Kitchen Blinds

WHICH BLINDS ARE SUITABLE AND WHY

The kitchen is the focal point of our home.

Because of the nature of a kitchen (mess, moisture, splatter, heat), there are special considerations when deciding which blinds are most suitable for kitchen windows.

An important consideration when determining where a kitchen blind will be affixed is proximity to pipes. As a kitchen will have pipes running vertically in the walls close to the sinks, we cannot as easily install a roller blind in this location. Normally we measure a roller blind to be 8-10cm over the sides of the window. Because of the bracket placement, for a kitchen, we prefer to drill closer to the window. We would only install 2-5cm. Over the sides of the window in this case.

All Venetian Blinds, Honeycomb Blinds, Shutters, and Vertical Blinds are great options as we would not need to drill near where pipes may be running.

PVC OR SHEERWEAVE ROLLER BLINDS FOR A KITCHEN

Choosing either a PVC Blockout or Screen roller is a wise choice as these are wipeable options.

The downside of a PVC Roller Blind is that they block all the light that enters the kitchen.

A screen blind (available in 3% or 5% visibility) allows in light but someone can see in from the outside at night.

 LIGHT FILTERING ROLLER BLINDS FOR A KITCHEN

Only certain Light Filtering Roller Blinds are recommended for a kitchen as they can become water or splatter spotted.

Some Luxaflex materials are washable and wipeable; these would be acceptable options. 

The caveat is that if the window is far away from the stove, countertop, and sink then splatter won’t be as much of an issue.

If a customer chooses a fabric blind it is at his/her own risk.

VALANCES FOR KITCHEN ROLLER BLINDS

Roller Blinds are available with a half round or linear shaped wood valance.

They are available in a number of colors to coordinate with the color of your blind.

Honeycomb Blinds and Vertical Blinds do not need a valance, but they can be added at customer request.

ROLLER BLINDS FOR CUTOUT WINDOWS

Roller blinds always have a gap between the material and the window reveal.

The gap is dependent on manufacturer, control or non control side, and skewness of the window.

This gap is anywhere from 1.2cm to 2.5cm.  If the tile skirting is protrudes more than this amount, then the blind will not slot down past the point of the tiles.  The only option would be to make the entire blind narrower in order to accommodate this.  This is a viable option for these types of windows.

WOOD VENETIAN BLINDS FOR A KITCHEN

Wood Venetian Blinds are a beautiful choice for any window of your home.

When deciding on a Basswood Venetian Blind, it’s important to factor in proximity to the stove or sink.  Wood cannot be as easily wiped down as other options of blinds.

Additionally, Wood Venetian blinds can be quite heavy to lift and are recommended to be split into more than one blind in very large window openings. Wood Venetian Blinds are available in 50mm. Widths primarily.  35mm. Slats are available in a very limited number of color options.

PLASWOOD VENETIAN BLINDS FOR A KITCHEN

An excellent choice for almost any kitchen window is a Plaswood Venetian Blind.

A composite material, plaswood does well with moisture and heat and they can be wiped down with a damp cloth should they become dirty.

Plaswood Venetian Blinds are available in only a 50mm. Slat.  Lighter than Basswood Venetians and available in many wood-look finishes, they are a perfect blind for any kitchen window.

BAMBOO VENETIAN BLINDS FOR A KITCHEN

Bamboo Venetian blinds are available in a 50mm. slat and in a few natural bamboo-wood colors.

They’re wipeable and very lightweight as compared to a Basswood venetian blind.

They’re very easy to maintain and clean and give a natural look and feel to your space.

ALUMINIUM VENETIAN BLINDS FOR A KITCHEN

Lightweight and available in many slat widths (25mm., 35mm., 50mm.), Aluminium Venetian are a great choice for kitchen windows.

Easy to clean and available in plain, brushed, hammered, wood-look, or perforated color ranges, these blinds will blend in with any home decor.

VALANCES FOR VENETIANS IN A KITCHEN

Not all blinds come with a valance.

A valance finishes off the look of your blind.  Wood, Plaswood, 50mm. Aluminium and 25mm. Wood-Look Aluminium Blinds do come with valances over the headrails.

Plain range 25mm. Aluminium Venetians do not have valances as an additional add-on. 

VENETIAN BLINDS FOR CUTOUT WINDOWS

All Venetian Blinds can be cutout around tiles or skirting boards.

For this reason, Wood, Plaswood, Aluminium are all ideal candidates for these types of windows.

VERTICAL BLINDS ARE VERSATILE

Vertical Blinds come in two slat sizes: 90mm. And 127mm. Widths. They are a great choice for a kitchen, especially PVC and screen materials as they are wipeable.

Vertical blinds allow the customer to tilt light away from where it’s bother you, or to completely open the stack allowing for a clearview of your window.

VERTICAL BLINDS FOR CUTOUT WINDOWS

Vertical Blinds are great options for tile cut-outs as the slats are “fluid” and won’t be impeded by skirtings.

LIGHT FILTERING HONEYCOMB BLINDS FOR A KITCHEN

Specifically, light filtering options are waterproof and wipeable.

Light Filtering options allow in light while maintaining your privacy in the room. 

BLOCKOUT HONEYCOMB BLINDS FOR A KITCHEN

Blockout Honeycomb Blinds are also a great choice.

The fabric can be wiped down with a cloth when they get dirty and the water from the sink will not ruin the material.

HONEYCOMB BLINDS FOR CUTOUT WINDOWS

Honeycomb blinds have a tighter fit in a window than roller blinds and cannot be cut out around a tile skirting.

Just like a roller blind, honeycomb blinds would need to be made narrower to prevent them from stopping along the tile skirting.

CLEATS FOR KITCHEN BLINDS

Some customers prefer the cords or chains of their blinds to be kept neat and tidy.

Especially if there is a sink or stove below, the strings would get grimy, or be a fire hazard, specifically a Venetian Blind.

For this reason, we can provide cord cleats for Venetians (or even Roller Blinds).  They are available in brass or lucite and attach to either the inside of the window reveal or on the face of the wall next to the window.

MOTORIZATION OF KITCHEN BLINDS

Motorization of blinds eliminates the need for any chains.

This might be the best option for you if you cannot reach the chain or cord with a counter in the way, if you’re worried about child safety, or you prefer the ease of home automation.

LONGEVITY / CLEANING OF KITCHEN BLINDS

In order to ensure your Kitchen blinds last as long as possible, it is recommended to raise the blinds when you are cooking or washing the dishes.

The closer your window is to the sink, countertop or stove, the more chance of the blinds becoming dirty and grimy.

A once or twice-a-week dusting and wipe down will help your blinds to look newer for longer.