Narrow windows are often a design challenge, and homeowners are looking for ways to expand the space of a room or even replace the window structure. But before you start acting, you need to learn how to adjust non-standard rooms with the help of interior details. A small window visually narrows the space and reduces the flow of light in the room. Therefore, properly selected curtains carry the mission to correct this significant drawback.
What are the features of decorating a narrow window?
The texture and color of textiles, curtain decor options, the type of cornice - all this can radically change the look of a small window. So, at first glance, a discreet and concise design of curtains can give the impression of elegant chic, and a pompous design will finally turn it into a nondescript object. Narrow curtains in a small window opening will look flawed, emphasizing its missing sides, and voluminous folds and ruffles can completely overshadow it. Therefore, the selection of heavy cornices or artsy lambrequins must be approached with caution.
A few important recommendations:- The cornice should be 1-2 meters more than the width of the window niche - this will help to visually enlarge the opening. Thus, the open curtains will be located opposite the wall, and the flow of penetrating light into the room will be maximum.
- Curtains on a narrow window with a horizontal ornament will visually expand a room with a high ceiling.
- A narrow window located low can be “raised” with a lambrequin, which will hide the gap above the niche. And if the cornice is strengthened just under the ceiling, then long curtains to the floor will make the room visually higher.
- A large room with high ceilings and narrow windows will become more comfortable if you hang brightly colored curtains with large ornaments. But these curtains do not need to be thickly decorated with tails, as the pattern on the fabric will be “lost”.
- If the window has a beautiful frame, stained glass or original slopes and serves as the main accent of the room, then it is not recommended to hide it with curtains. It must be highlighted or emphasized. In this case, this can be done with roller blinds or light organza or tulle curtains.
Types of narrow window decor
The design of any window opening will look more expressive if it echoes the style of the interior of the room. And for narrow windows, this is especially important, since they should be a touch of the overall “drawing” of the room. The curtains on such an opening should not be “lost”, but they also cannot dominate the style. They need to be skillfully fit into the interior.
Advice! The classic style of decorating a narrow window, like no other, requires action. Multilayer combinations of textiles and lambrequins will make it visually smaller!
A very affordable variation in the design of a small window opening in a room with high ceilings is a curtain with braid and grommets. The braid creates a beautiful drapery, and the curtains on the grommets look majestic and stylish.
How to fit a narrow window into the interior of an apartment?
Living room
A narrow window in the living room - the main room in the house - simply has to be spectacular and expressive. Here guests gather, here the family spends time over a cup of tea, so this is especially noticeable in the spacious hall. It is best if the window is decorated with curtains made of airy fabric with light lambrequins. Appropriate decor in the form of pickups. If the room has high ceilings and the living room itself is impressive in size, you can play with the color of the fabric. Curtains look good on narrow windows in a large living room made of thick textiles with a horizontal strip.
Bedroom
Curtains in the bedroom suggest coziness and comfort. Here you can use long, elegant curtains made of tulle and organza - they regulate the flow of light well. In the summer, Roman blinds will serve as protection from the sun - an excellent option in alliance with light textiles. Austrian curtains do a good job with the decor of such a room - the scalloped folds of the soft canvas will fit perfectly into the style. But blinds instead of curtains in the bedroom, perhaps not the best option. Even if the window is an accent of the interior.
Advice! A single simple curtain on a braid, fixed with a pickup at a height of about 1/3 of the window, will visually improve the geometry of a narrow opening .
Kitchen
A standard kitchen is usually small, and there are few options for visually increasing the window space. Therefore, the design of a narrow kitchen window with curtains requires the correct selection of textiles. A long piece of fabric with a lambrequin will look ridiculous here. But short linen curtains or Roman blinds made of light fabric are the best option for the kitchen.
Children's room
There should be no frills in the nursery. This room suggests conciseness, soft colors and a lot of light. A narrow window does not need to be hidden under thick curtains. The right choice is Roman blinds or transparent light curtains made of light material.
Nothing is impossible if there is an idea. Possessing any initial data, even such difficult ones as a narrow window, as a result, you can get a non-standard and aesthetically correct solution. You will have to work hard to think through the details and compare all possible options. But the result will exceed all expectations!
Unlike owners of standard apartments, owners of private houses are not limited in their choice of shape, size and design of window openings, at least at the planning stage of construction. If you are planning to build a house or rebuild a particular room, then the question of choosing the design of window openings will arise sooner or later.
Windows are usually called the eyes of the house, and this is not surprising, because both the exterior and the interior of your home largely depend on the design of the window. Window openings create the character and individuality of the building, form its appearance. This is what concerns the facades of buildings. If we talk about the interior of the premises, then the windows often occupy almost the entire wall in the room, and very part of this wall is opposite the entrance, which means that it inevitably affects the perception of the external appearance of the space.
Well-designed windows can transform the simplest interior design. As well as inappropriately shaped windows can spoil the efforts of designers. After all, windows allow you to control the atmosphere of the room, the level of illumination and even the color palette.
At the same time, it cannot be said that there is a universal version of the window suitable for any interior and exterior of the building. Each time, homeowners, together with designers and architects, create a unique image of the home, mixing different elements, designs and details, using more and more modern technologies.
We hope that an impressive selection of interiors of private households, which depict various rooms according to the design and construction of window openings, will help you choose your ideal window design for your own home.
panoramic windows
The latest trends in architecture and interior design are leaning towards the use of large panoramic windows. Wall-to-wall glazing, or glass walls at all, is not only an opportunity to let the maximum possible amount of natural light into the room, but also a way to radically change the appearance of the room, its character and essence.
Perhaps due to the mentality, which is influenced by the climatic features of our country, most of our compatriots believe that more panoramic windows are not for Russia, that it is “too cold”. Out of fear of freezing in the middle of the harsh Russian winter, many homeowners limit themselves to enjoying the sun as much as possible during the day. And we are talking not only about private and common rooms, but also about utility rooms. In our country, it is rare to see a bathroom in a standard apartment with a window. The same goes for utility rooms.
But modern energy-saving technologies allow us not to worry about frost, a large and bright window can be warm and functional. But this does not mean that the rule "the larger the window, the better" applies in all situations. Of course, it is necessary to consider the size and design of the window opening, based on the general concept of the entire room.
Panoramic glazing can radically transform your bedroom, for example, by erasing the boundaries of space. If there is a beautiful view outside your window, then why not let it get inside the room? Thanks to modern technology, owners of private houses, mansions and cottages can afford the luxury of waking up with the first rays of the sun and watching the sunset from their own bedroom or living room.
This is the name of several consecutive glass blocks, which are located one after the other and from the side resemble a transparent tape. Obviously, for certain rooms, the height and length of such tapes can vary significantly. Tape glazing can add light and air to a strict modern design.
Recently, in kitchen design projects, one can often notice tape glazing, which serves as an apron (or part of it), located above the working surfaces of the kitchen space. Among the obvious advantages of such an arrangement of window openings, one can note a high level of illumination of the most important areas of the kitchen, not to mention the fact that cooking a delicious meal or washing dishes is much more pleasant if you have the opportunity to look at a great view of nature outside the window.
Glazing can occupy the entire wall above work surfaces or occupy only a narrow strip. It all depends on whether you planned to place the top tier of kitchen cabinets in your cooking space.
There is an option to create parallel strip glazing, in which there will be no need to sacrifice the upper tier of kitchen storage systems. Of course, this option of enriching the kitchen with natural light is suitable for rooms with fairly high shelves.
Of course, strip glazing can be used not only in kitchens. Living rooms, offices, dining rooms and even bedrooms are able to harmoniously fit into their interior a series of glass blocks, going one after another.
At present, in addition to the standard rectangular shape for all, it is possible to make an energy-saving window of any configuration - round, oval, triangular, trapezoidal and in the form of a rhombus. The unusual shape instantly changes the appearance of the building and affects the interior of the room. Of course, making a non-standard window, or, more simply, not a rectangular shape, will take more time, and the cost will be higher. But the time and financial costs will pay off when you can see the image of your home from the outside and inside.
The original element of the interior of the room can be round windows - portholes. To do this, it is not necessary to decorate the room in a marine style; traditional furnishings or modern style will harmoniously look with round window openings.
A window with a curved top can transform any interior. It will take more time to manufacture and install it, but you will enjoy the excellent illumination of the room and the excellent appearance of the room for a very long time, so that the costs will have time to justify.
The arched window perfectly emphasizes the classic lines of the interior and can alone transform the appearance of the room. The contrasting design of the window slabs in dark colors against the background of the light finish of the room instantly makes it the center of attention, around which the whole concept of space design is built.
Not so long ago, designers around the world began to use this interesting constructive technique, with the help of which two windows are connected at right angles, forming a glass corner. If the windows are large enough, then the line between the external environment and the interior of the room is practically erased, creating the impression of the presence of a portal to nature.
Swing and tilt windows
As a rule, rotary and folding structures have small windows. Often these window models are used in utilitarian areas such as corridors, bathrooms, pantries and laundry rooms, sometimes in the kitchen.
Pivoting windows in a dark contrasting frame serve not only as a source of light and fresh air, but also as an element of the decor of the room, successfully harmonizing with the decoration of the stairs.
Hinged windows are often found in bathrooms. Even small window openings can provide you with the necessary level of lighting. In addition, for rooms with high humidity, the ventilation function comes first. It's great if you can organize an alternative option for natural ventilation, in addition to an electric hood.
And this is a variant of a hinged window with latches, thanks to which you can keep the window open without effort. An excellent solution for a private home - you can eat outside, admiring the sunset, and transfer food directly from the kitchen, through the counter window.
Windows for attic rooms
Attic and attic spaces are not an easy place to organize living rooms. The design of the roof, assuming windows in the original version, is not common. Therefore, it is better to decide at the planning stage of the building whether you will use the attic or the attic and what kind of premises you want to place there, the number and scale of window openings will depend on this.
Obviously, when arranging an office, library or nursery in the attic or attic, it is necessary to provide the room with a sufficiently high level of illumination. In our country, there is a certain stereotype about attics - this is a dark, dirty and non-residential room, where, as a rule, the owners put any unused (or rarely used) belongings. But these are additional square meters that can be rationally used by increasing the number of living rooms or utility rooms. After all, no matter how big a private house is, there is still not enough space.
Material, color and texture
Undoubtedly, plastic energy-saving profiles can now be safely called the leader in the window market, but this does not mean that wood has ceased to be used as a material for the manufacture of window frames. Especially when it comes to window openings of private and country houses, which are often decorated in country style or using certain elements of country style.
But at present, laminated profiles with a polymer film have been actively used, which is able to imitate any texture. Of course, "wooden" surfaces are most often ordered from manufacturers of window profiles. And this is quite obvious, because the fashion for wooden surfaces never goes away.
Using a polymer film, you can create a visual reproduction of almost any material, such as metal, stainless steel.
Even in a standard white plastic window, there is an option to show individuality by ordering not a black seal, which is located between the frame and glass, but, for example, gray. In this way, you can smooth out the contrast, not to mention the fact that lighter tones in the design of the window visually increase it.
Contrasting, dark window frames can become the focal points of spaces, drawing all eyes. Of course, such windows do not need to be decorated with textiles, acting as full participants in the formation of the image of the room.
Examples of glazing rooms in a private house
One of the most important premises of an urban private house or a country household is the living room. As a rule, this is a fairly large room, which boasts a whole set of windows of impressive size.
With the help of narrow high windows, you can give the interior a touch of European style. Usually in English design projects similar models of window openings are used.
In private homes, bathroom spaces can boast impressive dimensions, unlike their urban counterparts, enclosed within the framework of urban standard apartments. And the consequence of this is, first of all, the possibility in principle to install a window, and sometimes not one, and quite a big one.
In rooms where active work, creative work, reading will be carried out, it is necessary to provide a high level of illumination, sometimes for this it is necessary to resort to additional installation of windows.
For children's bedrooms and playrooms, in addition to the issue of sufficient illumination and the possibility of ventilation, the issue of safety is quite acute. Currently, manufacturers of window profiles offer many options for "secret" locks that small children are unable to open on their own.
Nowadays, curtains are not only an interior item that protects the room from the penetration of sunlight and prying eyes into it, but also a decorative detail that makes it possible to emphasize the stylistic direction of the situation or focus on the window opening.
Modern apartments do not always delight us with large rooms. Cramped rooms with a low ceiling in many ways limit the design solutions for curtains. But even for small window openings, it is possible to choose original curtains that allow you to visually increase their area, and, at the same time, perform their direct duties.
Choosing curtains for the kitchen
People spend quite a lot of time in the kitchen, they invite guests there, the whole family gathers there after a hard day's work. Therefore, this room must be comfortable and bright. Many apartments cannot boast of spacious kitchens and wide kitchen windows.
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The choice of modern curtains for a small kitchen is usually complicated by the location of the window opening - most often it is located near the working area and the electric stove, which makes it inadmissible to use a curtain on the floor. The solution is curtains suspended from the ceiling and removed from the sides with a drawstring. The finishing touch will be an asymmetrical cut lambrequin.
Light Roman-style curtains on a small window will visually enlarge the space, and floral patterns, supported by separate accessories, will bring harmony to the interior.
When choosing kitchen curtains, it is necessary to give preference to fabrics that are resistant to stains. A material impregnated with a special fire-fighting and dirt-repellent composition will be the best choice.
Choosing curtains for the living room and bedroom
The living room is usually the largest room in the apartment. Good lighting in the hall is welcome. The wrong choice of curtains can spoil even the most fashionable environment.
When choosing a curtain design for a small window, the first thing to consider is the style of the room as a whole. For a living room decorated in a classic style, it would be appropriate to pick up two-color curtains made in the English or French design direction, while it is desirable that the cornice be about 0.3 m wider than the window. Lambrequins will successfully complete the resulting picture.
Modern small curtains made of translucent organza with a hard bandeau in a contrasting color will look wonderful on the north window. They will add light and air to the interior.
Choosing curtains for a small bedroom is quite easy. The fabric for such curtains should be dense. It is great if the curtains are lined with thick material. It will protect them from fading, and the room from the bright sun.
Quite good look in the bedroom curtains in the Austrian style. In the daytime, they can be raised, letting the sun's rays into the room, and lowered in the evening.
Solid color roller blinds are good for a bedroom designed in a minimalist direction. Curtains of a gray palette look great in a black and white interior.
Self-tailoring of small curtains
If you had labor lessons at school, you can easily sew an ordinary curtain. Instructions on how to make small curtains with your own hands can be easily found on the Internet.
You will need to choose the material of the color you like, make a pattern, bast and stitch on a sewing machine.
If you have a table at the window opening, then you should not hang curtains on the floor there. It is best to stop at a half-window model and a hard lambrequin made of plain or colored material. Such a window will look very interesting and unusual.
The photo of small curtains shows that their width should not be less than the width of the window opening.
Ways to visually expand a small window
This topic deserves special mention. Curtains on a small window must be distinguished by modesty and conciseness. They should not suppress a small opening. Designers have some effective tricks to make a small window look big. Here is some of them:
The use of light materials. You must give up heavy materials that give the impression of luxury and attract all eyes. For small windows, it is better to use curtains made of light, airy, transparent fabrics.
Such a delicate and elegant window frame will decorate even the cramped room. The best option would be new organza curtains and veils.
Only light colors. Pastel shades, for example, alabaster, sand, will be appropriate. Bright, saturated colors only visually reduce the opening.
No ornament. It is better to hang curtains made of smooth, plain material on a small window. Any kind of ornament is highly undesirable, as it will conceal centimeters. Only a horizontal strip is allowed, because it visually increases the width of the window.
The absence of any items on the window sill. The window sill must be empty. Indoor plants, books, lamps here contribute to the fact that the window opening will appear smaller. They also block out sunlight.
Photo of small curtains
Curtains are an important element of window opening decor, which has both aesthetic and practical functions. This textile is designed to hide the owners from prying eyes, as well as to adjust the illumination of the room. Recently, more and more attention has been paid to the aesthetic component: curtains should be not only functional, but also matched to the interior, as well as emphasizing the window opening. Choosing the right curtains becomes more difficult if they are going to be installed on a small window, as there are a large number of restrictions.
photos
Basic selection rules
When choosing curtains and additional textiles, designers are advised to take into account the features of the interior that the curtains will shade, but at the same time they are asked to follow the basic general rules:
- Choose solid colors. They do not attract the eye to a small window and visually enlarge the opening.
- Refuse decor. Additional elements on the curtains make them more voluminous, and it seems to the owner that the window is completely hidden behind aggressively decorated textiles. Only in exceptional cases is a small and simple pattern allowed: a cage, soft polka dots, floral motifs.
- Refuse curtains to the floor. A narrow or low window will look awkward against the backdrop of massive long curtains. If the window opening is small, then the curtains should not be large.
- Correctly install the cornice. It should be wider than the window opening, as this will visually increase the size of the window. At the ends of the eaves, you can install soft, but interesting in shape, decorative nozzles. They will divert the attention of guests from the opening itself.
- Use additional elements from above. Since the curtains themselves are rarely decorated only in the upper part, it is recommended to purchase other types of curtains. The best way to elegantly disguise the small size of the window opening is to use a lambrequin. This element is a short but wide textile strip, similar to a heavily cut curtain.
Lambrequin occupies no more than a quarter of the window in the upper part, so it does not “eat up” daylight. At the same time, it creates the illusion of an impressive window opening.
- Use drawstrings or curtain holders. If classic curtains were chosen, which are two strips of textiles, it is recommended to pick up the curtains closer to the bottom and move them to the side of the windows. Thus, the line of curtains will gradually expand. It is better to place the holders 10-15 cm from the window opening so that it does not block at all from below, but is only gently framed.
- If style permits, use simple Roman blinds. When folded, they perform the function of lambrequins, drawing attention to the upper part of the window, and when opened, they do not press, but seem light. Such curtains are practical, they are one of the modern trends, and they practically do not collect dust on themselves.
- Choose curtains to match the style of the room. If the curtains turn out to be too original and knock out of the general range and atmosphere, they will invariably attract the eye and focus on the lack of a window.
When designing a small window, it is advisable to use the services of a designer in order to avoid elementary mistakes. However, an amateur who has familiarized himself with the above rules can also cope with the task.
It is very important to observe the unity of style and scale, but, in addition, curtains should also be chosen according to the principle of practicality, as well as based on their purpose.
For kitchen
The kitchen space is one of the most used in the house. It is here that textiles get dirty most quickly, as they are exposed to various fumes, and sometimes stains from food or drinks appear on it. When choosing curtains, it is important to consider the level of practicality.
Long curtains made of thick fabric are not suitable for the kitchen. They will not only “eat up” the visual space, but they will also quickly get dirty, and they will take a long time to wash and dry. If the owner wants to visually expand the window and at the same time choose curtains without sacrificing practicality, you should stop your attention on modern models of Roman or roller blinds made of artificial materials. Synthetic fiber dries faster and gets dirty less. It is often treated with a special compound that repels dust and dirt.
The best choice would be light Roman blinds with horizontal dim stripes. This type of pattern visually expands the window.
If the window is very small or faces the north side, where the sun is always not enough, it is recommended to use light translucent tulle instead of Roman blinds. It can be white or a light pastel shade. High-quality tulle allows you to partially hide the owners from prying eyes and at the same time transmits sunlight, and does not absorb it. The tulle is easy to wash and dries quickly. But due to the light texture and monochromatic coloring, tulle textiles do not fully hide the lack of a window.
In order for guests and household members to notice the small dimensions of the window less, a lambrequin, discreet in style, should be used. In the kitchen, this should not be a draped and fringed piece of velvet, but a light, light-colored material cut to a simple geometric shape. The abundance of brushes will make the lambrequin too massive and pressing on the entire kitchen space.
Decoration in the living room
The living room is the place where there should be the greatest amount of natural light, since it is here that the owners receive guests, spend their leisure time and often engage in work activities. Light is necessary to keep the household active. If the room has a small window, the problem of natural light becomes even more acute.
Curtains in this type of room should be large enough, since all the furniture in the living room is usually large in size. Light translucent tulle against the backdrop of a large sofa or modular storage system will look ridiculous. In addition, the living room requires more privacy than the kitchen, and therefore thicker curtains.
Designers believe that the best solution in this case is the hand-made tailoring of curtains from light, but dense materials. On the outside (facing the street), the fabric must be dyed with high quality so that the dye does not fade under the influence of the sun. From the inside, which is accessible to the gaze of the household, there should not be any catchy patterns. The principle of minimalism is preserved here as well. You should pay attention to the products of the following shades:
- purple;
- light blue;
- grey;
- lavender;
- pistachio;
- light pink;
- soft orange;
- beige.
The most versatile option are gray curtains. They set off the black and white interior, emphasize the red and gray, and also look good against the backdrop of rooms decorated in the Scandinavian style. But when choosing a shade, you should first of all focus on the color scheme of the entire interior. Perhaps a consultant will help in choosing the color of the fabric. Large home textile stores have designers who are ready to even create a quick three-dimensional floor plan with color arrangement. Curtains will already be selected under it. This service is not free, but it will be much cheaper than hiring a designer separately.
If you need to hide the living room from outside views, but still leave it sunny enough, you should use light Roman blinds or thicker curtains with small translucent areas. For example, curtains with a geometric pattern made of translucent material are sold. Recall that simple patterns, especially horizontal ones, are not a minus, but only an advantage for a small window opening. But complex compositions in the hall are strictly prohibited.
In the living room, as in other rooms, the basic rule should be observed: the curtains are short and wide. If you want to frame the window opening to the floor, you can use a light tulle shade that does not attract attention.
For the bedroom
In the bedroom, it is necessary to create the most intimate atmosphere, so the material is always selected dense and opaque. It is recommended to make a set of different curtains: thick curtains designed to protect from the light of lanterns at night, translucent Roman blinds to hide from prying eyes during the day, as well as tulle, which at any time acts as a frame. It is important to remember that the more types of curtains are used at the same time, the more difficult it is to create a harmonious composition.
