Cafe Curtains: A Guide to Styling, Measuring and Mounting

A lovely mix of European cafe nostalgia and everyday practicality, cafe curtains have earned a special place for themselves in the world of window treatments. Covering the lower half of the window, these short curtains protect privacy without cutting off daylight.

All of drapery’s beauty in a pint-sized expression, cafe curtains make small windows feel dressed up, not merely covered. But unlike floor-sweeping curtains that make a grand entrance, these half-curtains prefer to settle in with a cup of coffee.

If you’re also enamored by the nostalgic charm of cafe curtains, this guide is for you. Here we share everything you need to know about dressing your window with cafe curtains—what fabric to choose, how to style them, where they work best, and how to hang and measure them.

HAUL ’EM HOME: CUSTOM CAFE CURTAINS

What Are Cafe Curtains?

Cafe curtains are curtains that cover only the lower half of the window. Their name is derived from their historic origins in the early nineteenth century’s European restaurants, where they provided privacy to the diners from busy streets.

Offering both partial privacy and light control at the same time, cafe curtains have come to be the go-to for small windows and casual spaces that benefit from natural light. And while they are staples in rustic country spaces, they have also evolved into more streamlined versions that beautifully align with modern aesthetics.

Why Choose Cafe Curtains?

Beyond their old-world charm, cafe curtains are loved for their practical ease and impressive functionality. Here are five reasons why you should consider them for your home:

• Privacy without sacrificing light is the biggest allure of cafe curtains. Where most other window treatments let you have either privacy or natural light, cafe curtains don’t ask you to compromise one for the other.
• The softness of fabric, rippled contours and the gentle swaying with the breeze make cafe curtains a charming dressing for your windows. Where wood shutters bring visual weight and industrial blinds feel too flat, cafe curtains soften the space and add character effortlessly.
• Modest dimensions make cafe curtains particularly suited to small windows that can easily be overwhelmed by heavy drapes and window shades.
• Introducing color and pattern with limited footage makes cafe curtains a great way to add personality to the room without overwhelming the eye.
• Ease of installation makes cafe curtains particularly attractive for those who are looking for window treatments that can be mounted without professional help.

Which Rooms Suit Cafe Curtains?

Cafe curtains work best in kitchens, breakfast nooks, bathrooms, laundry rooms and reading nooks: casual rooms that need daylight and some privacy at eye level. They’re less suited to an opulent living room or an ultra-private bedroom. Here’s where they shine:

• Kitchens love window treatments that are airy, casual and light-friendly. Kitchen cafe curtains keep humidity in check and allow daylight in abundance while maintaining ample privacy.
• Breakfast nooks are where cafe curtains truly come into their own, echoing the roadside cafes from where they started their journey. They saturate these small informal spaces with soft morning light and casual ease.
• Bathrooms benefit from cafe curtains’ knack of keeping spaces airy and bright while providing privacy. Also, their sill-length makes them practically efficient in a space prone to water, moisture and potential mildew.
• Laundry rooms need to keep humidity in check by embracing natural light and air. And cafe curtains are tailor-made for this mandate.
• Reading nooks need light with just enough coverage to screen a seated person. Hence, cafe curtains prove a great choice for these casual spaces.

HOMESEWN WISDOM: KITCHEN CURTAINS | BATHROOM CURTAINS | LAUNDRY ROOM CURTAINS

What Is the Best Fabric for Cafe Curtains?

Light, casual fabrics such as linen, cotton and sheers make the best cafe curtains. Cafe curtains are inherently casual by nature. And that reflects not just in their construction but also in the fabrics they are made of. Look out for fabrics that bring a sense of everyday ease, such as:

• Linen is one of the most favored choices for cafe curtains. Its slubbed weave brings a lovely lived-in character that goes well with informal setups. Linen cafe curtains are often crafted from plain fabrics for that handwoven charm to stand out.
• Cotton brings the same casual ease as linen, but with a little more polish. It’s a great choice for modern interiors and semi-formal spaces. Cotton cafe curtains are generally favored with subtle countrified motifs like gingham, stripes and ditsies.
• Sheer cafe curtains are a great choice when the goal is to keep the interiors light-filled but the window cannot be left bare. If you use them for spaces like nurseries and bedrooms, layer them with long blackout drapes to ensure nighttime privacy.

In short, cotton, linen and their blends are ideal for cafe curtains. Avoid heavy fabrics like velvet and ultra-formal fabrics like iridescent silk, as they don’t go with the laid-back appeal of this breezy window treatment. And, where soft filtered light is desired, opt for sheer or semi-sheer fabrics.

HAUL ’EM HOME: LINEN CAFE CURTAINS | COTTON CAFE CURTAINS | SHEER CAFE CURTAINS

Should You Choose Plain or Printed Fabrics for Cafe Curtains?

Both work, and because cafe curtains cover so little of the wall, they’re a low-risk place to try a bold print. Compared to shutters, woven wooden blinds and roller shades that only offer a few plain neutrals, curtains come with a broad range of options that include plain neutrals, rich textures and a variety of patterns. Choose whatever reflects your decor style and goes with the mood of the room.

What is important to note is that cafe curtains are a great way to introduce color and pattern without overpowering the scene, as they take up very limited optical real estate in the room. So, if you’re inclined to use attractive prints or bold colors, you can be quite carefree with your choice. Here are our styling tips for plain and patterned cafe curtains:

• Plain/textured fabrics are ideal for a room styled with printed wallpaper, as they offer a beautiful counterpoint of simple allure. They are also perfect for modern interiors that prefer visual quiet over the bustle of patterns.
• Patterns are a great way to add personality to the room. Small florals, block-printed motifs and soft geometrics like stripes and gingham look charming on cafe curtains.

HAUL ’EM HOME: PLAIN CAFE CURTAINS | PATTERNED CAFE CURTAINS | GINGHAM CAFE CURTAINS

Which Heading Styles Suit Cafe Curtains?

Casual headings such as rod pockets, tab tops, back tabs, flat panels and grommets suit most cafe curtains, while simple pinch pleats work for more tailored rooms. Beyond fabric and pattern, the curtain heading also contributes to the overall appeal of a cafe curtain. At Sewn, you have a wide range of over a dozen heading styles to choose from, each a unique combination of form and function.

• Tailored and easy to operate, pinch pleat heading styles suit cafe curtains used in semi-formal spaces and for plain fabrics that can benefit from the visual texture of pleated headers. Opt for less elaborate styles like double pinch pleats and Euro pleats to match the everyday charm of cafe curtains. Our pinch pleat curtains guide covers each one.
• Casual and less prone to slipping styles like rod pockets and back tab tops are ideal when you want to lean into easygoing aesthetics. Their headers wrap snugly around the rod, preventing the curtains from easily gathering to the sides on their own due to wind.
• Easygoing and smoothly gliding flat panel tops and grommet tops are excellent choices for cafe curtains that want to maintain a laidback air along with easy movement. Their slick rings/grommets ensure that the curtains can slide along the rod freely.

HOMESEWN WISDOM: ROD POCKET CAFE CURTAINS | TAB TOP CAFE CURTAINS | TIE TOP CAFE CURTAINS | FLAT PANEL CAFE CURTAINS

How to Hang Cafe Curtains

Hang cafe curtains on a rod set roughly halfway up the window, either inside the frame or just outside it. While cafe curtains can be hung on both tracks and rods, it is rods that complement them best. Since these curtains hang at eye-level, decorative cafe curtain rods add character to the room. There are two ways of mounting these rods:

Inside-mounting the rod, that is, affixing the rod or tension rod between the inner walls of the window frame, ensures that the curtains get accommodated within the window frame. This is beneficial for windows surrounded by cabinetry and kitchen/bathroom windows where the curtains need to be kept farther away from water-prone surfaces. However, the curtains will block the lower portion of the window permanently, so it is advisable to pair them with sleek heading styles like grommet tops or flat panel tops that take less space to stack. As a guide, grommet, rod pocket and flat panel curtains stack to around 10–12% of their panel width, while pinch pleats need around 15–20%.

Outside-mounted rods, in contrast, can be extended a few inches beyond the window frame, allowing the curtains to be stacked past the windowpane. This is a smart way to make the most of a small window, as the curtains do not block the view or the light permanently.

How to Measure for Cafe Curtains

To measure for cafe curtains, decide the length from the rod to the sill and the width from your rod, then allow 1.5x to 2x fullness. A window dressed with well-tailored curtains is an easy giveaway of a designer eye at work behind the scenes. So, make sure your cafe curtains are measured correctly. Here’s how you measure:

Length depends on whether you want your cafe curtains to cover the lower half or two-thirds of the window. Also consider whether you want the curtains to stop at the sill or extend a few inches below the sill. Accordingly, choose the start and end point for the curtains. You can order lengths to the half inch at Sewn, so a sill-length curtain can stop exactly where you want it.

Width determines whether your curtains will be airy and light or bulky. So, keep the curtain fullness anywhere between 1.5x to 2x—generous enough to create soft pleats, controlled enough to avoid overwhelming the small window with fabric.

HOMESEWN WISDOM: CURTAIN MEASUREMENT GUIDE

Cafe Curtains FAQs

How long should cafe curtains be?

Most cafe curtains cover the lower half of the window, stopping at the sill. For more privacy, hang them to cover the lower two-thirds, or let them fall a few inches below the sill for a softer look.

How high should you hang cafe curtains?

Hang the rod at about the midpoint of the window, or level with the meeting rail of a double-hung window. In a kitchen or bathroom, set it just high enough to screen anyone standing at the sink or sitting nearby.

Are cafe curtains still in style?

Yes. Cafe curtains have made a strong comeback, especially in kitchens and bathrooms. Plain linen on a slim brass rod looks modern, while gingham or small florals lean country.

Can you use cafe curtains in a living room?

You can, especially on smaller or street-facing windows. Layer them under full-length curtains if you also want to close the whole window at night.

The Final Word on Cafe Curtains

Cafe curtains prove that light, privacy and personality can co-exist beautifully. They take up very little space, but the potential they carry is anything but small. Whether it’s the kitchen sink window that’s prone to water splashes or a bank of sunroom windows looking for a breezy attire, cafe curtains prove as elegant as practical.

Ready to dress your window with cafe curtains? Browse Sewn’s custom curtains, where knobbly linens, crisp cottons and light-filtering sheers await to dress your window with a little pleat and a whole lot of charm.