Forget Blinds: The Better Way To Cover Kitchen Windows Is Dripping With European Charm

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Picture the quintessential European cafe, and you'll probably conjure up a vision of a little place on the corner with smoke wafting through the air, woven rattan chairs, tiny round tables, and delicate lace-trimmed cafe curtains hanging in the window. Popular in bistros across Europe, cafe curtains only cover half of the windowpane, providing privacy while still letting in plenty of natural light. Stateside, it's a look that might remind you of 1920s breakfast nooks.  

Fast forward to the 21st century, and some of the trendiest aesthetics include grandma core, cottage core, and maximalism — with people ditching their blinds and heavy curtains for dainty, Euro-style cafe curtains. A timeless look that does double duty by blocking your neighbor's gaze and allowing for natural illumination, they're a window treatment idea that elevates your cooking space. Best of all, they're one of the easiest and most affordable DIY projects out there.

Cafe curtains are a home project that you can do on a budget in less than an hour. They're one of the many easy granny-chic looks we love for the kitchen, and best of all, they're easy to clean — they can just be thrown in the wash. You'll need a curtain rod that fits inside your window frame, hung halfway up from the bottom using a tension rod, adhesive, or drill-in brackets for support. You'll also need a set of cafe curtain rings with clips unless your curtains have loops at the top or have a casing. A simple rod and rings set should cost between $10 and $20 per window. 

The options for cafe curtains are myriad — striped linen, toile, trimmed — whatever your taste. Cafe curtains like the jinchan Linen Pinch Pleated Kitchen Curtains can be purchased on Amazon for $15 to $20. Standard lengths for cafe curtains are 24, 30, or 36 inches. If you're handy with a sewing machine, cafe curtains are a super simple project that only requires a few seams. A yard of cotton fabric costs between $3 and $10, depending on the fabric you choose, and you can get more than one curtain from that amount of fabric.

Knowing how simple and affordable this DIY is to achieve, what are you waiting for? Update your kitchen look with a quaint, cozy window treatment that gives a European cafe look.