then place tension rods in the window frame at random intervals. Drape the fabric over the rods to mimic a Roman shade's curves. 16 of 16 Trim Kitchen Window Panels Adam Albright Perk up standard curtains with playful fabric edging. This no-sew project is as easy as it gets. Adhere fabric strips to the bottom edge of your curtain with fusible tape. Try this trick on existing curtains, or add trim to store-bought treatments. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit