Tips for Making Your Windows Look Bigger

When you are decorating your home, you may long for large picture windows with expansive views, but this is not a standard feature on every home. While you could hypothetically install larger windows with a remodel, this isn’t always a realistic option, whether due to the structure of your home or the budget of your family. However, if your home doesn’t have the big, wide windows of your dreams, it isn’t the end of the world; fortunately, there are plenty of ways to trick the eye into thinking a window is much bigger than it truly is. If you are looking for a way to make your small windows appear larger, read on for some simple tricks.

Add Height

You can make your windows look taller using window treatments. If your windows are short, you can make them look taller by hanging floor-length drapes or curtains near the ceiling, roughly two inches below the molding ideally. If the gap between the top of the window and the curtain rod appears awkwardly large, you can feel that empty space with a cornice board, lambrequin, or valance over the curtain, or by installing a shade underneath the curtain to cover the wall. If you add shades, install the top of them right below the rod, and then do not raise the bottom above the top edge of the window. If you go for cornice boards or lambrequins, avoid ones with straight bottoms.

Add Width

If the issue with your small window is that it is too narrow, the aim of your window treatments is to add width. Choose a curtain rod that is wider than the window and molding by about 60 to 80 percent. Use drawing curtains or drapes across the width of the entire space, or hang separate stationery panels to each side of the window. Each panel should go from the end of the rod to just past the edge of the window. Either way, this tricks the eye because it assumes that the width of the curtain covers more window, not the wall. You can emphasize the width of the window even more by topping the window with a straight-bottomed cornice board or valance.

Add Height and Width

If your window is both short and narrow, there are other ways you can make it look bigger. Start by installing a long rod near the top of the ceiling. From this rod, hang a floor-length drapery panel or curtain so that the leading edges slightly overlap the outer edge of the glass. If necessary, top these panels with a lambrequin, valance, or cornice board with either straight or curved bottoms in order to fill the excess wall space or simply to add some interesting decoration. If the panels do not close over the glass, you can add a fabric or woven shade for privacy.

Choose the Right Window Treatment Fabric

You can make a window look larger by strategically choosing the pattern and fabric of your window treatment. For example, if the window is short and you would like to make it look taller, opt for curtains that feature a vertical pattern. This does not necessarily mean you have to go for stripes; any pattern that will draw the eye up and down will create the illusion of length. If you have narrow windows you would like to appear wider, a horizontal pattern will have the opposite effect as a vertical pattern, drawing the eye from side to side instead of up and down, distracting from its narrow nature. If the window is both narrow and short, either a vertical pattern, a solid color, or a print with no obvious direction are the way to go.

You can also use placement to make your windows look wider. Make your shades, valances, cornice boards, or lambrequins out of the same fabric as your curtains or drapes, or use a pattern, color, or mini-print to add contrast.

At Arjay’s, we are proud to provide our customers with high-quality, gorgeous window treatments for their homes. Whether you wish to make your windows look taller, wider, or you like them just the way they are, there is a window treatment that is sure to please your eye. Shop our collection of window treatments here today!