Cafe Curtains: Elegant Curtains For Every Window

Saffron Marigold - Updated: August 16, 2022

Hanging a set of cafe curtains over your kitchen window is one of the best and most affordable ways to breathe new life into your kitchen.  Cafe curtains (also known as kitchen curtains) are elegant window treatments that make it easy to dress your windows. These kitchen curtains let you add style and privacy without spending a fortune.  

cafe curtains for kitchen over sink

Whether you’re looking for cafe curtains by color or by design, our window treatments will help you bring style into the kitchen–and without taking up any counter space!

Cafe curtains by color

You might not have a name for your design style, but you know what colors you like (and which colors you don’t!).  Kitchen window treatments will help you bring the right colors into your kitchen. 

Did you know that you could purchase 3 Saffron Marigold swatches for less than $10–and the shipping’s on us? We’ll help you get all your windows covered—kitchen, bathroom, etc.

Red kitchen curtains

The right shade of red lipstick can do wonders for your face and the right red kitchen curtains can perk up your home. Barn reds lend themselves to every style of country kitchens while cherry red feels at home among vintage items. Any shade of red plays well with bohemian, global, or collected decor.

Yellow kitchen curtains

When you want a sunny room, use yellow. This is a secret that interior designers around the world have known for years! And let’s face it–who wants to cook or dine in a drab kitchen?  White and yellow remains the go-to color scheme for cottage kitchens and vintage kitchens. With blue, yellow kitchen curtains say bon jour to the French countryside; with grey, it creates a modern vibe. 

White kitchen curtains

White is a room brightener that offers a spotless look, so a white cafe curtain is great for modern kitchens. It’s also a great option for cottage kitchens. Above all, you can use white cafe curtains in any space and in any design. Add one of our white valances for to create a white tier curtain set. However you style it, a set of white kitchen curtains is always a smart, elegant choice.

Blue cafe curtains

Did you know that Pantone named Classic Blue as its color of the year in 2020? Blue is all at once classic and cool, and it can work as a focal point, accent color, or neutral.  Add blue to an all-white kitchen for a crisp, classic color scheme. Pair it with yellow and you’re headed towards the French countryside. 

Orange kitchen curtain ideas

You can also use the color orange to bring some happy energy into a space. Place a pair of orange kitchen curtains over the window and you’ll feel a burst of joy at first glance! A citrus color warms up a white kitchen and looks smart in mid-century modern design.

Colorful kitchen curtains

Are you having a hard time choosing a color? Maybe you’re looking for kitchen curtains that you can mix and match with other items you already have. Cafe curtains with varied palettes help you create a vibrant, versatile color scheme.

Cafe curtains by style

With over 60 kinds of cafe curtains, you’re sure to find kitchen window treatments here at our fair trade, online boutique.  Find something you like? Simply click and add to your cart! 

Country kitchen curtains

If a farmhouse kitchen speaks to you, you have endless options for kitchen curtains! In other words, there are plenty of  choices beyond sunflowers, apples, and roosters. 

Our farmhouse kitchen curtains include delicate paisleys, patchwork stars, and colorful florals. An easy kitchen curtain idea for this style: pair cafe curtains with a matching valance for country charm. You’ll love the way our beaded valances dress up the kitchen!

Moroccan curtains for the kitchen

If you love a collected, global look and bohemian style, then use Moroccan curtains to bring more of that aesthetic into your home.  Our cafe curtains are block printed by hand six inches at a time and feature motifs inspired by some of Morocco’s great landmarks.  Our Indian curtains, with their golden adornments, also look great with this style.

Of course, you might also enjoy a fuller look in your kitchen window treatments. If that’s the case, then pair our cafe curtains with valances! The beaded trim adds to the Moroccan flair.

Cafe curtains as modern window treatments

The modern kitchen celebrates clean lines, simple palettes, and stainless steel. This kind of kitchen is spotless, but even an elegant white kitchen benefits from a low-key use of color. 

A white kitchen curtain is the choice for modern kitchen curtains that are current and classic. For a clean, streamlined look, place a pair of elegant cafe curtains over the bottom half of the window. Alternatively, hang a single valance as a beautiful window topper.

Retro kitchen curtains

It’s no wonder that vintage styling appeals to so many of us in these digital days. Vintage kitchen curtains just bring a sense of joy and whimsy to the kitchen window (or any window!). These kitchen curtain designs usually feature floral patterns, but they can also look lacy and romantic. For a classic retro window treatment, pair a full set of cafe curtains with valances for a tiered set.

French country kitchen curtains

What window treatment suits a French country kitchen better than cafe curtains? After all, this kind of elegant window treatment originated in France! If you have French country kitchen, know that you aren’t limited to the the roosters and toile that abound in French country decor.  Use bistro curtains with florals, botanicals, and other images from nature for true French country appeal.

Floral kitchen curtains

Dress your windows in floral patterns to bring timeless charm to your home. A pair of cafe curtains in a flower print is a classic window treatment, after all! You can use a large floral print to remind you of the tropical locales or a smaller flower pattern as a nod to your elegant style.  

Cafe curtains for coastal window treatments

Whether you live at the shore or just wish that you did, you can use your cafe curtains and other pieces of home decor to inspire that laid-back lifestyle. Decorate with coastal window treatments in colors that remind you of being out on the water and digging your toes in the sand.

You can use blue, green, and taupe, but there are other coastal kitchen curtains that you can embrace, too.  Don’t be afraid to include punches of coral to your coastal decor to remind you of dreamy ocean sunsets.

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Kitchen cafe curtains: some things to know

Here are some tips and tricks for ensuring your kitchen curtains look lovely on your windows.

What length should cafe curtains be?

Cafe curtains are sold in lengths of 24, 30, and 36 inches. For your convenience, we carry all three lengths. You can find the right size curtain for your kitchen window by measuring from the beginning of the bottom sash and end at the windowsill. Don’t forget to add in an inch or two for the rod!

Anything covering the windowsill will look out of place and too long.  For kitchen curtains, the hem should sit just above the windowsill.  In order to create this classic look, install an inside mount for your curtain rod. Our cafe curtains come with a 3-inch rod pocket for easy hanging.


How wide should cafe curtains be?

Our kitchen curtains all measure 44″ wide.  To figure out how many panels you’ll need, measure the width of the window. You might be able to hang just one panel if it’s a small window.

For example, just one of our kitchen curtain panels will cover a 24″ window.  However, if you’d like to cover 36″ wide of window space, you’ll need to hang two panels.  Of course, you can always hang more–the more panels you hang, the fuller the look.

Lightweight fabrics that filter light and wash easily make a better choice when it comes to kitchen curtains. We print our curtains on pre-shrunk, superior-grade cotton voile, a soft, light cotton weave with light-filtering qualities.  

Cafe kitchen curtains: why stop at the kitchen?

It’s not only cafe owners who use bistro curtains these days, of course, and cafe curtains aren’t only for use in the kitchen! 

And yes, cafe curtains do look fabulous in a kitchen.

But they also look great anywhere in your home! Remember, just because it’s called a ‘kitchen curtain’ doesn’t limit its use as a kitchen window treatment only.

Where can I use cafe curtains?

You can use cafe curtains for kitchen, dining room or bedroom window treatments. You can also use cafe curtain in living rooms–why not? Use this kind of window treatment in any space where you want to bring in natural light while keeping things private.

Our customers have used our block printed curtains in a variety of ways, and we’re excited to share them with you. Here are a few ideas on how to use kitchen curtain and other kitchen curtain ideas for your home. 

Cafe curtains for dining rooms

Hang cafe curtains to cover the bottom half of windows in a breakfast nook or casual dining space.

white cafe curtains in dining nook
orange cafe curtains in dining nook
blue cafe curtains in breakfast nook

Cafe curtains as bathroom window treatments

Use a kitchen curtain to provide natural light and privacy in the bathroom.

orange floral bathroom window curtain and shower curtain

Cafe curtains for living rooms

Cover the bottom portion of a row of windows in the family room or any other cozy space in your home in which you want some privacy (who wants to live in a fish bowl?) while still enjoying natural sunlight.

Cafe curtains in the home office

Bring softness into your home office with a cafe curtain at the window.

Cafe curtains in the bedroom

Use a classic bistro curtain or cafe curtain as a bedroom window treatment for privacy. 

Pair kitchen curtains with a valance for a curtain tiers

Do you love the look of a kitchen tiered curtain–a full bistro set of curtains? All it takes to have this kind of window treatment is a sheer valance to go as a window topper over your cafe curtain. Simply pair a cafe curtain with one of our valance curtains and voila–your own custom set of kitchen curtains! 

grey and white cafe curtains for kitchen

Cafe curtains: laundry room window treatments

Colorful laundry room curtains brighten up a boring but essential task. Jaye from Liverpool, PA used our Casbalanca Blues kitchen curtains in her laundry room–have you ever seen a prettier space for washing, drying, and folding?

Kitchen curtains to hide storage

Whether you have an open space beneath a cabinet or simply want to bring more color and movement into your space, use an elegant, unique cafe curtain as a pretty way to hide stored items.

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