How To Use Black And White Buffalo Check Curtains In A Room

Love the classic western-style plaid look? Often called buffalo check or buffalo plaid, did you know this could be a fantastic pattern to use on a curtain? Especially if sticking to neutral - yet dramatic - black and white.

Let us show you how.

In this post, we've put together some design tips and examples of how this design is used in drapes and curtains. And yes, we've also got you covered with some shopping links for great designs!

First, let's talk a little bit about the pattern itself.

What's the buffalo plaid pattern?

The buffalo plaid pattern first entered the scene back in the 1800s and has been in style ever since. It first originated in Scotland and was brought to America by immigrants in the form of throws and blankets. Usually adorned in red and black, the unique plaid pattern didn’t pick up pace until Woolrich Woolen Mills recognized its potential use in fashion, and by extension… curtains.

Woolrich incorporated the Scottish style into their shirts, which started selling like hot cakes and soon became a mainstay of American culture.

The pattern contains two colored stripes interwoven to create big intersecting blocks. Furthermore, the pattern is versatile enough to utilize different color schemes, more notably, black and white palettes. This is the focus of our article today.

We’ve rounded up some cool examples from Instagram to give you an idea of what this color looks like on your walls.

1. All Tied Up

You can use the buffalo plaid pattern on your kitchen walls to give a complete overhaul to your interiors in terms of design. Notice how the curtain seamlessly integrates with the kitchen’s existing décor?

2. Easy to Set Up

The black and white plaid perfectly lines up with the room’s minimalistic interiors. We can’t imagine any other colors looking this visually appealing yet subtle at the same time. Reds and whites wouldn’t stand a chance.

3. Darker Colors

This buffalo plaid has a darker shade of black, you can tell because a larger percentage of the incoming light is blocked. It makes for a cool effect to see light only coming out of the white blocks. If you want to add more mysterious auras to your room, then this product should provide a good place to start.

4. Black, White, and Bits of Grey

Buffalo plaid pattern doesn’t have to feature only 2 color choices. You can make use of three completely different shades as demonstrated here. The gray provides a very subtle contrast to the blacks, both of which go along well with the room’s predominantly grey and white color theme.

A good trick to add more visually appealing colors to the room is with the use of throw pillows, as can be demonstrated here. With so many throw pillows, there’s barely enough seating space for everyone, but the aesthetics are definitely worth sacrificing some functionality!

Need more inspiration? Check out our post about types of throw pillows to learn more about this unique design feature.

5. Let the Light In

This curtain panel features three distinct shades interwoven together in large blocks of grey, white, and black. As a result, the incoming light is filtered out to represent the buffalo plaid pattern. Of course, it definitely helps that the rest of the room features no murals or elaborate designs that could negate the simplicity of the buffalo pattern.

From the rustic stools to the wooden floor – this room was designed from the ground up to incorporate minimalistic design themes such as the buffalo plaid pattern.

6. Spruce Things Up with Buffalo

It certainly helps that the living room predominantly features grey and white color themes, but the buffalo plaid pattern brings its own flair to the table, completely overhauling the room with minimal effort on the owner’s part.

7. Setting the Right Mood

The buffalo plaid pattern looks perfect in this room, setting the right moods for the owner. This curtain panel could not look more photogenic even if it tried!

8. Somber Theme

The buffalo plaid can look visually somber as well, as can be seen here. All the shades of black and grey combine to create a darker theme than most people would like, but there is a market for such a taste. It doesn’t look half as bad either. Some people just don’t like colors, and that doesn’t have to be a bad thing at all. A low-profile, minimalistic décor is a stylistic statement in of itself.

Which Buffalo Plaid Curtains To Buy?

Now that you’re aware of the significance of the buffalo plaid pattern in terms of design and aesthetics, here are a few products to start you off with.

1. Black Courtyard by Lorraine Home Fashions

This curtain contains the signature color palette of the buffalo plaid pattern without going overboard. There is some inconsistency in the color scheme because of the corrugated texture on some blocks, which was used by the artisan as an interesting design choice. Some people may not be on board with the corrugated look, but this is entirely subjective.

The panel is fairly durable thanks to its blend of cotton and polyester. It will definitely feel comfortable to the touch. In terms of maintenance, these products are fairly easy to clean, just toss in your machine washer. Don’t use bleach and hot water.

Click here to buy.

2.  Checkered Pattern by lovemyfabric

This eclectic curtain does a good pretty job of bringing significant value to the room in terms of design. It looks authentic to the original buffalo plaid pattern, but with black and white patterns instead. The neutral colors should look well on most interior decors and you won’t have to worry about incompatibility. This curtain is highly recommended especially if you’re running out of ideas for your décor.

It is available in eight different sizes and features 100 percent polyester for extra durability. The fairly low maintenance curtains are easy to clean and are fully machine washable. You can’t go wrong with this purchase.

Click here to buy it on Amazon.

3. Kitchen Window Treatment by Sweet Home Collection

If you are looking for some eclectic window treatments for your kitchen, then look no further than this product by Sweet Home Collection. This time around, the buffalo plaid pattern takes a small form factor which looks cute. The complementary lacing provided with the curtain allows you to tie the bottom in beautiful knots.

The fabric is fairly durable and soft thanks to its cotton blend.

Click here to buy it on Amazon.

4. Farmhouse Classic Country by VHC Brands

Another buffalo pattern that features smaller blocks than usual, this product wins high points from us in terms of a unique design that looks incredibly chic. It’s alternating black, grey, and white pattern should look perfect in most kitchens, especially if you’re going for that Scandinavian look with its minimal looks.

The cotton fabric is designed with product longevity in mind, so this curtain should last you a good couple of years before wear and tear take a toll on the curtains. This product can be purchased in two different sizes, make sure you do get one that fits your window! All in all, a perfect purchase that doesn’t break the budget and gets the job done.

Click here to buy it. 

5. Decorative Buffalo Check by Sweet Home Collection

This window treatment is designed for exclusive use in kitchens, but you can use it in other rooms with interesting results. The buffalo plaid pattern alternates between black, grey, and white, which should bring a ton of design flair to your kitchen. Making the design more interesting are the curtain borders towards the bottom which marks an interesting change from the usual buffalo pattern.

This isn’t a bad thing and shouldn’t detract from the overall aesthetics, at least not if you care too much about the buffalo patterns. The curtains are fairly easy to clean and can be machine washed for convenient maintenance. There are four different sizes to choose from, make you get a size that fits your window.

Click here to buy it.

6. Buffalo Check White Curtain by VHC Brands

VHC Brands frequently feature on our list thanks to their robust products. They don’t usually tinker too much with the buffalo plaid patterns, and decided instead to feature hem folds drawstring ties instead. This should look more visually pleasing to your guests, thanks to the different resulting architectural appeal drawstring ties bring to the table.

Furthermore, the fabric is 100 percent cotton, which is important if you want both durability and comfort. This high quality of ink will not fade away with time thanks to advanced printing methods. You can wash this curtain in a machine, which makes it fairly low maintenance. Just don’t use bleach and you’ll be fine.

Click here to buy this curtain.

7. Classic Country Curtains by VHC Brands

These valences are designed for purely aesthetic reasons rather than functional. As such, don’t expect them to bring privacy to your room because they will only cover your windows halfway, or even less than that depending on their size. But you can expect them to add a lot of value in terms of design. You can pair this valence with a full-fledged curtain for interesting results.

The fabric is 100 percent cotton, which is important if you want the product to last for several years after the purchase. It doesn’t require much in the way of maintenance and can be machine washed for convenient cleaning. Don’ use bleach or hot water to prevent damaging the fabric.

Click here to buy this product on Amazon.