Window Treatments for Big Windows

Large windows are everyone’s dream. They flood the room with light, making it feel spacious and airy, and you get a great view of whatever’s going on outside. Sometimes you do want some privacy from the outside world, and big windows can be difficult to cover up. So we’ve put together some different window treatments and how to make them work in your home.

Some tips to begin with:

Make sure you consider the use of the room and what you want your window dressing to do. For instance, you may just want to soften the edges of big windows, or you may want to protect your privacy or just block light at certain times fo the day. Use light fabrics. Unless you’re specifically going for a medieval castle feel, a heavy fabric may cause bowing and could make the curtains quite difficult to drag across. They will also be a lot more expensive. Can’t decide between windows or blinds?  Read our article – Curtains or Blinds?

For a Curated Look

Blinds are a perfect solution to those looking for a simple, curated look. There are many different types of blinds, but for large windows, roman shades will give your room a simple and sophisticated look. Choose the same colour as your walls and you’ll barely notice that they’re there when they’re open.

Blinds are also ideal if you have multiple windows because they allow you to easily unify the room with the same colour or pattern across windows. Choose a sheer blind so the light still filters through when the blinds are closed, creating a bright, but private space.

How to measure for blinds

The first step is to look at your window and decide where the blind will be hanging. If your windows are in a recess, for example, then you’ll need to decide whether the blind will hang inside or outside of it.

Using a metal tape measure, measure the width. If you’re measuring inside a recess, make sure that you measure the width at different points, as it may not be consistent. Use the smallest measurement as your width. For windows without a recess, measure the window frame, adding 10cm to cover the window properly. Then, measure the length. For a window with a recess, as with the width, measure the length at three different points and use the smallest one. For windows without a recess, decide how long you want the blind to be and measure to that point from the top of the fitting.

For High Drama

Big windows are dramatic, and if you want to enhance that, then curtains are the way to go. Make sure that your curtain rail or pelmet is above your window, and extends past the ends. This will mean that your curtain will hang around your window when drawn, which will frame the view, making the window itself look even bigger than it is.

Ensure that your curtains stand out by using fabric in a different colour to your walls. Black-out fabric may be too heavy for big windows, but a darker fabric will help limit the amount of light filtering through.

How to measure for curtains

Using a metal tape measure, measure the width of the curtain track or pole, adding 2.5cm for overlap when the curtains are closed. This will give you curtains that will cover the width but appear flat across the window. Multiply the measurement by 2 if you want the curtain to appear softly gathered.

Before you measure the length, you need to decide how you want your curtains to fall. They could reach above the sill, below the sill, the floor, or even pool on the floor.
– Above the window sill – end 1.25cm above the sill
– Below the window sill – end 15cm below the sill
– Floor length – end 1.25cm above the floor
– Pool – can range between 2.5cm and 20cm

For a Clean Aesthetic

If you feel that blinds, curtains or drapes are too much for your space and you want something cleaner, then consider windows with integrated blinds. This way you don’t have to worry about putting up curtain rails or washing swathes of fabric.

Big windows are so beautiful; make sure that you make the most of them with the right window treatment.

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