Blinds in the kitchen: types and varieties of materials

Blinds for the kitchen are a good alternative to conventional fabric curtains. This is a construction of lamellas (horizontal or vertical plates) that allow air to pass through, but not light. They look beautiful, easy to clean, open or close depending on the brightness of the light.

Pros and cons of using blinds in the kitchen

The blinds easily regulate the flow of light: by turning the knob, the slope of the slats is changed, you can reduce the amount of sunlight entering the room or completely close the window. If necessary, move all lamellas up or to the side. In the summer, the room does not heat up, the eyes do not get tired. The less direct rays hit the furniture, walls, the longer they will last, their colors will remain bright and fresh.

Compared to curtains, their hygienic characteristics are better: they lend themselves to wet cleaning, do not collect dust, do not absorb odors, and are fireproof. Of the negative points, it should be noted the noise from the lamellas during airing. With some types of fastening, it is impossible to open the window completely. If the lamella is mechanically damaged, you have to disassemble or change the entire structure.

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Blinds for plastic windows in the kitchen are very diverse in color, material, place of attachment. For any design, it is better to choose high-quality samples from reliable manufacturers so that they serve for a long time.

Varieties of designs and materials

So that the blinds for the kitchen do not look boring, the designers took care: there are products made of plastic (PVC), fabrics, aluminum, wood on the market. They can be monochromatic, of any color, using several shades, multilayer, with an applied image, photo printing.

Materials (edit)

• Fabric blinds for the kitchen are specially adapted. They are impregnated with a water-repellent mixture to protect them from high temperatures, humidity, odors and dust. Then they can be wiped with a damp cloth, they will last a long time in the kitchen. Jacquard products have proven themselves well: they have an interesting texture, resistance to fire, and retain light well.
• The most hygienic option is plastic models. They are easy to clean and come in all colors. The only negative is that it is quite easy to damage them: the lamellas are thin and unstable to mechanical stress. If the window is located close to the stove, it can overheat and deteriorate. PVC blinds are inexpensive and can be refurbished if desired.
• Wooden blinds made of cork or linden work well with the classic or country style. The most interesting are bamboo products. They are lightweight, easy to clean, elegant looking, but rather fragile. Negative points: can absorb moisture, odors, flammable.
• Aluminum is more reliable and stronger than plastic. It is covered with enamel resistant to high temperatures and humidity. But on hot days, when the sun is shining directly through the window, they overheat and contribute to a rise in the temperature in the room. Also, these blinds are quite noisy. If such lamellas fit organically into modern kitchens, then most likely they will not be suitable for classics.

Types of fasteners

Depending on how the slats are directed, there are horizontal, vertical blinds. Roll products will be a little more expensive. The newest models are cassette, multi-level, day-night. You can install the blinds yourself or you can contact the professionals.

Horizontal 

The most common option. They are made of horizontal slats 2 - 5 cm wide. By turning the slats, the amount of incoming light is regulated. The blinds in the kitchen rise and fall, they can be fixed at any desired level.

Vertical

Using vertical blinds in the kitchen, you can achieve the effect of increasing the height of the room, especially if they are made from floor to ceiling. They can open in 1 or 2 directions. The lower contours are performed not only even, but also in the form of rounded, broken lines. Sometimes they combine several layers of different colors and shapes, which gives them a look similar to curtains.

Roll

More often made of fabric. They rise, twisting in the form of a roll and their darkening can reach 99%. There are products with original drawings or prints. Dust is removed with a rag or vacuum cleaner, periodically more thorough washing will be required to get rid of grease and odor stains. Over time, the fabric will fade slightly in the sun.

Day Night

Day - night blinds are in great demand for kitchen windows. Their feature is the alternation of transparent and dense stripes. This effect is ensured by the presence of 2 types of material in the roll system. With the simultaneous twisting, the stripes are displaced relative to each other, you can smoothly change the degree of illumination in the room. These beautiful blinds are made of fabric (polyester, tulle) or made of wood, metal. For cleaning, do not use aggressive chlorine-based detergents, which can destroy the protective antibacterial layer.

Cassette blinds

These are modern, comfortable designs suitable for plastic windows. The mechanism is hidden under a special box (angular, flat or round). They may have horizontal slats, but most often it is a canvas that curls in the form of a roll.

They are attached as close to the window as possible, with guides fixed to the side frames. They do not deform, even if the window is not located on a vertical wall, but on the ceiling or on an inclined surface of the attic. When folded, the lamellas go under the cassette elements and thus get less dirty. A cord, spring or automatic electronic system is used for control.

Which color should you choose?

It depends on the general design of the room which blinds are best for the kitchen. They should be in harmony with furniture, wall decoration, floor, ceiling. Too many flowers in one place should be avoided. Most often, in apartments you can find light slats, since in small rooms it is the white color that gives the interior lightness, makes it more spacious.

One of the most successful solutions on the window will be a one or two-color option that repeats the shades of the kitchen set. The window can be highlighted with an image or colored blinds (red, blue, green) to match the countertop or apron. If there are already enough bright design elements in the kitchen, it is better to choose solid products in neutral colors.

Ideas for the place of attachment of blinds

There are options for how to attach blinds: on the wall, on the ceiling, directly on the frame, or even inside the glass unit. The choice depends on the design of the window, the design idea, the desire to have a window sill free or hidden behind the blinds.

On a wall or frame, outside the window opening

On the wall, you can attach blinds directly above the window if there is enough space up to the ceiling. Inconvenience can arise during airing when the blinds are lowered, but the window sill is all open. To hang outside the window opening, they are attached to a wall or ceiling. This arrangement is often chosen if you want to make blinds to the full height of the kitchen, to the floor.

The blinds, fixed to the frame, do not interfere with the opening of the windows. True, they are somewhat more difficult to mount. To do this, you need self-tapping screws, brackets, a screwdriver. Work should be done carefully so as not to damage the glass. Double-sided tape can be used, but this is less reliable.

Interframe, window sash

Such products are installed on double, usually wooden windows. The structure is located between the glasses, so dust does not accumulate on it, the lamellas do not interfere with the opening of the window, do not make noise in the wind, and do not take up space. The regulating mechanism can be manual or automatic, it is located next to the window.

In general, there are many models. Blinds have a neat appearance, protect from excess light, are durable, do not require difficult maintenance and take up little space. You can choose the material, type of fastening, color, texture, so that the product fits best into the interior of any kitchen.