Yay for kitchen curtains! They have almost gone extinct, I've noticed. Most kitchens have upper cabinets crowding the window and there's no room for curtains. I love how curtains can add softness, colour, and pattern while - unlike a backsplash - being easy and cheap to replace. Fabric is a great addition to an open concept kitchen, especially when it is open concept. I'm planning to put curtains in my kitchen too. Suggestions for you (sorry you'll have to cut and paste links) - most will need to be hemmed (get a drycleaner to do it if you don't sew) - 1st choice :) (first pattern) : http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/urban/catalog/productdetail.jsp?id=22906986&parentid=A_FURN_WINDOW http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/urban/catalog/productdetail.jsp?id=26198275&parentid=A_FURN_WINDOW http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/product/home-curtains-embroidered/26860908.jsp?cm_sp=Grid-_-26860908-_-Large_34 http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/product/home-curtains-embroidered/30134274.jsp?cm_sp=Grid-_-30134274-_-Regular_9 http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/urban/catalog/productdetail.jsp?id=27037522&parentid=A_FURN_WINDOW 2nd pattern: http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/urban/catalog/productdetail.jsp?id=30437719&parentid=A_FURN_WINDOW http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/urban/catalog/productdetail.jsp?id=27386556&parentid=A_FURN_WINDOW http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/urban/catalog/productdetail.jsp?id=24946576&parentid=A_FURN_WINDOW

Thanks to all of you for the feedback and suggestions! Enduring, I do like cafe curtains, and in fact that's the style we had up pre-remodel. I had not thought of wrought iron before, but I can definitely see how that could work. I generally lean toward simple styles, and like the idea of a plain white flat fixture for the center, if I can find something that would not look too commercial. I like that white dome pendant you posted, too, UpNorthHey. I am limited for the over-sink fixture by the distance of the light box from the wall, though. I think I can only go up to 8 or 9 inches in diameter. Those are some cool ceiling fans, robotropolis! I go back and forth on whether I want something more attention-getting vs. fade-into-background, to the extent that any ceiling fan can fade into the background. One of the plainer options I've had my eye on is this Minka-Aire Concept II. I love the industrial/barn style fixtures. I especially like the copper finish option on that Sea Gull pendant, though I'm not sure copper would be a good choice for the room. My only hesitation about this style is that I don't want to veer too far into a cottage/country look to the point that it looks goofy. iroll, I'm glad to hear you are happy with your Ramsjo white cabinets! I mostly hear people complain about how pink they look in the displays, and I will admit that I normally prefer a whiter white, myself. However, I do love how the grain shows through. Thanks for posting about Graveyard Mall - I had not heard of them before. A general question: should the fixtures over the sink and the peninsula match?

The kitchen you found that you love, if I'm correct, is by Candice Olson/Divine Design. It was the subject of one of her shows about a family who all cooks together, even the teenaged kids. They have a family food business that they're all involved with. If I'm correct, there is an aisle across from the cooktop, leading out to a French-door patio, with storage cabs and a desk parallel to the cooktop peninsula. I'm not sure where the wall ovens are, they are either there or in the long bank of cabs/refrig that run parallel to the window wall. Now, I love Candice - her color palettes (I hate those gaudy Crayola colors the other HGTV designers love), her sense of architectural design (which most interior designers lack). But her kitchens, although very beautiful, to me have always lacked essential functionality. Her design for an obsessed baker with a good-sized kitchen that only had a single wall oven instead of a double, for example, or giving a busy working mother a fancy glass-topped island hood that will require somebody standing on the island to clean the back portion of the hood. Her design is a riff on the "Something's Got to Give" kitchen that created such a huge wave of interest a while back; just subbing full overlay Shaker cabs and glass-tiled backsplash. It's a classic look, so I think it will always be popular in one version or another. But when it comes to functionality, many people here have done a better job.

Hi Christine, I love your windows too! You have great light in your room. To answer your question - no, all windows don't need curtains. Plenty of homes with great views don't cover up the windows at all. From your photo, it doesn't look like you need curtains for privacy, and your shades can probably take care of that anyway. It sounds like you're interested in drapery panels just for the texture, pattern and visual warmth. You can absolutely do that! You can hang draperies without a curtain rod that span all three windows. If you don't need the panels to operate, plenty of people have rods that are just wide enough for the panel itself. You would buy four rods a little wider than the distance between your windows. Stationary drapery panels about twice the width of the rod would give you enough material to gather appropriately. (This can vary depending on the fabric you use.) If you want the curtains to operate or at least close over the windows, you could look at three separate rods. You'd need a simple finial that wouldn't draw attention to the rod separation. Then you would have six panels, two per rod. With your window spacing, the rods might need to abut each other. Buying pre-made drapery panels will save you money, but if you find a local drapery workroom, you can customize the length and width of the panels. The workroom can assist you with the measurements you need to take as well. Also, make sure to look at how much space is behind the door adjacent to the windows when it's open. That might affect your plan! These are just some ideas. I hope they help! Doug