Trending: Linen Café Curtains

We work with interior design portfolio images day in and day out, so noticing emerging trends comes naturally. We look for the common thread among designers of different geographical regions and style categories to identify which features continue to appear in project reveals across the board. As of late, we’ve seen linen café curtains make a noticeable reemergence with industry leaders sourcing them for kitchens, breakfast nooks, bathrooms and more.

But we know what you’re thinking: these aren’t your grandmother’s café curtains. They’ve been elevated with airy linen fabrics and beautiful hardware sets to breathe new life into this once-dated trend. Designers like Jake ArnoldHeidi Caillier, and Lauren Liess are putting their own spin on the look to embrace the functionality and aesthetic of this cutie comeback curtain, and we’re here to help you get the look.

Inspiration for Linen Café Curtains

Kitchen linen café curtains by Heidi Caillier Design

Design:Heidi Caillier Design | Photography: Haris Kenjar

@heidicaillier

It doesn’t get more classic than linen café curtains in the kitchen. They give a subtle nod to decades past while fitting right in with the design features of today. We particularly love how Heidi Caillier matched the rod set hardware to her brass faucet finish for a seamless look.

Bathroom linen café curtains by Yond Interiors
Bathroom linen café curtains by Yond Interiors

Design: Yond Interiors | Photography: Amanda Birnie

@yondinteriors

For city dwellers (or any homeowner with nearby neighbors), café curtains offer the best of both worlds: privacy without blocking out natural light. Close them when you need to, open them when you don’t, and let the sun pour all day long. Well done, Yond Interiors.

Bathroom linen café curtains, design by Jake Arnold

Design: Jake Arnold | Photography: Michael P. H. Clifford

@jakearnold

Leave it to Jake Arnold to make café curtains undeniably cool again. Paired with a French return curtain rod, it’s the perfect window treatment for this soaking tub with a killer view.

Cafe curtain in the laundry room, design by Lauren Liess

Design: Lauren Liess

@laurenliess

When designer and lifestyle guru Lauren Liess showed off a laundry room progress pic featuring linen café curtains, we took note. They allow for JUST enough privacy when needed without closing off the space and give off a super custom look.

Black kitchen window with white cafe curtain over sink

Interior Design: Studio Entourage

@studioentourage

We love a good study in contrast, and this kitchen scene is exactly that. The iron black window set against bright white linen café curtains is nothing short of a *chef’s kiss* moment.

Linen cafe curtain in breakfast dining nook, design by Heidi Caillier

Design: Heidi Caillier Design | Photography: Haris Kenjar

@heidicaillier

Roman shades and full-length curtains are the darlings of window treatments, but this breakfast nook proves there’s a time and place for alternatives. When installed with beautiful hardware and sliding clips, well-made café curtains bring a level of tailored sophistication to any space.

Shop Linen Café Curtains

Just like their full-length counterparts, café curtains are best to find custom-made to fit your window size criteria. We recommend checking out Etsy for made-to-order options or purchasing a standard-size panel and having it hemmed by your local tailor. Here are a mix of custom and ready-to-ship options that caught our eye.

IDCO Studio is a boutique creative agency specialized in beautiful and unique marketing solutions for interior designers. Focused on branding, web design and Instagram marketing, IDCO Studio is a woman owned and operated team of creatives based in Austin, Texas. The Identité Collective, which began as a business blog quickly grew into a collaborative community focused on providing business strategy and visual inspiration to the interior design community.

Now you can find our shop of resources, templates and custom branding and web design work over at IDCO Studio – leaving The Identité Collective as a permanent resource for our beloved design community.

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