Timber blinds in the kitchen

Blinds are a practical and attractive way of keeping the balance between light and privacy in any room, kitchen and bathroom particularly. Wooden blinds lend a warm and solid feel to a room, which may be exactly what you need for the kitchen. Undeniably, there are issues with cleanliness, safety and wet in kitchens, and wooden blinds may seem a poor choice for this room. But are they really?

Timber blinds and the kitchen

There is no doubt that timber blinds can look fabulous in the kitchen, particularly chunky ones with wide slats in a rustic looking kitchen design. They complement a beautiful solid wood table and chairs, hanging pots and pans suspended from a rack, or even give a touch of earthy warmth to a cleaner, more austere design.

What about practical issues? You may need to avoid timber blinds in your kitchen if;

• Your kitchen is used a lot, and is consequently frequently wet and greasy. Timber blinds are hard to clean properly, and if you do a lot of frying, the grease will soak permanently into the wood, which can result in a dank, sour old grease smell
• The blinds will be hanging very near to, or particularly above, a gas cooker or other open flame. Timber can catch fire, and in this case the safest window dressing would be aluminium blinds
• The window is right above the sink, particularly if you have a splashy lever style tap. Timber blinds are prone to warping, splitting and cracking when left wet, and may even mould. This article has information

Making timber blinds work in the kitchen

If you are very set on timber blinds in the kitchen, consider these pointers to make it work for you:

• Safety first! Don't hang the blinds over or near an open flame such as a gas stovetop.

• Regularly wipe the slats clean, and ensure that you buy ones that are treated for water resistance
• Care for the timber with regular oiling, using a good quality timber oil
• If you want the timber look in a wet area such as over a splashy sink, consider faux timber instead. This material looks like timber and comes in a variety of 'woods', is a little cheaper than solid timber blinds, and is composed of vinyl, plastic and / or wood compounds, so is water safe and very easy to clean

If you are committed to wood blinds in the kitchen and the window is in a safe place, you will also need to commit to putting in the time to regularly maintain them.

Timber blinds in your kitchen?

While there are good reasons to consider alternatives to timber blinds in your kitchen, they can look fantastic and can be made to work. If they will be safe from fire hazards and excess water or grease, then timber blinds may be the right choice to give your kitchen an earthy, warm touch.