How to Select the Best Window Treatments for Your Kitchen or Bathroom

Back when I was a design consultant for a national home window treatment company, I was surprised to learn that many clients believed they had too many options for window treatments. (As a designer, I love choices!) But when I took a step back and thought about it from the homeowner’s point of view, I could understand why this might be overwhelming.

So, in an effort to simplify the process as much as possible, I would always begin those window treatment consultations by asking the clients what they wanted to accomplish with their treatments...

• Did they need to solve a problem like removing a glare or adding privacy?

• Were the treatments going to be the finishing touch on a well-designed room that just didn’t quite feel complete?

• Or maybe a combination of the two?

By asking these seemingly simple, yet all-important questions, we were able to address the two basic considerations for any window treatment: function and beauty. 

But we aren’t here to talk about my consultations with other clients. We are here to talk about YOU. So let’s pick right up where we left off and walk through the steps needed to select the right window treatments for YOUR kitchen and bathroom...together.

Step 1: Focus on Either Function or Beauty

Like I mentioned earlier...this is where any good custom window treatment design starts. 

Functionally, if the window treatment needs to solve a problem, like eliminating glare from sunlight, or enhancing a home’s privacy, we need to be looking at treatments that are easily adjusted throughout the day. 

Aesthetically, if the window treatment is acting as a design element or serving to either hide ugly trim or enhance an gorgeous aspect of the home’s architecture, then color, texture, and style are the main considerations.

Now let me be clear, these two are not mutually exclusive, but they do lead us down two different paths when narrowing down the wide array of window treatment options available. So, you need to start this process by determining which of these is the primary focus, and which is secondary. 

Step 2: Start Searching for Looks You Love

When selecting window treatments for any room of the home, it is ultimately about making the right choices...in style, construction, color, fabric, accessories, etc. The kitchen and bathroom are certainly no exception...in fact, they require even more careful consideration as the most-used rooms of the home. Resiliency, function, and beauty must all be delicately balanced to select window treatments that look and act exactly as you desire.

In seeking to balance design with the realities of what goes on in a bustling kitchen or steamy bathroom, I encourage all of our clients to look through and share lots of visuals with me. Pinterest is a great resource for this, and helps both you, the homeowner, and me, the designer, make sure we are on the same page. 

Spend some time scrolling and Pin the treatments that speak to you. You don’t have to love every aspect of every treatment...by pinpointing what you like and don’t like about each style and application, we are able to more easily create a custom design for you that factors in everything you love.

Step 3: Determine Your Design or Combination

These days, combination treatments are all the rage, for good reason. They provide the function that the homeowner needs while also adding beauty to a room. In a kitchen and bath setting, these combination treatments can be particularly effective as well as stunning, but a singular treatment works great as well. It is really up to your personal preference.

However, when asked for suggestions from homeowners as far as their kitchen goes, I usually encourage one of three treatments (or a combination thereof):

1. Plantation shutters, which are simple, easy to clean, and complement nearly any decor style.

2. Woven wood shades, which add texture to a room.

3. Fabric roman shades, which provide a world of color and pattern options.

Any of these are a good option if you want your windows completely open at certain times of the day and fully covered at others.

Similarly, when homeowners ask what I recommend treatment-wise for their bathrooms, I usually suggest one of three options (or a combination of them):

1. Plantation shutters, which, again,  are simple, easy to clean, and complement nearly any decor style.

2. Cellular shades, which offer top-down, bottom-up capabilities that let light in at the top while keeping the bottom covered.

3. Fabric roman shades, which add color and texture to a space, and yet are easy to launder when needed.

Since natural light is so valuable in a bathroom or dressing area, any treatments that allow for streaming in some light while also maintaining privacy are a great solution.

Step 4: Spend some Quality Time with the Samples

Once we have defined the purpose of your treatment, and we have a style in mind, we can move onto our samples. 

Our first step is to select the material we plan to use. For a kitchen or bathroom setting, there are lots of amazing man-made materials available now that are moisture-resistant and incredibly durable. Some of which you’ve likely heard of, and others you might not know exist...but that is the fun part of the custom process!

When we have narrowed down the fabric material, then it is all about selecting samples that speak to you...colors you like, patterns that fit your aesthetic, textures that evoke the emotion you’re going for, etc.

It is one thing to look at samples in a showroom or an office, but it is completely different in your own home, so our next step is to take those material samples into the kitchen or bathroom of your home to compare with the walls, trim color, cabinet finishes, overhead lighting, current accessories, and so many other factors that will influence how the fabric looks when installed. 

You’ll be surprised how quickly you’re able to narrow down the selections once you see them in your space. And in this instance, I encourage you not to overthink it...you’ve done your research so far, you know what you like and don’t like, so trust your gut!

Step 5: Sit Back, Relax, and Enjoy the Process

Once you’ve made all of your important selections, it is time to let your window treatment designer get to work! They will take all of the components you picked out and weave them into a beautiful, one-of-a-kind, custom treatment that is perfect for your home. 

And the best part? You don’t have to do a thing until the big reveal on installation day. Your design team and workroom have you covered. 

I’ve been designing window treatments for years, and creating custom draperies for my clients is still one of my favorite things to do. So if you’re looking for a design team that can also double as your custom workroom, give us a call! We would be delighted to transform your home (and windows) in a way that suits your current lifestyle and showcases your personality.

Warmly,
Sarah

P.S. Preparing for a kitchen renovation? Get our 9 essential steps below!