In many ways, the kitchen is the heart of the home. It is where the family wakes up together, cooks together, eats together and most likely has its arguments together. As such, it deserves some love, and nothing tells a room how much you love it more than a banging new blind. But what are the best blinds for your kitchen? Do I really have the time to get a new one? It’s so complicated and expensive!
Eh, not really.
Getting a new blind for your kitchen is an absolute treat! You can only do it once every few years and it is such a great opportunity to make your mark on a space, especially one as hard to personalise as a kitchen. In this all too brief blog, we will be looking at the most important criteria for a new blind, and what will fit your kitchen best. So let’s get cooking!
Out of all the different types, which one should I get?
Right, before we really get started we should work out what it is that your space needs. Is it too bright or too dark? What is the orientation of the window, how big is it, how many do you have? How close is it to the sink, hob or other appliances that could cause damage? All these factor into your decision and that isn’t even touching on styling yet. Bear these things in mind as we look at the different types of blind.
Fabric Blinds
Fabric blinds come in 3 delicious flavours; Roller, vertical and roman. Each format has its own traits, so let us start breaking them down so you know what's what.
Roller Blinds
Kitchen roller blinds are the vanilla blind experience; with a basic mechanism that is easy to install and use, and a vast catalogue that covers all the styling bases and a price tag that doesn’t bring your blood to boil. Being such jacks of all trades, roller blinds are easily the most popular kind of blind. This versatility is great when you start considering what amount of light control you need. If you don’t want to interrupt the natural light coming through the window, but privacy is an issue due to poorly placed windows or nosey neighbours, then a voile fabric is a solid shout. Being a light, almost dainty fabric, it allows through the light and lets you keep your view while keeping whatever is on the darker side private. Be wary, however, when night falls and your lights are on you will be on display to anyone outside.
This leaves the thicker dimout fabrics. While they don’t let through natural light in the same way as voiles, they make up for it with greater privacy and an outrageous selection of colours and patterns. These are a better option for kitchens that don’t get much natural light anyway or ones just desperately in need of some colour and character. We also have blackout blinds available too, but they are a little bit overkill for kitchens, however, if you like cooking in pitch darkness for an additional challenge then go for it, everyone has a hobby.
Verticals
Sharing the majority of fabrics with the rollers, the only options vertical blinds lack are voiles and a number of patterns, but it makes up for this with its drawing mechanism which gives you total control over both light and privacy. Operating on a long rail, any window up to around 4 and a half metres is fair game, so vertical blinds are ideal for kitchens sporting unnecessarily large windows.
Roman
Roman blinds are a step up in classiness from a roller. Rocking rustic fabrics and a gorgeous mechanism that cascades the fabric as you deploy it, it looks just as good up as it does down. This chic comes at a cost, however, so we find these are much more suited to smaller windows where you still get the impact and aesthetic but don’t have to pay through the nose. They are also not as splash resistant as the polyester fabrics, so be wary of putting them near the sink, and putting them near a gas hob is not a decision to be taken lightly. I don’t care about your house burning down, I just hate to see a nice roman damaged.
With a range of plain and patterned styles to choose from, you can get a Roman blind to look great in your window. Just choose a colour that matches the rest of the decor, or go with something bold to stand out and really make an impact in your kitchen.
Venetian Blinds
Aluminium Venetian blinds also come in 3 distinct flavours, but while the materials and slat sizes may be different the mechanism tends to stay the same. Aluminium is the most popular material, due to its lightweight and hardwearing properties, being resistant to humidity and heat fluctuations that would warp other materials. We recommend this for any window, there is no wrong place to put this blind. It’s easy, affordable and sleek.
Alternatively, wooden blinds are an option, bringing a sophisticated old-school vibe to the kitchen table. Though they are a fair bit heavier, requiring a bit of muscle to get moving, the clatter they make as they rise and fall is very satisfying. Being made from light yet sturdy Basswood, these slats can be stained like any other wood and can come up to 50mm, meaning they block out more light than the traditional slat size.
Finally, we have our faux wood. Now I can hear you snickering from here. Why faux wood? Why not REAL wood? Well, I’ll tell you, you snob. Faux wood is cheaper, more resistant to long-term wear, and besides being ever so slightly heavier, it is almost identical in every way. So if your friends are total snobs too and you are worried about what they will think, don’t worry, they won't know. You will just have to live with yourself is all.
But why should you get a Venetian in the kitchen? Mainly because of the materials used. They are hardwearing, resistant to the heat and moisture that frequently fill the kitchen and are incredibly easy to clean. If you are flinging marinara sauce around like an absolute savage then never fear, all you need is to grab a damp cloth and give it a 2-second wipe. Done.
Perfect Fit Blinds
Finally, we will briefly touch on perfect fit blinds. These are a bit of an odd one, made for very specific windows. Many kitchens have bifold doors leading out to the garden or conservatory, which are hard to cover and a roller blind would do an imperfect job at best. These blinds instead have a unique frame that allows them to slot right into the beading of the window rather than relying on brackets that put annoying holes in the wall. This means that bifold doors, conservatory windows and windows with outrageous and awkwardly placed handles can be covered perfectly. They utilise an aluminium slat-like a Venetian, giving you the same light control properties but with added convenience.
Styling
Now, this is the fun part, the bit that really steams my pudding. Styling! Looking at your space and working out what blind will look tasty and how to serve it up. Now, these are just ideas, you probably know far better than I as to what will suit your space but heed my advice, for I am a blogger which instantly makes me super qualified. I’ll just go through some generic decor examples and we will see if anything fires up the imagination. Obviously, if you know by now anyway just skip this and go order your blind right now!
Modern and Shiny
You know what I mean by modern. Sharp lines, sleek angles, restrained colour palette and cold materials like marble, tiling and stainless steel. These kitchens rely on a more minimalist approach, so the blinds should reflect this. In a space like this, an aluminium Venetian or simple roller are your two best options. They both have strong geometric shapes (lots of little rectangles and a big old square respectively) and a simple yet striking aesthetic. Both come in a large variety of colours, so why not add a splash of colour to your kitchen with one of our striking red roller blinds?
Classic Chic
This is the kind of kitchen that feels like it belongs in a cute little country cottage. Featuring a warm colour palette full of neutral tones like creams and browns, wood furnishings and adorable little knick-knacks dotted around the place. In a space like this, where a rustic yet homely vibe is the aim, we would recommend something like a roman blind. With thick fabric that shields you from the cold window pane and a large selection of colours, you can find either a subtle piece that slots into the existing style or something a bit more boisterous to match your sparkling personality. Alternatively, if you want to keep your natural light, try a voile that keeps the space gently illuminated throughout the day.
Vintage Attitude
Like a 60’s kitchen, replete with charming pastels tones, noisy patterns throughout the tiling and linoleum, and colourful, old-timey appliances. These spaces thrive on colour and personality, so your blind is yet another opportunity to indulge in it. Your first point of call would be a bold roller, and there is plenty to choose from. Either a solid block of pastel colour, like some of the Burst range.
So these are all some very basic ideas, and while none of them may fit your specific space they might give you some ideas. Now all that is left is to actually measure your window, place your order, preheat your expectations to 200 degrees and get ready for that delicious blind to be served piping hot with a side serving of great customer service and highly strained metaphors.
Bon Appetit.
