Cafe Curtains: Best Styles & Placement Ideas for 2025

Looking for window treatments that balance privacy with natural light? Cafe curtains offer a simple, stylish way to enhance kitchens, breakfast nooks, and more. This guide explores the best styles, materials, and placement strategies for 2025.

Why Cafe Curtains Still Work in Modern Homes

Cafe curtains have a long history rooted in European cafés, where they offered modesty and softness without fully blocking daylight.

Today, they’re a favorite in American homes for their balance of practicality and charm. Their lightweight form keeps spaces feeling open while still providing a sense of privacy.

Their low-profile design works especially well in compact areas and is making a strong comeback in minimalist, coastal, and cottage-core interiors.

Where Cafe Curtains Fit Best: Room-by-Room Suggestions

Cafe curtains shine in spaces that benefit from both light and privacy. They’re commonly used in:

Kitchens: Over the sink or along garden-facing windows

Bathrooms: Especially when paired with frosted glass

Breakfast Nooks: To define cozy corners without visual bulk

Laundry Rooms & Mudrooms: Functional light control without blocking airiness

They can also be layered with full-length panels or roman shades to create texture and depth, making them adaptable far beyond their café origins.

Top Fabric Choices for Cafe Curtains in 2025

The best cafe curtains in 2025 lean toward natural and breathable fabrics:

Linen offers a crisp drape and organic texture, ideal for relaxed or coastal looks.

Cotton blends provide ease of maintenance and a softer hand feel.

Sheer fabrics balance transparency with privacy, especially in softly lit spaces.

Color trends include neutral oat, warm white, and subtle stripes—ideal for creating light-filled, quiet interiors.

Looking for material-based options?
→ Linen curtains
→ Cotton blend curtains

Our Bestselling Styles to Consider

If you’re browsing standout pieces, start with these two customer favorites:

Sienna striped pleated cafe curtains – a tailored look with a subtle stripe pattern that elevates casual rooms.

Breeza cotton blend cafe curtains – soft and semi-sheer, great for daylight-focused kitchens.

Both are pleated, offering a structured finish that complements small windows without visual clutter.

How to Choose the Right Header Style

Header style affects both installation and aesthetics. For cafe curtains, the top three options are:

Pleated: Structured and elegant, ideal for formal or transitional rooms.

Rod pocket: Casual and simple, but harder to slide.

Grommet: Modern and clean but often too heavy visually for short panels.

Looking to explore more pleated looks?
→ Pleated drapes

Installation Tips for a Polished Look

To get the most out of your cafe curtains:

Height: Mount at halfway or two-thirds of the window height

Width: Use 1.5× to 2× window width for fullness

Hardware: Use tension rods for a minimalist look or brackets for more permanence

Also, match your rod finish to your kitchen or bath fixtures for a cohesive result.

FAQs About Cafe Curtains

Q1: Are cafe curtains still in style in 2025?
Yes — they’ve made a big comeback thanks to cottage-core, coastal, and minimalist trends.

Q2: Can you use cafe curtains in rooms other than the kitchen?
Absolutely. They’re great in laundry rooms, mudrooms, bathrooms, and even small guest rooms.

Q3: What’s the best rod placement for cafe curtains?
Midway down the window is standard, but you can raise them for a lengthening effect.

Q4: Do cafe curtains block enough light?
They offer privacy while still letting in light — not blackout, but soft and diffused.