Forget Cafe Curtains: Here's A Cuter Way To Cover Windows Without Blocking Light

You may have once loved the vintage vibe of cafe drapes in your living, kitchen, or dining room. But if you feel like this type of curtain is due for a change, make your windows look classy and chic with a cuter style of window treatments. Enter cafe shutters. Although they also cover the bottom of your windows, these window dressings are a popular alternative choice because they don't block light entirely. This is because the bare top illuminates your room with natural light even when the louvers are closed, which is not what you'll get with cafe curtains. Additionally, they offer privacy benefits and prevent peeping Toms from peeking inside your home — without completely obscuring your view of the outside world.

Plus, you can personalize them to suit your preferences. Not only do these shutters have a stylish appeal, but they're also sturdy and will last you a while. Moreover, they aren't too high-maintenance. Further, if your window isn't square or rectangular, the shutters make for a better choice as they can better cover it than cafe drapes. That being said, note that these treatments require depth to do their work well. Besides, insulation might also be an issue with this style of shutters. From an investment point of view, half-height curtains are obviously cheaper than cafe shutters, but only in the short-run.

Cafe shutters offer a number of advantages that half-height curtains can't provide. For starters, they allow you to dictate the amount of sunlight making its way inside your house. To achieve this, you can open the slats completely or even slightly depending on just how much light you want, or close the louvers to enjoy just the light from the open top half. Moreover, they're better than cafe drapes in terms of privacy. This is due to their rigid structure vis-a-vis the flowy nature of the curtains.

That's not all. The unique design of cafe-style shutters will lend your space a charming personality. Plus, they stay close to your window and don't billow out like curtains, so they'll make a room seem bigger than it is. Additionally, you can customize the color, material, and height of each shutter depending upon your preferences. Their cleaning and maintenance is a breeze, too. Just grab a wet wipe or dampen a microfiber cloth to wipe the louvers. You can even fit a crevice tool on your vacuum to hoover the dust away.

Besides, shutters can endure wear and tear over time, do not fade easily, and can handle moisture, snowfall, or rain far better than a fabric curtain. Additionally, installing these cute shutters might make your property more appealing to potential buyers since they're both useful and adorable. You can also save money on your electricity bills (especially during summer months) since you won't have to depend on artificial lighting as long as the sun is out.

Despite these pros, cafe shutters have their fair share of drawbacks, too. As they're typically made of wood, vinyl, or a composite material, their unit cost is much higher than half-height curtains. While you can save on installation costs by mounting them up with hinges, you'll have to contract a professional if you want to use window frames or aren't a pro DIYer. So, they might not be a good fit if you're on a tight budget. However, it's a one-time cost, as you won't have to replace them frequently unlike cafe curtains.

Also, shutters aren't an ideal option if you want complete darkness. Although the louvers can be adjusted, light (both natural and artificial) can't be blocked out completely. Since the top portion of your window remains exposed, the influx of light can't be controlled even during nights and flickering lights from street lamps or passing cars will stream through. And converting a half shutter into a full one is challenging, too. You'll have to get the previous setup uninstalled to make room for a new one. But you can pair them with blackout curtains if that's your main concern. Another con is that the half height nature of cafe shutters reduces their insulation capabilities, so they won't completely block drafts in the cold, dreary months or keep hot air out during summer. Unless, of course, you insulate them. The slats will still be a little problematic, though. They aren't noise-proof, either.