Kitchen Door Curtain

Kitchen door curtain in 340 gsm cotton twill, hung from a hinged portière rod screwed to the door face — 3 in. double-turned hem with a continuous sewn chain weight, cut to brush the floor. Our kitchen door curtain swings with the door, seals the under-door draught after every close, and includes the portière rod.

What a back door leaks, and why a kitchen door curtain solves it

A back door does two things badly. It leaks air around the frame and through the letterplate, and if it is half-glazed it leaks heat through the glass and privacy through it after dark. In an older house the back door is frequently the single largest source of draught in the building, and the kitchen is the room paying for it.

The portière: hung on the door, not beside it

A door curtain — the old name is a portière — solves it by hanging on the door rather than beside it. The rod is hinged and screwed to the door face at the top, so it swings out with the door and returns flat against it when the door closes. There is nothing to draw and nothing to move out of the way; the curtain is simply part of the door from the day it goes up.

The hem: where a kitchen door curtain works or fails

The hem is where it works or fails. Ours is 3 in. double-turned with a continuous sewn chain weight, cut so the panel just brushes the floor. That contact is the seal — a panel hanging even an inch clear does effectively nothing, because the draught comes under the door and straight past it. Weighted, the hem drops back into contact after every swing.

340 gsm cotton twill: mass, not looks

Cloth is a 340 gsm cotton twill, chosen for mass rather than looks: stopping air movement is a function of density and weight, and a light curtain over a draughty door billows instead of sealing. It is not blackout, but on a half-glazed door it gives complete privacy after dark, which is usually the second reason people buy one.

Two lengths for two door situations

Two lengths. Full at 78 or 80 in. for a solid or half-glazed door where you want the full seal. Half at 36 in., hung across the glazed panel only on a rod at the glazing line, for a door where a full-length curtain would foul a low handle or a cat flap.

Sizes, hardware and installation

Fits 30, 32 and 36 in. doors; hinged portière rod included in Ink, Antique Brass or Brushed Nickel. Check the door swing first — a portière needs about an inch of clearance at the hinge side and must be fitted on the pull face.

Colours and care

Alabaster, Bone, Fog Grey, Sable, Clay and Indigo. Warm wash, tumble low.

Kitchen door curtain size guide

How to care for your kitchen door curtain

• Warm machine wash on a normal cycle
• Tumble low
• Vacuum the hem monthly — captures dust from the seal contact
• Skip fabric softener — reduces the fabric’s air-stopping density

Frequently asked questions

How does a kitchen door curtain seal a draught?

Chain-weighted hem brushes the floor on every close. The contact is the seal. A panel hanging even an inch clear does effectively nothing.

What is a portière rod?

A hinged rod screwed to the door face — swings out with the door, returns flat when closed. Included with every kitchen door curtain.

Which side of the door does a portière go on?

The pull face, with about 1 in. of clearance at the hinge side. Check the door swing before ordering.

Full or half kitchen door curtain?

Full for a solid door or where you want the full draught seal. Half for a glazed panel where a full-length curtain would foul a low handle or cat flap.

Complete the kitchen

Match with kitchen curtains, kitchen curtain valance over the sink, and coordinated kitchen towels.