The Best Blinds for Kitchens
To say that the kitchen is the hub of the home would be an understatement. This is the room where everyone eventually gathers to celebrate, making it the centrepiece of the home.
Lighting is one of the most crucial considerations during kitchen construction and ask you to consider some challenges and options before you choose the best window treatment.
If you plan to do a lot of cooking, ventilation is another crucial factor to think about. The aromas from the kitchen shouldn’t permeate through the house. While artificial air purifiers are available, nothing beats the aroma of fresh outside air. In this article we highlight some considerations to help you choose the best blinds for your kitchen.
Adjusting the Brightness
You want as much natural light to enter the room as possible without sacrificing privacy, so make that a priority when selecting blinds. The blinds should be translucent enough to block the sun’s rays without blocking all of the natural light that comes in during the day. Damage from direct sunlight can cause paint to peel and furniture fabrics to fade in the kitchen.
Keep it Private
The demand for privacy in the kitchen increases if the window overlooks a neighbour’s house or a public area like a street. Choose blinds that are dark but still allow some light in. Doing so will keep unwanted eyes from peering into your home. Use a cellular or roller shade for an extra layer of secrecy.
Peculiar Kitchen Challenges
Choosing blinds for your kitchen requires thinking about the wear and tear your new window coverings will undergo from being in the kitchen. Think about factors such as:
- Humidity that builds up during cooking and/or doing the dishes. The blinds on a window next to or behind a sink may come into touch with water on a regular basis. If you have a particularly humid kitchen, the condensation on the windows may be enough to cause the blind to become damp.
- Oils and fats in the air. In time, vaporised frying oil will deposit itself on your blinds. These fats also have the annoying habit of drawing dirt and dust to themselves.
- Permeable or absorbent materials can be infused with the aroma of cooking and become really unpleasant over time.
Simple To Clean
You should install blinds that are simple to clean, and the blinds in your kitchen should preferably only require wiping rather than washing. They’re the cleanest choice available. Vinyl blinds, shutters, and solar shades can be easily cleaned or washed with soapy water. To clean wooden blinds you’d use a product specifically designed for that purpose.
Blinds that Stand the Test of Time
Whichever blinds you decide to install in your kitchen, they should be built to last for as many years as you need them to.
In light of these aspects, consider the following:
- Roller shades (PVC or vinyl): Vinyl or PVC roller blinds win for being weatherproof and easy to clean. They are also the cheapest sort of blinds, have the most colour and design options, and are blackout and flame retardant.
- Faux-wood blinds: These are waterproof and fire retardant and have bigger slats that are easier to clean. Tilt faux-wood blinds to filter light and adjust privacy.
- Venetians: These generally have more slats per blind than faux-wood of the same size, making them harder to clean. Their slats may be slanted for light filtering and privacy, and they come in several colours and finishes.
Blinds4U offers blinds for sale in various locations in South Africa. If you liked this article, you might also find comparing the longevity of different types of blinds interesting, as well as, blinds and curtain trends to expect in 2023.
