DIY Kitchen Cafe Curtains in 10 Minutes (No Sew Option)

One of my favorite finishing touches in our newly painted white kitchen is this quick and easy set of DIY cottage-style curtains. They took just ten minutes, with no sewing necessary (unless you want to), and were made from soft green cotton tea towels. While the all-white cupboards and tile backsplash really brightened up the space, the hint of green in the curtains helped break up all the white and keep the kitchen from feeling too plain.

How to Make Cottage-Style Kitchen Curtains

Materials for One Set of Curtains

Step 1 – Measure Your Windows

Start by measuring your kitchen windows and any other areas where you’d like to add fabric curtains. In our kitchen, I also have a small built-in desk area that doubles as storage for large flour and sugar bins. I used an extra set of curtains there to hide the bins.

Step 2 – Choose Your Tea Towels

Tea towels are perfect for DIY kitchen curtains; they’re affordable, already hemmed, and come in a wide assortment of colors and prints. Make sure any patterns match exactly so both sides of your curtains are identical. I recommend sticking with cotton or linen, since they’re durable, easy to wash, and their natural textures really complement that cozy cottage feel.

Step 3 – Fold and Secure the Top Edge

Decide how long you want your curtains to hang, then fold the tops of your tea towels down to the right length. I recommend giving the fold a quick ironing to keep the fold neat and crisp. This method lets you customize the length without needing to hem the bottom edge.

To hold the top fold in place, sew down the two side seams. If you prefer to make the curtains no-sew, use iron-on hem tape or fabric glue. The existing hems on the other sides of the towel are already finished, making it so easy to do.

Step 4 – Adding the Clips

Once you have the length you need, fold your tea towel in half to find the center, then add the first clip. Place the next clips at the outside edges of the kitchen towel. Then add the final two clips between the center and outer clips. Hang on the rod. I finished off the window with a vintage teacup filled with faux succulents from Dollar Tree, just to add a little charm and greenery.

The first set went on the window, and the second set became a skirt for the lower cupboards. The lower curtain added just a little more cottage style, and it’s an easy way to hide my big flour and sugar bins.

Going forward, I want to add a wood shelf to the window sill, and some DIY boxes on top of the cupboards to bring in more color, and some perfect vintage artwork for the backsplash. I am hoping to find something vintage at garage sales this summer.

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