Kitchen Window Treatments - Let the Sun Shine In..Or Not!

Here's a little secret about kitchen design, and you didn't hear it from me. Let's just say a little bird told you so. Sometimes -- after all is said and done -- it's not the stain color of the cabinets, or the superstar 8 burner range you special ordered from France that makes the kitchen sing. It's the curtain and shade you put on the kitchen window. That's right -- the (seemingly) easiest detail of the room, and an often overlooked one, and yet one that can make a world of difference in the kitchen, not to mention, a framed view outdoors. A view -- of children playing, a lovely garden, or perhaps, a clever little bird just outside your window ...

Like any other element in the kitchen design, the window treatment is a player! We want to consider form, function, contrast, color, and pattern/texture.

FORM: Is it long or short? Bulky or thin? Soft and shapely or crisply tailored? Formal or informal? Why? What is it meant to say? Important questions, these! I frequently say that hardware is the jewelry of the kitchen ... well, in a sense, the form of the window treatment is as well.

FUNCTION: Super important, function is! We need to consider a view, manipulation of sunlight, privacy, the fabric lined for warmth, and interference/proximity to functional areas in the kitchen surrounding the window treatment. Let the sunshine in ... or, um, maybe after the first cup of coffee?

CONTRAST: A powerful piece to the kitchen design puzzle! The use and manipulation of contrast adds visual weight (or not) and, as with all other elements we are discussing, feeling. Are you shooting for visual interest and excitement or serenity? Why?

COLOR: Talking about feeling, color can be the key, the focus, the perfect lego connecting piece that pulls the kitchen together into a visually unified environment. Color IS feeling ... think of the feeling you'd like to convey. Is it bold, cheerful, monochromatic, complementary, not too bold, not too soft? Do you need color balance within the space? And, don't forget cool vs. warm colors and light vs. dark! Consider all of your "layers" of materials including accessories. Another important question: do you want the window treatment color to tie into a color theme or stand alone, whether as a bold statement, or a more quiet element with its own individuality ... and color which may not match, but may blend. I happen to like colors which do not match. I like a range of colors that are a bit off from one another. I think that's awesome!

PATTERN/TEXTURE: Ahhhh, tread carefully here! Consider your layers ... your flooring, your backsplash, your accessories, the busyness of your cabinetry. It may sound as if I advocate a calm, serene, design by my various cautionary words, and that could not be farther from the truth. BUT, pattern and texture enter an incredibly visual element. As with other elements, is serenity the goal, or the contrast of one busy pattern against a very smooth and quiet texture? All materials can be of one "strength" or not, but they WILL contribute to a rhythm or a balance (or unbalance) in the kitchen. Look at the weight, balance, and proportion of your textures and patterns.

Perhaps I've made it a complicated endeavor, this seemingly simple selection of window treatments. To find the focus of the window treatment, its raison d'etre, is the challenge.