Interior design trends have been shifting.
Windows are no longer merely ways to exchange light from the outside to the inside. They’ve now become a status symbol in themselves, an icon that recalls imagination, future orientation, and transparency.
They say that the eyes are the windows to the soul, but the modern window is the soul of the house. They exchange light and color and allow for participation in the interior and exterior space. The transparent nature of the window blurs the line between outside and inside, even while reinforcing the safety and dynamism of “home.”
Here are 8 ways to get all those windows in your home to stand out.
1. Minimalism: No Dressings
As people move more and more towards maximalism around their windows–adding colors, blinds, curtains, fancy decorations–minimalism becomes more and more attractive to the savvy homeowner. Removing everything from a window, even the blinds, is not a normal way of decorating windows which can make them stand out in a good way.
While this obviously might not be something that is possible in bedroom windows or intimate bathroom windows, it’s a consideration for certain windows in the backyard or the side of the house.
2. Sheers
It’s just a fancy way of recommending “blinds.” While the fatter, wider blinds were in style for a while, thinner blinds are coming back in. Upgrading your blinds to the thin ones that have more panes on each window will help keep your windows stylish.
Also, new sheers can change the way that light enters your room. Even cleaning much needed exiting sheers will upgrade the way that things look. Remember that horizontal structures generally designate peace and stability, while vertical structures designate power and authority. Binds do the same thing. Sheers that are positioned vertically will add authority and power to your space, while horizontal sheers bring a bit more stability and tranquility.
3. Building a Window Display
Depending on the window, you may have room in the interior window sill to create a display that looks both out and in. Remember that the display will have to look good both from the outside of your house and from the inside. Create something that you love. You can go for seasonal decor to keep things fresh inside. Timeless classics like plants, candles, books, and vases can keep things fresh.
Also, go for a functional window display. Create a journal that hangs out by the window and is only used for “window thoughts.” Use the window sill to practice your gardening skills or to read a book.
4. Flowerboxes
Flowerboxes went out of style for a while as minimalism swept the exterior design movements. With the strong return of plant-based and maximalist-based designs, flower boxes are back around and cooler than ever. Try planting some colorful, easy to maintain flowers and controlling their watering right from the window.
For the box itself, you can go for something simple that blends into the house. This will accent the plants and the window itself. You can also get more elaborate, repurposing an old pallet or building something out of metal.
The box allows you to gently blend the interior and exterior world, in both archetypes and colors. Like a painter mixing paints on their palette, you can mix plants in both the interior and exterior space. Put flowers in the window box and succulents in the window sill.
5. Exterior Shutters
While a lot of focus in recent years has been placed on the ways of nuancing blinds and curtains to control the light from the interior, a great way to add dimension to the exterior of your house is to put in shutters. Shutters, which sit outside the house, can be colored to match the accents of your exterior design. They give the house a simple, charismatic vibe that can really draw people in to it.
Of course, shutters may limit the light coming into your house by limiting the angles at which the light comes in. If you install shutters, you’ll want to make sure that they can sit flush with the house. Sometimes, people simply install decorative shutters that don’t actually close but function to accent the windows externally.
6. Curtains
Few things accent windows by granting the space power and prestige like curtains. Expensive, solid curtains that have great fabric are an excellent investment for any living space. They can really bring out the best in a room. Plus, the feeling of throwing open the curtains in the morning and letting the crisp morning light and air flood the room is a great feeling.
Full-length blackout curtains are great for bedrooms and living rooms, while more modest curtains can do the trick for bathrooms and kitchens.
7. New Windows
The days of glass that stays out of the way are over. People are now getting house windows that have a bit of smoke, edge, and color to them. While the old guard of windows tried to get glass that disappeared when cleaned, there are now windows with different colors of glass.
Stained glass windows are even making a bit of a comeback. You don’t need something giant or something with religious imagery, but a simple honeycomb color pattern can turn a minimalist kitchen space into a mid-century modern wonderland.
Also, panes and spaces in windows are now giving way to less traditional shapes. You can get glass that is uneven, and build window spots that aren’t simple circles and squares. More unique window designs will really call attention to the glass in creative ways.
8. Clean Them
We generally clean the windshields on our cars fairly often. It so happens that if you don’t clean the windshield on the car, it becomes a safety hazard because it becomes difficult to see where you are driving. Windows on the house have a different issue.
Because it isn’t essential to our safety, we can forget to clean the windows on the house. But dirty windows look bad and lack the reflective, shiny nature that clean windows have. While you may want some creative ways to tap into the imaginative, future-oriented symbolism that windows have–maybe start by cleaning them off.
