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Window coverings for each room in the home have their own special needs and requirements. Some require window coverings that allow light in or keep light out. Some needs are for privacy, insulation or aesthetics. Over the next few months, we will deal with our recommendations for each room of the home per month and things to consider when picking window coverings.

As it is January and with most of us home, many will be spending lots of time in the kitchen; whether baking tasty treats or preparing hearty meals for the family. Thus, I will be dealing with the kitchen window coverings for this month.

The biggest issue with having any type of covering in the kitchen is knowing there will be steam, splattering grease or just the odd spill. You can knock over that jar of tomato sauce that was on the counter. Choosing a window covering that is easy to clean is of the utmost importance. You also want to find something that will allow light into the room and allow you a view to the outside. This can make menial tasks such as clearing a table or washing dishes more pleasant. 

Cleaning is a big issue in the kitchen and your window coverings should be easily maintained. You want to find something that won’t absorb liquids, splatters, and grease. A great option would be PVC shutters. They are durable, sleek, fashionable, and easy to clean. As the surface is solid and non-porous, they can be cleaned quite easily. Usually a little warm soapy water and a  clean cloth should work wonders. I would suggest dusting on a regular basis, with a microfibre cloth, as it can build with each layer of grease on the louvres.  Shutters will also allow you to control the amount of light entering the kitchen by opening and closing the louvers or each panel themselves.

Another good choice is faux wood horizontal blinds. For many of the same reasons you would choose PVC shutters, faux wood blinds are an inexpensive option. They are one of the easier coverings to clean. Though they’re not as sturdy as shutters, they do allow flexibility in regards to controlling light. They can also be removed if a more thorough clean is needed. An advantage to choosing faux wood is there is a larger colour and texture variety to choose from, whereas PVC shutters are usually offered in white or cream only. Also, the blinds can be lifted up to reveal the full view of your windows.

The final choice would be solar shades. This type of window covering is best described as those shades that you see in a restaurant or commercial setting. These shades are durable, easy to clean and available in many more colours, designs and variations. The one concern for these shades pertains to the amount of light that they filter out. There are varying degrees of light filtering with these shades, which is dependant on the size of perforations in the fabric. Larger perforations will allow more light, and vision through to the outside , but that will also allow less privacy at night once it becomes dark outside.

If considering sheer horizontals, cleaning is not as straight-forward. Each manufacturer has a different name for this type of covering but they are essentially the same thing. Though they are undoubtedly beautiful, elegant and delicate, they are fabric-based and much harder to clean. Having this type of window covering in your kitchen would look great, provide privacy and light but the fabric would be much more absorbent to stains and spills. Dust and dirt would also get trapped in the louvers if left open. Again warm soapy water would work if cleaning of the issue happens immediately, but be sure to use a cloth that is clean and of similar color to your shade. Color transfer is not something you want to have happen. Removing your shades and soaking them is also possible but be sure to hang them in the open position to prevent uneven drying and wrinkling.

I hope this helps to clear up which window covering is best for use in the kitchen. Keeping in mind that the kitchen does provide an opportunity for spills and splatters and build-up, you’d want to choose something that is easiest to clean. PVC shutters and faux wood blinds would be the best choices for this. Something fabric-based would be best served in other rooms.  

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