New, Modern Ways to Use Cafe Curtains

Traditionally cafe curtains have been used in a bathroom or kitchen. Mention cafe curtains and thoughts of your grandma’s breakfast nook may even appear. Yet today these versatile window treatments are more modern than ever! We love how cafes cleverly hide kitchen items here.

cafe curtains roman shades window treatments

Via styleathome.com

And when done in clean, bright and simple linen fabrics, add texture and soften bathroom windows.

Traditional Home

White linen cafes via Sara Bartholomew

Breakfast areas become cozy and inviting with custom café curtains. They’re ideal for providing a hint of privacy while allowing tons of bright light to fill your room.

Dining room cafes via Anna Decker Architechts

Cafes also help with challenging spaces like this wide, arched kitchen window A relaxed roman peeks out from the side adorning the smaller window.

Café curtain and roman shade via Home Bunch

Contrast banding detail along the edges highlight these cafes and complement the tailored valance above them.

Banded cafes via decorating den

A main reason to consider cafe curtains is they are budget-friendly! Less fabric is needed to make them, plus cafes are easily hung on a simple iron rod with rings inside your window frame. See a great tutorial on hanging them here.

Hardware from rejuvenation.com

Cafes easily work with design elements that already exist in your room and create a nice balance. They add detail and texture to the window without overpowering the space. But why limit yourself to a bathroom or kitchen for cafes? There are plenty of ways to use this style throughout your home.

See here how cafe curtains liven up this laundry room.

Laundry room via Thistlewood Farm

Little ones will sleep tight when these bunk bed cafe-type curtains are drawn. And that gorgeous grommet header is a fun twist that ensures easy operation and no breakage!

Via Coastal Living

Modernize your mudroom with tiered cafe curtains and bench cushion in a trendy fabric

Mudroom via Decorpad

We love the combo look with bamboo shades in this reading room and how the larger café panels are mounted high above the moldings making the breakfast area look inviting yet larger.