Long gone are the days of dated, flowery swags for your kitchen windows to go with overly carved out oak cabinets.
Modern, clean lines are in. So are creams and whites to coordinate with kitchen cabinets and grays and cold blues to coordinate with modern cabinet handles and appliances. And our faux shade valances check off all those requirements in today’s kitchens.
Here are a few colors and styles that commonly go with recently remodeled kitchens.
Black and White
Black and white is a classic color combination, so it’s no surprise that it’s still popular nowadays. More black creates a more modern kitchen and a greater “wow” factor, while more white in the color balance creates a more open, airy space, and gives the illusion of a larger kitchen.
Idea #1:
Carlo in Black
Carlo is a medium-weight duck cotton. This one features a black base with a white modern dot stripe pattern. This one is perfect for modern kitchens, and the black fabric is a great focal point above windows above sinks that are flanked by white shaker kitchen cabinets.
Modern dot stripes in a black base cloth. Find this style here.
Blue and White
Blue is all the rage nowadays, especially when combined with white. Creamy off-white, and white with a dash of a stone pigment creates a natural look (great when you want your window treatment to frame a beautiful outside view of nature).
Darker blues tend to be more modern and are usually found with bold, geometric patterns. Lighter blues are more often found in patterns that are transitional, like medallions and subtle florals.
Idea #2:
Lotus in Italian Denim
Lotus is printed on a slub cotton, giving it both the more substantial weight that a faux shade needs, as well as a subtle texture. The Italian Denim colorway features watercolor hues of dark blue and neutral greens.
Small-scale pattern in various hues of blue. Find this style here.
Idea #3:
Avila in Prussian Blue
Avila is a fun floral pattern, and the Prussian Blue colorway features varying shades of blue. And the good news is that faux shades made in this fabric are available up to 120 inches wide. Perfect if you’d like to match all the window treatments in your kitchen area, even extra wide nook windows and sliding glass doors.
Modern diamond pattern on a washed print in dark blue. Find this style here.
Gray and White (and Natural/Ivory)
As much as the word ‘greige’ has been overused, the fact remains that most open kitchens are still following a neutral color palette of gray or greige.
So of course, gray window treatments are popular. Combined with white, they continue the popular look of open, air living spaces. And interestingly, it’s common to see a cool gray combined with a natural, ivory, and light brown accent color.
Idea #4:
Grove in Iron
Grove is another cotton with a slub texture, and is printed on a white base. The Iron colorway features warm gray hues.
Large leaf pattern in a watercolor gray design. Find this style here.
Idea #5:
Slub Linen in Natural
Our heaviest fabric on this list, Slub Linen in Natural is printed on an 11-ounce base fabric. Also available in Antique White in case you’d like a lighter color.
Solid natural on a heavyweight linen blend fabric. Find this style here.
Modern Farmhouse Checks
Checks and plaids are still in because they’re so clean and simple. Windowpane checks tend to be more subtle, while buffalo plaids can introduce a bit more color to a room.
There is no rule on which color to choose here. Our customers choose all sorts of colors, from neutral gray and cream, to cheery yellows, to dark shades of black, blue, green and brown. Although, we admit, we’re seeing less orange and red in today’s kitchens.
Idea #6:
Aaron in Italian Denim
Aaron is a 4-inch windowpane plaid, and comes in many color options. This one is the Italian Denim. And did we mention all faux shades made in Aaron are available up to 120 wide too?
Dark blue windowpane check slubbed cotton. Find this style here.
Idea #7:
Anderson in Brazilian Yellow
From a neutral French Grey to bold Black, Anderson is a classic plaid pattern that comes in many color options. The Brazilian Yellow colorway is quite popular for kitchens.
Corn yellow and white large check. Find this style here.
Ticking Stripes
Ticking stripes are still popular. They’re just the right way to introduce color to a room without bringing too much focus on a pronounced fabric pattern. And, they’re not just for country kitchens anymore. They do just fine next to modern brass hardware and shaker cabinets.
Idea #8:
Classic Ticking Stripe in Lipstick
To be honest, we have dozens of ticking stripe faux shades available, so there are too many to list. The Classic Ticking Stripe is just one of the many options, and the Lipstick colorway is just one of the many color options.
Small ticking stripe in red and white. Find this style here.
Idea #9:
Hayes in Denton/Black
Hayes is a ticking stripe that mimics the idea of burlap, but because it’s still made of cotton and rayon linen, it still drapes nicely. This creates the proper folds at the bottom, yet still gives you the black and tan look that’s so popular in barn-inspired kitchens.
Large ticking stripe in black and tan. Find this style here.
Oversized Floral Medallions
Floral medallions are popular nowadays, especially when printed on a clean white or ivory base. They can range from traditional and grandiose, to modern and simplistic, to busy and tribal patterns.
Idea #10:
Hamilton in Stone
You just can’t go wrong with neutral floral fabrics. They’re timeless, and will be able to stay on your windows for over a decade without seeming dated or out of place. Hamilton is one great example, and features just the right amount of neutral whites, creams, and grays for those that want to keep their designs simple.
Oversized, traditional floral medallions in gray and off white. Find this style here.
Idea #11:
Manchester in Cashmere Blue
Manchester is an interesting pattern. It features a large floral medallion that appears to playfully fade away. It’s quite popular with our customers because of this very unique design feature.
Large floral medallions in French blue and white. Find this style here.
Modern Trim
Grosgrain trim is a common upgrade to window treatments in today’s kitchens, and so are embroidered tapes. The most common trim colors we see are white and navy blue. Whichever color your choose for the trim, the key is to create a bold contrast to the home decor fabric used.
Idea #12:
Bosco in Pewter
Bosco is a small-scale geometric pattern printed on a basketweave linen blend. It works great with contrast trims like this grosgrain edge in white.
Linen blend geometric scrolls in pewter, with white grosgrain trim. Find this style here.
Idea #13:
Cotton Canvas in White
You just can’t go wrong with a pristine white duck cotton. Our Cotton Canvas in White is a 12-ounce weight fabric, shown here with embroidered designer tape in French blue added to the bottom.
White solid cotton, embellished with French blue embroidered tape at the bottom.
Want more ideas? See our full selection of faux shades. Or, you can take a look at some more kitchen valance ideas as well.