10 Cabin Window Treatments and Ideas

Shutters are often installed on a home’s exterior for decorative purposes. But when you’re roughing it in the woods, they need to function. These barn door shutters can be installed indoors or outdoors. Since they’re unfinished solid cedar, you can paint or stain them as you please.

Café curtains create a quaint, homey environment. They’re especially fitting in a kitchen or breakfast nook window.

This lace café curtain set comes in ivory or white. The traditional American design is timeless, yet it brings an unmistakable touch of country charm — perfect for the cabin. These cabin window treatments are machine washable, and there’s a matching window valence available, too.

For a simple, natural cabin window treatment, look no further than these floor-length linen drapes. They come in six sizes and 13 colors. They’re a great choice for a modern cabin interior or to highlight the view outside the window. Although not the fanciest choice, these drapes are a strong, dependable option — plus they’re machine washable.

Plaid is a cabin staple for fire pit evenings and sunrise coffee. But it isn’t just for flannel shirts; plaid makes stylish cabin window treatments too. These plaid curtains are perfect for a cabin in the woods. Go subtle with beige or blue, or bold with red or purple. Pair with vintage signs, deer antlers and a singing fish for a perfectly kitschy home away from home.

Blinds are another popular cabin window treatment, paired with curtains or drapes for light blocking. Wood blinds look more rustic and cabin-y than plastic ones.

These two-inch wood blinds come in many colors to suit any interior design style. For a more rustic look, go for brown or gray. These blinds even have a cordless option for cabins with pets or kids. While you’re at it, get to know how to measure windows for blinds.

Curtain hardware is just as important as the curtains themselves. This sturdy, rustic curtain rod features black metal with gold highlights. It brings the outdoors in while beautifully matching the linen and plaid drapes mentioned above. Loon Peak also has a plain pine cone curtain rod and a bear curtain rod available on Wayfair.

If you go with curtains as your cabin window treatments, you’ll need tiebacks. These rope curtain tiebacks fit cabins nicely. They’re just rustic enough to match many styles of curtain or décor, including farmhouse linen and Northwoods plaid. The rope comes in eight colors and packs of two or four.

A window valence easily adds personality to plain curtains or blinds. This Northwoods window valence is mainly tan with red plaid curtain rod tabs and two bear silhouettes. For a little more color, try the Barefoot Bungalow Yosemite window valence, which has stripes, pine trees, a geometric pattern and bear silhouettes.

Durable and inexpensive, burlap is a hardworking décor element. A little burlap can take a room from spring to fall, or minimalist to rustic, at a moment’s notice. That’s why it’s often used in Thanksgiving and cabin decorations.

Check out this tan burlap window valence trimmed with delicate cream lace. The burlap lets in plenty of light to make the room feel bigger.

Cottagecore leans heavily into the romantic, homey and sometimes feminine. Cottagecore is all about living off the land, which makes it a fitting style for a rural cabin or cottage. These lace balloon curtains fit right into the comfortable, vintage-inspired design trend. One Wayfair reviewer paired them with white blinds to increase light filtering.

What to Look for in Cabin Window Treatments

Treatment types

• Drapes: Typically made from thick, backed fabric, drapes are usually floor-length and open from the center or side of a window. Drapes usually block out more light than curtains but can be used in tandem.
• Curtains: Similar to drapes, curtains are lengths of fabric that typically open from the side or middle of a window. However, they are usually shorter, falling just below a window’s sill. Unlike drapes, curtains are typically made from lighter, breezier fabric.
• Shades: Shades are like hybrids between curtains and blinds. They are usually made from a solid piece of fabric, but they’re attached to the top of a window’s frame and can be raised and lowered—usually wrapping around a bar or bunching neatly at the top.
• Blinds: When you think of someone peeking through their window, you’re probably thinking of blinds. Usually comprised of slats or louvers, these attach to the top of your window’s frame and can be lifted and lowered, as well as tilted open and closed.

Heavy or sheer

It’s important to decide beforehand if you want your window treatments to let light in or block it out, as this will determine the fabrics and materials you are shopping for. Heavier drapes usually block out more light, while sheer curtains let it in. Of course, you can also use heavy light-blocking fabrics/materials in tandem with those that let light in, offering the best of both worlds.

Long or short

Are you trying to cover floor-length windows or smaller ones? The answer to that question will probably answer whether you need long or short window treatments. Just remember: window treatments come in various lengths, so you’ll want to measure your windows ahead of time to cover them properly.

How We Picked these Cabin Window Treatments

There are many factors to consider when picking out the right window treatments, which means there is also a wide variety of options. To best serve our readers, I selected various materials and styles based on price, quality, popularity, customer reviews and more.

Why You Should Trust Us

As an assistant editor for Family Handyman, specializing in organization and décor, I’ve built my career in home improvement and interior decorating. My years of experience have given me a unique insight into the overall space, consumer needs, popular trends and more, allowing me to create this honest, well-researched grouping of offerings.

FAQ

What color window treatments look good in a log cabin?

Due to the nature of the materials used to build a cabin, earthy and more natural colors may look best—think beiges and greens. They also won’t distract from the natural beauty of the wood. However, some people like a little pop of color, which is also perfectly fine. It’s your cabin, after all.

Is it better to have plain or patterned window treatments in a cabin?

Ultimately, this depends on your preference and other decor. If your cabin and furniture have a more minimalist style, simpler, single-color curtains will likely go better than plaid ones. However, classic patterns, like tartan or checkers, might be a better option if you’re going for a more rustic look.

Should curtains be lighter or darker than furniture?

Like the question above, this comes down to personal preference. Having said that, you may want to consider the color of your curtains based more on the size of your windows than the color of the furniture. Larger windows require more fabric, so a darker color could be a little overwhelming and may make the space look smaller. Similarly, smaller windows with darker curtains might better complement the space. Again, this will depend on the style of furniture and your personal preference at the end of the day.