What is a café curtain? A café curtain covers only the lower part of a window, usually the bottom half. The rod sits partway down the frame, so you get privacy at eye level and still keep daylight coming in over the top. They're also called tier curtains, and they're most common in kitchens, breakfast nooks, bathrooms and street-facing rooms.
Store-bought café curtains come in a few fixed sizes, usually 24″ or 36″ long, and they rarely match the window in front of you. We make custom café curtains to your measurements, in the fabric and heading you choose, so the panels gather the right amount and stop exactly where you want them.
Why choose café curtains
- Privacy without the gloom. Neighbors and passers-by can't see in at eye level, and the top of the window stays clear for light.
- Kitchen-friendly. Short panels stay clear of the sink, the counter and the stove, and they're easy to take down and wash.
- Room for a valance. Pair a café tier with a short valance or a second tier above it for a classic cottage or farmhouse look.
- A finished look on odd windows. Wide, narrow or extra-tall windows rarely suit a ready-made size. Ours are made to the inch.
Where café curtains work best
| Room | Why it works | Fabric we'd suggest |
|---|---|---|
| Kitchen | Covers the window over the sink and keeps light on the counter | Cotton or linen-look, easy to wash |
| Breakfast nook or dining room | Screens a street-facing window while you eat | Semi-sheer or a light stripe |
| Bathroom | Privacy at the lower glass, daylight above | Lined cotton, or a solid outdoor fabric that handles humidity |
| Front room or home office | Cuts the view in from the sidewalk without closing the room off | Sheer or semi-sheer |
| Sunroom or enclosed porch | Softens strong sun on the lower glass | Sunbrella or another outdoor fabric that won't fade |
How to measure for café curtains
- Choose the rod height. On a double-hung window, most people set the rod at the middle rail where the two sashes meet. On other windows, set it at the height that blocks the view you want to hide, often a third to half of the way down.
- Measure the width. Measure the rod, or the inside of the frame for an inside mount. For a soft gather, order panels that together are 1½ to 2 times that width. Rod pocket café curtains look best at about 2 times.
- Measure the length. Measure from the top of the rod to where you want the hem to stop. For an inside mount, finish about ½″ above the sill so the hem doesn't drag. For an outside mount, go 2″ to 4″ below the sill so the panel covers the frame.
Not sure about your numbers? Our curtain size calculator works out panel width for you, and the measuring guide covers mounting options in more detail.
Common café curtain lengths
| Length | Typical use |
|---|---|
| 24″ | Smaller kitchen and bathroom windows |
| 30″ | Standard double-hung windows, rod at the middle rail |
| 36″ | Tall windows, or when you want more of the glass covered |
| Your exact drop | Any window where a standard length stops in the wrong place |
These are the sizes most stores sell. With a custom order you give us your own measurement instead.
Headings and fabrics
Choose a heading
- Rod pocket: the traditional café curtain heading. The rod slides through a sewn channel and the fabric gathers along it. Best for tiers you leave in place. See rod pocket curtains.
- Tab top: fabric loops over the rod for a relaxed, cottage look. Easy to slide open. See tab top curtains.
- Back tab: loops hidden behind the panel give neat folds from the front. See back tab curtains.
Choose a fabric
Pick from our indoor drapery fabrics, sheers for a soft, light-filtering tier, or outdoor fabrics such as Sunbrella for sunrooms and bathrooms. Curtains can be lined or unlined, and 100% blackout lining is available on any fabric except sheers. Want to see the colour first? Order fabric swatches.
How ordering works
- Open the custom curtain builder and choose your fabric, heading and lining.
- Enter your panel width and finished length.
- We cut and sew your panels to order. Most curtains are made in 2–3 weeks and ship free within the US. Warwick Outdoor fabrics are made to pre-order and take 6–8 weeks.
Outfitting a café, restaurant or hotel? See our commercial and restaurant curtains for bulk orders and fire-safety fabric options.
Start your custom café curtains
Café curtain questions
What is the difference between café curtains and tier curtains?
Nothing, really. Both names describe short curtains that cover the lower part of a window. "Tier" is also used when two short panels are stacked, one above the other.
How high should café curtains hang?
Usually at the halfway point of the window, or at the middle rail of a double-hung window. If your window faces a sidewalk, hang the rod at the height that blocks the view from outside.
How wide should café curtains be?
Plan for the panels together to be 1½ to 2 times the width of the rod. Less fullness looks flat. More looks heavily ruffled.
Can I use café curtains in a bathroom?
Yes. Choose a lined cotton or an outdoor fabric like Sunbrella, which handles moisture well and won't fade in a sunny window.
Do café curtains need a special rod?
No. A slim curtain rod or a tension rod mounted inside the frame works well. If you're using a thick or decorative rod, tell us its diameter so we can size the rod pocket.
Can you make café curtains in a non-standard size?
Yes. That's the main reason to order custom. Give us your width and finished length, and we make the panels to match.
