Tier, Valance or Blackout? The Best Kitchen Curtains for Your Window

Kitchen windows have a harder life than the ones in the bedroom. They see steam, splashes and the odd spatter of frying oil, and whatever you hang there has to go through the wash without complaint. The best curtain for the job is usually a short one, in a fabric you are happy to clean often.

This guide covers eight options from identifiable curtain makers: complete tier and valance sets, a bright print, a classic check, a farmhouse style, a heavier cotton blend, a true cafe tier, a blackout pair and a valance on its own. We say what each listing states about fabric, size and care, and we are plain about what it leaves out.

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Quick verdict: which kitchen curtains to buy

Five of them side by side, then all eight in full.

Five kitchen curtains side by side

One pick for each kind of window, with the fabric and size each listing states. All eight are reviewed below.

Before you hang anything near the stove

A word on where these go, because it comes before style. The U.S. Fire Administration says to keep anything that can catch fire away from your stovetop, and a curtain is exactly that. None of the listings below states a flame-resistance rating, so treat all of them as ordinary fabric. If a window sits beside or behind your burners, a curtain that can swing or hang near the flame is the wrong choice; leave that window bare or use a treatment that stays well above and away from the stove, and check your range maker’s clearance guidance.

Our picks for the best kitchen curtains

How to choose curtains for a kitchen window

Start with what the window is near

A window above the sink gets wet, and one beside the range gets hot. Near water, pick a short tier or valance that stays clear of the faucet. Near heat, read the safety note above and think hard about whether to use fabric at all.

Get the length right

Measure from the rod to where you want the hem, and keep the hem above the countertop if the window comes down that far. Most kitchen tiers are sold in 24 and 36 inch lengths. A 24 inch tier suits a cafe look on the lower sash; a 36 inch tier covers more on a tall window.

Measure the width as a pair

Listings give the width in two ways. Curtainworks says each tier is 28 inches, for 56 side by side; Today’s Curtain says 58 inches for the pair; NICETOWN’s title gives 52 inches for its two panels, which we read as each. Check which one you are reading, and buy a bit more than the window width if you want the fabric to gather instead of lying flat.

Choose a fabric you will wash

A kitchen curtain collects grease you cannot see until it is in the wash. Look for “machine washable” in the listing; some here do not state it, and we say so. Polyester and cotton blends are the usual choice. A print or a darker color hides small marks better than white.

Decide how much light you want

Light-filtering fabrics let the day in and blur the view. Unlined ones give little privacy after dark with the lights on. Blackout panels solve that, but they also take away the daylight you cook by when they are closed.

Check the rod pocket

Stated pockets here run from 1.5 inches to 3 inches. Measure your rod, particularly if it is a thick decorative one. No. 918’s tier listing, for example, fits rods only up to 3/4 inch.

How we picked these eight curtains

We started from what a working kitchen asks of a window: easy washing, stated sizes, a length that stays out of the way, and enough range to suit different rooms. We then looked for curtains sold on Amazon in the United States by identifiable makers, confirmed stock and a new offer with Amazon’s product data, and read each listing. Fabrics, sizes and care come from those listings, and where one is silent we write “not stated”.

Our search for independent advice turned up mostly curtain sellers’ own blogs, so we did not rely on them, and these picks rest on listing details. We left out nameless sellers and Nicetown’s long bedroom panels, and we passed over several good-looking tiers that were close to selling out. We did not use these curtains for this guide.

Kitchen curtain questions, answered

What is the difference between cafe curtains and tier curtains?

The words overlap in most listings. A cafe curtain covers the lower part of the window and leaves the top open. A tier is a short panel, usually 24 or 36 inches, that is used for that purpose, often with a valance above.

Should kitchen curtains touch the counter?

Better not. A hem on the counter will pick up water and food. Measure so it clears the surface, or use a 24 inch tier or a valance on a low window.

Can I hang curtains above or next to the stove?

We would not hang fabric where it can reach a burner. The U.S. Fire Administration says to keep anything that can catch fire away from the stovetop, and none of these listings states a flame-resistance rating.

What fabric is best for kitchen curtains?

One you can machine wash. Polyester and cotton blends are the most common here. Cotton adds softness, while polyester is often described as wrinkle resistant in these listings.

Do I need a valance with tier curtains?

No, but it finishes the top of the window and hides the rod. The Martha Stewart and Curtainworks sets include one; the Eclipse is one you can buy alone.

Do blackout curtains make sense in a kitchen?

On a window facing a sidewalk or strong afternoon sun, they can. For most kitchens, a light-filtering tier is more useful because it keeps daylight on the counter.

Our final pick for the window over the sink

Buy the Martha Stewart set if you want one purchase that covers the whole window. Choose Curtainworks for color, Achim to match a shade you already own, Lush Decor for a farmhouse look, Ellis for more body, Today’s Curtain for a true cafe tier, NICETOWN for privacy and the Eclipse valance when the window sits just above the faucet.

The window is only part of a dressed-up kitchen. For the table underneath it, see our guides to the best table runners and the best tablecloths. To brighten the counter itself, look at the best under cabinet lighting. And on the nights when you would rather not get the kitchen dirty at all, see the menu or call to order.