The Benefits of New Windows

Posted on: 23 June 2016

When you move into a home with custom or oddly-shaped windows, you may want to start looking for some less-traditional window treatments to help enhance their unique features. The key is to balance the preservation of the window's appearance with the ability to ensure privacy inside the house. Here are a few tips to help you address some of the most common odd-shaped windows.

Sidelight Window Options

If you're not familiar with the name, sidelight windows are usually found on either side of your front door, and they are narrow pieces of glass. They're great for providing some natural light to your foyer and they look nice from the outside, too. Since they frame the front door, they help to form first impressions of your home. Use these windows as an opportunity to express your personality.

Since they're narrow, you'll have a hard time finding blinds that fit. Instead, consider investing in some unique fabrics, like a sheer synthetic fabric that can cover the window just enough to provide some privacy. Put rods on the top and bottom of the window, then you can tie the fabric in the center when you want to allow light in. For a unique appearance, tie it at the gathering point with a thick rope in a soft material and contrasting color.

High-Ceiling Window Coverage

Homes with high ceilings are great for providing a feeling of an open, airy environment. The windows in these spaces are typically quite large, and they can allow a lot of light in the room. Unfortunately, the size makes them a real challenge to cover. If you try to cover them with a single curtain on each, it leads to long panels of fabric which make it hard to uncover the lower windows without having the upper ones uncovered, too. Installing multiple sets of curtains break up the windows, which can make things appear choppy.

Instead, consider curtains that are made from sheer, thin fabric in double-tier designs. Start with the upper windows by adding ornate curtain rods with long, narrow panels of fabric. Choose panels that barely reach the lower portion of the window. Add matching curtain rods on the lower portion of the window where the upper curtain stops. Put a shorter curtain on the lower rod, making sure that it doesn't reach the floor.

Another option for windows like this is to choose long curtain panels that you can put on either side of the window and secure with ties. Cover the window glass portion itself with wood blinds that allow you to open and close them at will to control the light and visibility. You may need to install multiple sets of blinds on each window if your windows are particularly large, or you can order custom blinds made to fit each one. Then, the blinds will be framed by the sheer curtain panels tied back on each side of the window.

Unique or odd-shaped windows don't have to be boring or challenging to cover. With the tips here, you can work with the shape of the window to create the covering that meets your needs.