Decorating window treatment
45 Best Window Treatment Ideas
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You don't have to pick between natural light and privacy.
By Hadley Mendelsohn
JESSIE PREZA
Windows (and access to natural light) can make or break a space, but many people overlook the importance of window treatments when planning a space. Window coverings can be functional, purely decorative, or strike a balance between the two, depending on your space and the amount of natural light you receive and prefer. Whether it's full and flowing drapes, modern coverings, classic curtains, Roman shades, or laidback shutters, the ideas ahead are sure to inspire a better view at home.
š”You love finding new design tricks? So do we. Let us share the best of them.
Anna Spiro Design
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Interior Glass Shades
This cozy bedroom by Anna Spiro Design is a masterclass in eclectic decorating. Though there's plenty of pattern mixing going on, from the plaid armchair to the floral motif headboard, it feels cohesive and thoughtful. That's partially thanks to the consistent color scheme and Roman shades treatments, which are installed on the windows and interior door windows. Design consistency aside, this also ensures total privacy.
LAURE JOLIET
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Stained Glass
Stained glass is so much more than good-looking (though those colorful shadows it casts are certainly welcome). It also works hard! Reath Design blocked a view of the driveway and enhanced street-level privacy by replacing glass panes with colorfully painted ones. This is a great option when you want to introduce color and obstruct a view without blocking all the natural light.
2LG Studios
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Sheer White Curtains
If you're lacking on windows, choose sheer panels for maximum light.
They will help keep the room from feeling too closed off. In this space designed by 2LG Studio, the curtains stretch all the way up to the ceiling.
JESSIE PREZA
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Hanging Art
Designer Krystal Matthews has tons of clever decorating tips up her sleeve. In this home office, she created depth and character by hanging two pieces of artwork right over the back window since there was nowhere else to install wall decor. But aside from looking good, they also help block a less than scenic view.
Victoria Pearson
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Cohesive Patterns
"It goes against decorating 101, but using small patterns together can be easier on the eye," says interior decorator Kristin Panitch, who designed this dreamy pink cloud of a bedroom. The matchy-matchy wallpaper, curtains, bedding, and headboard create a gorgeous backdrop for a good night sleep while the colorful throw pillows add just enough contrast.
Werner Straube
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Double Blinds
For extra dimension and less light filtration, double up.
Here, interior design Corey Damen Jenkins hung both roman shades and drapes.
Paul Costello
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Rattan Blinds
Rattan blinds will let a little natural light shine in while still delivering some privacy. In interior designer Shaun Smith's New Orleans home, this tiny bathroom is the perfect blend of refined and approachable, with a great blend of materials and prints.
Brigette Romanek Design
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Classic Shutters
In this living room by Romanek Design Studio, the classic white shutters complement the monochromatic color scheme and timeless yet contemporary style of the sofa and coffee table.
STEPHEN KENT JOHNSON
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Matching Wallpaper
Match your wallpaper and curtains for a fully enveloped aesthetic. In this attic sanctuary designed by Mally Skok, the vibrant and warm tones of the printed wallpaper and fabric curtains make everything feel rosy. The contemporary rug, casual side table, and Ć©tagĆØre also help ground the more traditional and formal elements of the room.
Thomas Loof
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Awning and Shutters
Don't neglect your exteriors. Designed by tropical decor maven Amanda Lindroth, this window is treated with shutters and an orange striped awning matching the bench beneath it. Though most hurricane shutters are just for looks these days, make sure yours at least look functional by taking proper measurements so that they look like they can close over the window evenly.
Shannon McGrath
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Multi-Hued Curtains
The sheepskin throw, metallic touches, and multi-hued curtains make this stylish little reading nook by Hecker Guthrie the perfect blend of cozy and cool. The colorful, loose curtains feel both modern and laidback. Plus, nothing amps up the fun factor like a playful swing chair.
Maltsev Design
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Dramatic Curtains
In this kitchen designed by Malstev Design, the moody red curtains deliver a dignified sense of drama. We love how they stretch from the floor to the ceiling and are cinched super low to the ground to playfully skew the proportions.
Romanek Design Studio
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Bare
Some rooms can actually be better off without any window treatments at all. This is especially true in a modern kitchen, where any and all additional task lighting is welcome, and fabrics that run the risk of fading from sunlight are minimal or nonexistent. In this bright and airy California kitchen by Romanek Design Studio, the serving windows look beautiful (and more functional) left bare.
FRANCESCO LAGNESE
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Fancy Frames
Color stretches all the way up to the rafters in this living room designed by Thomas Jayne and William Cullum. We love how they chose to frame the windows with a gorgeous drapery that draws your eye up and doesn't encroach into the space too much. All together, the room feels traditional and formal but still country chic and casual.
STACEY BRANDFORD
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Curtains Beyond the Windows
Instead of hanging curtains right over the window, create a cozy little oasis like this by hanging tall curtains in front of a window seat reading nook, as Sarah Richardson did here.
Feli Forest
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Frosted Glass
In this bathroom designed by Arent & Pyke, the frosted glass windows allow for extra privacy without needing to hang any curtains. This helps maintain that clean-lined modern aesthetic.
Nicole Franzen
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Folding Screen
A folding screen is one of the most useful decorative items you can buy. It can add architectural dimension, color and pattern, and function as a window treatment without even requiring you to hang anything or reach for your toolkit. Place it strategically, and next thing you know, you have yourself a makeshift window treatment.
Heather Hilliard Design
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Tie-Up Shades
This bathroom by Heather Hilliard is understated elegance perfected. That's partially thanks to the blue marble tub backsplash and Victorian-inspired fixtures, but the tie-up shades really polish the space. Try this soft and full-looking window treatment style for a similarly romantic touch.
David Tsay
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Hang From the Highest Point
Hang your curtains from the highest point possible to create contrast and make a room feel taller. In this bohemian dining room by Justina Blakeney, the curtains go way above the window for a fuller, more spacious feel.
Bjorn Wallander
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Full Floor-to-Ceiling Curtains
The master bedroom in designer Janie Molster's home is anchored by a dramatic suzani behind the illustrious pink velvet headboard. The curtains contribute to the sense of fullness, warmth, and energy, while the pale linens and classic chairs bring in a timeless touch. Use this space as inspiration if you think your room could use a little more depth and dimension.
Paul Raeside
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Roman Shades
If your home already has blinds, make it feel more personalized and refined with Roman shades. The green shades in this bedroom designed by Andrew Flesher add a fun bit of color and block out light for sleeping in on the weekends.
Tasmin Johnson
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Classic Shades
In this dream closet designed by Tamsin Johnson, the classic white shades dress down the more glamorous elements of the space.
Leanne Ford Interiors
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Farmhouse Shutters
Designed by Leanne Ford Interiors, these farmhouse shutters allow the occupant to adjust their access to light while also playing up the rustic look. It could be a fun DIY project, too, if you're up for the woodworking challenge.
Paul Raeside
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Printed Roman Shades
Use a Roman shade to add pattern to a room or to play up an existing print. If you're wary of it feeling too bold, keep the wall a neutral tone. Take a cue from this inviting living room designed by Andrew Flesher.
Lisa Romerein
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Curtains Everywhere
Tonal bedrooms with plenty of curtains and canopies = instantly elevated and cozy. Choose a neutral color for a calming, soft space. Tented in various fabrics, this bedroom designed by Benjamin Dhong is a romantic cocoon.
Francesco Lagnese
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Short Curtains
Hang your bathroom curtains at the midpoint of the window for visually intriguing approach. This will ensure privacy, but it also keeps things interesting style-wise.
Catherine Kwong
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Add a Fun Trim
If you're afraid of overdoing it with color in a neutral space but want to add a little pop of intrigue, choose curtains with a neutral base and add a printed trim. The sleek wood wall in this room gives it an edge, while the light curtains, bedding, and carpet soften things up.
TREVOR DIXON
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Tassel Detail Curtains
This mudroom plays with color, texture, and pattern. The fringed drapes are fun touch that play off the classic prints in this cheerful little transitional space designed by Eddie Ross.
Alec Hemer
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Hang a Sheet or Tarp
When it comes to laidback beach and country houses, embrace the easy breezy lifestyle by simply hanging a sheet across the window to block a little light when necessary and soften the harder materials.
Anson Smart
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Pink Sheers
This dining room designed by Arent & Pyke manages to look open, romantic, and ethereal while also being grounded, formal, and versatile. That's thanks to the warm brown leather and wood punctuated by black details, all of which contrast nicely with the dreamy pink sheers.
35 Unexpected Color Combos for Palette Inspo
Hadley Mendelsohn Senior Editor Hadley Mendelsohn is House Beautiful's senior design editor and the co-host and executive producer of the podcast Dark House.
31 Window Treatment Ideas That Work for Any Room
Mindy Gayer
They say eyes are the window to the soul. If that's the case, we're inclined to believe that windows are the eyes of the homeāand don't they deserve a little something to help them stand out?
Window treatments may be something of an after-thought for some, but it shouldn't beāafter all, what has the potential to transform a space better than a breathtaking view, or a flood of mid-morning light? Not much.
So naturally, the way you dress your windows matters.
Dialing into what a space needs from its window treatments isn't always easy. It combines a calculation of directional light that evolves throughout the day, the types of tasks that will take place in the room, and the level of formality requiredābut when the perfect solution is selected, it can really make any dĆ©cor scheme sing.
For some of our favorite window treatment ideas to transform your home no matter the style, read on.
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Design Works Home/Robin Strickler
If you love pattern but worry about mixing and matching with your window treatments, just pay attention to scale. Mingling prints with different-sized repeats, like this wall treatment and dreamy shades combo, is an easy way to ensure your pattern mixing doesn't become overwhelming.
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Design Works Home/Robin Strickler
Of course, there are exceptions to the rule, which are spaces that prove patterns of the same scale can coexist peacefully.
The water-droplet motif of this wallpaper is echoedābut not quite matchedāby the concentric circles of these curtains. The photo-negative color scheme helps pull off the effect, creating a look that's bold but irresistible.
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Bespoke Only
Clip-up curtain rings get an unnecessarily bad rapābut we're all in favor of reclaiming them. Not only do they make hanging, laundering, or swapping out window treatments easy as can be, but they lend a laid-back feel to your spaceāwhich is ideal if you're working with perfectly imperfect fabrics like linen or raw silk.
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Design Works Home/Robin Strickler
Another way to interplay floor-skimming curtains with sophisticated shades: match the materials with a unifying neutral hue to create a cohesive backdrop for your furnishings.
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Haley Weidenbaum/Everhem
If you want to dial up the drama and add some stunning length to your room's focal points, there's no better way to exaggerate the profile of your windows than to dress them in full-length drapes.
Buck conventional wisdom and mount your curtain rod just below the ceiling or crown ding, and opt for curtains that skim the floor to create the effect of bigger windows.
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Design: Haley Weidenbaum, Photo: Jessica Alexander
Curtain tiebacks were big in past decades, and they're experiencing a resurgence. The new tiebacks of today are nothing like the ones you remember from the 90s. Using textural elements like artisan tassels in place of the more formal, fussy options of old, these tiebacks remind us that every accent in a room is an opportunity to add some unique texture and playful touch.
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Design: Haley Weidenbaum, Photo: Jessica Alexander
French doors deserve a little added drama, too. Gossamer sheers are the perfect complement to these chic portalsāwe can just picture the curtains blowing softly in the wind on a summer night.
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Design: Haley Weidenbaum, Photo: Tessa Neustadt
One of our favorite ways to add a custom touch to window treatments is to incorporate some DIY texture in the form of unique trim.
Picking the right curtains for your space can be tricky, and if you're fond of a certain fabric but looking for something a little more personalized, taking matters into your own hands can be just the ticket.
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Design: Mindy Gayer, Photo: Vanessa Lentine
Shades, drapes, why not both? We're seeing more and more designers opt for this unique one-two punch in their designs latelyāand it's easy to understand why. Shades lend a textural touch and offer as much privacy as homeowners desire, while floor-length drapes dial up the drama and frame the window beautifully.
The result is a mix of classic and modern, formal and casual, and it's tailor-made for today's homes.
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Design: Mindy Gayer, Photo: Vanessa Lentine
Spaces with a rounded bay of windows can pose a challenge for window treatments, one that often is solved by placing curtain panels at either side. But, if full coverage is what you're after, you may need a more custom solution in the form of an arched curtain rod.
In terms of aesthetics and instant impact, there's no better optionāand we'd be surprised if we didn't see this look gaining steam in the months to come.
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Design: Haley Weidenbaum, Photo: Tessa Neustadt
Seagrass blinds are a great way to add a touch of tactile appeal to your space. They feel a little boho and beachy, but they're still tailored and trim enough to keep things looking crisp.
We love how these blinds mimic the wall treatment in this space with subtle horizontal variegations. Fitting them with an "inside mount" in these windows gives the architectural window trim a chance to really shine.
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sKout
You can always match your shades to your draperiesābut why not use these elements to add a little variation? These darker shades draw the eye upward toward the striking ceiling beams, while the mid-tone neutral drapes keep the space feeling airy and accessible.
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sKout
We're big fans of frosted windows in the bath, but we have to admit that there's something oh-so-enticing about the warm glow given off by these shades.
And with a view like this one, you wouldn't want to give it up.
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sKout
Even the pattern-averse can get behind this brilliant dining space. If you've fastidiously chosen solid carpeting and furniture, fear not: window treatments are actually an ideal place to incorporate pattern.
Since they're easy to swap out with time, they're relatively low-risk to experiment withāand can even be prime real estate for testing out an unexpected accent color, like the terra cotta hue shown here.
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sKout
Alternately, there's always something to be said for crisp, clean white drapes. Even in a predominantly neutral space like this one, long flowing swaths of white fabric lend an air of levity and a refreshing, airy vibe to the room.
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Southern Studio/New Old Custom Home Builders
Exposed brick can feel like a pattern in and of itself, especially if it's classic red-brown blocks with wide white mortar. But, that's no reason to shy away from patterns, as this space expertly shows.
A leafy tropical print adds some definite contrast to the red brick. It's an effect we wouldn't be certain of on paper, but in practice, it completely worksāand we love it.
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Design: Living With Lolo, Photo: Life Created
Raise your hand if you're in love with your wall color. When you find something that works, embrace itāand find ways to lean into it again and again in different applications.
Picking window treatments that are a near-match for your wall color is a sleek, sophisticated way to create a cohesive backdrop for your favorite furnishings. And as seen here, it can be both impactful and understated when done correctly.
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Stoneside
Most shades will, by necessity, have a bit of a horizontal stripe pattern. It's subtle, but it's something you can play with as part of your design scheme if you know where to look. Use these barely-there stripes to your advantage.
In this space, they intersect with the vertical trim on this clean white accent wall, creating a little interplay that's mimicked again by the striped pillow and sleek shelving unit.
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Design: M. Lavender, Photo: Chris Bradley
"Cafe curtains", or short curtains mounted halfway down the window, aren't just for your favorite coffee establishment. In the bath, they're a great alternative to a frosted window to allow for some privacy but also let the light ināand elsewhere in the home, they're equally handy.
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Design: Josephine Design House, Photo: Kelly Blackmon
We've finally found the answer to the classic "printed or sheer?" curtain conundrum: both. Sheer-printed curtains feel distinctly modern, even in timeless gingham as shown here. And best of all, since they seem to dissolve into the light of the window, they're an easy way to incorporate loud patterns, dark colors, or bold lines without overpowering a space.
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Ashley Montgomery Design
We're big fans of the high-contrast look. The little touches make a room feel even more put together, so of course, we love these window treatments.
The look combines black-painted window frames with gauzy, dusty nude curtains, finished with a chic tie-back, of course.
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Ashley Webb Interiors
Do a double-take: these aren't multiple curtain rods situated at 90-degree angles. Instead, it's a single continuous rod that turns the cornerāso you can nestle those dreamy drapes right in the corner when you want to let the light in. Pure brilliance.
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Becca Interiors
A squiggle here, a straight line thereāthese window treatments are all about linear thinking. The drapes' spirographic design contrast nicely with the linear look of these shades.
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Becca Interiors
In a neutral, airy space like this, color-blocked curtains strike just the right balance between bold and understated while quietly echoing the two-tone four-post bed.
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Black & Blooms
Sometimes the best window treatment is the most unexpected one, like these trailing pothos plants adding a distinctly bohemian element to the gauzy sheers underneath.
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Britt Design Studio
In the context of this subdued, masculine sitting room, these intricately printed blinds are an unexpected choiceāand that's just what we love about them. They draw the eye upward, mirroring the lines of the stunning vaulted ceiling.
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Britt Design Studio
Valences are a window treatment option that comes and goes throughout the yearsābut personally, we're firmly on the side of Team Valence. These structured, sophisticated window dressings lend a timeless architectural element to any space, and they're a great way to incorporate a print that wouldn't read as clearly on pleated drapes.
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Design: Jette Creative, Photo: Amy Bartlam
In this sleek bedroom, texture is king. So, it's no wonder the designer opted to add even more touchable detail to the window treatments. The airy, organic fabric is finished with a small pleat detail at the topāsomething we often see with more formal designs.
But, the kicker is this: the curtain panels are hung at a slight drop, with rings, which counteracts the formality of the gathered fabric. It's a bit of an aesthetic balancing actābut one that works beautifully in this context.
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Design: Katie Hodges, Photo: Amy Bartlam
Sometimes, it's best to do what feels naturalālike incorporating organic textures in this Scandi-meets-beachy space. The woven seagrass blinds add tons of visual interest to the space, without blocking too much light, thanks to their open-weave construction.
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Design: Katie Hodges, Photo: Amy Bartlam
Often, a bold striped border on custom shades looks a bit preppy or coastal. But, this cozy, layered space is proof that the timeless design can work with a variety of aesthetics. In a sea of muted neutrals, the effect is chic and crisp, but not fussy.
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Whittney Parkinson Design
The antidote to those expansive curtain rods that consume a whole room, these made-for-corners brackets are a clever option.
The shades in this space are capable of providing all the coverage needed, so the drapes are purely decorative.
This is why it makes sense to cut the rods short and confine them to where the long drapes look bestāthe corners.
20 Beautiful Living Room Window Treatment Ideas for Instant Sophistication
Window decoration outside the house: facade elements and materials
Table of contents
- Materials for finishing windows outside
- Wooden decor
- Plaster decor
- Styrofoam and polyurethane decorative trim
- Framing made of artificial stone
- Window decor elements
- 14 options for finishing windows outside with facade decor
- Buy exterior window decor
Window decoration on the facade of the house
Despite the fact that glass was invented several thousand years ago, glass windows appeared only in the Middle Ages.
Prior to this, the walls of houses were built without window openings, but with large doors to the courtyard so that light could penetrate into the dwelling. The first glass began to be used in Rome at the beginning of the Middle Ages. Of course, they had little resemblance to modern ones.
Around the same time, people came to frame holes in the walls of buildings. First of all, it was necessary to strengthen the house itself and protect the glass from physical influences. To do this, the window opening was distinguished by a peculiar letter P. It was a kind of progenitor of the modern architraves. Time changed, new solutions, ideas, approaches appearedā¦ The Renaissance era made a significant contribution to modern decorations on houses: the applied function of window protection from the outside faded into the background. The facades are dominated by complex architectural solutions. The appearance of the windows themselves and all the elements that relate to them turn into full-fledged works of art!
With the passage of time, this is more and more modernized and preserved to this day.
Decorations on the facade in the 21st century are a separate architectural trend. Both raw materials for manufacturing and visual forms have appeared over the centuries!
Materials for exterior window decoration
When choosing a material for facade decoration of windows, it is important to take into account many factors: from the external appearance of the building (decorative framing must fit into the overall exterior), to the quality of materials, their density and weather conditions (not all of them are good withstand constant rain or snow). Primarily, the exterior finish is decorative, but I would not want it to fade, crumble or grow moldy over time.
We have made a wide selection of what is used for these purposes today, taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of each.
Wooden decor
Most often, wood facade decoration can be found directly on wooden houses. For this, durable oak or beech wood is used, and the products themselves are covered with patterned carvings.
Although today it is almost archaic.
Advantages of the wooden finish on the facade:
- Attractiveness. Wood may have finer carvings than other materials. In addition, the natural grain of the wood is added;
- Environmentally friendly;
- Heat preservation and sound insulation;
- Cold resistance;
- Easy to repair. It can even be done by hand.
But there is a downside: the tree requires quality care and favorable weather. Otherwise, it may swell and become damp. In addition, unlike other raw materials, mold, fungus, or even insects can appear on wood. Modern technologies allow the use of special wood-protective impregnation and coating, but this does not save globally, but only slightly extends the life of such a frame.
Gypsum decor
Proven material for exterior solutions, which was used centuries ago, has not lost its relevance. In a way, this is a classic.
Gypsum is malleable enough to be molded into virtually any custom shape.
It is easy to process, easy to cast, and the gypsum decorative elements themselves are light in weight, which simplifies their placement on the facade. However, such lightness also has a negative side: the material is not friendly with wet weather, it easily absorbs water and can become damp.
This is an unconditional classic, but not the most profitable solution for accommodation at home in the weather that prevails in our latitudes. Either you will have to constantly dismantle the damp decor and install a new one, or leave the gypsum decoration only for the interior and choose more moisture-resistant raw materials.
Styrofoam and polyurethane decorative trim
Styrofoam, also known as polystyrene, is a modern polymer product similar to Styrofoam. One of its main advantages is accessibility. It does not take a lot of time to make an outer frame from foam.
Another advantage of the material is its lightness. It is enough to cover the product with a special adhesive and can be mounted on the facade.
Without self-tapping screws, screws and special fasteners. Polyurethane, similar in consistency, has the same properties. It is just as light, easy to install and, unlike stone decor, allows you to make a noticeable detail.
Unfortunately, styrofoam and polyurethane are even more picky about the weather than plaster. Strong humidity and exposure to ultraviolet rays negatively affect products and, ultimately, the decor becomes covered with mold, fungus and begins to crumble.
At the same time, the foam plastic has a low cost. Again: at this price, it is quite legitimate from time to time to completely dismantle the decor placed on the facade and buy a new one. If you do not want such trouble and do not live in a favorable climate, you should choose something more durable.
Artificial stone frame
A detailed comparison of materials results in artificial stone being the most competitive. It has all the characteristics of durability, monolithic and attractive in appearance.
This material is a composite product, middle-class polymer concrete, based on sand of various fractions and a resin of synthetic origin that binds it. Even at the production stage, various coloring components are added to it, which allow you to create the desired shade, color, or even an imitation of a particular breed. Even to the touch, the archstone is indistinguishable from natural!
Material advantages:
- Compared to natural, artificial is lighter;
- Just as easy to install as plaster or foam;
- Unlike the above, this material is more durable and is not afraid of moisture. For the manufacture, special antifreeze additives are used, which allow polymer concrete to withstand all temperature records;
- Ease of processing. Unlike natural stone products, architectural stone products do not require fine work and are more affordable at the manufacturing stage;
- Price. With external identity to natural stone, the price of polymer concrete is much lower.
Artificial stone is the undisputed favorite of most buyers, thanks to the perfect balance between price, quality and durability. Therefore, he is chosen.
Window decoration elements
The location and shape of the window itself mainly depend on the architectural solution at the design stage. But decorative elements for the home, you can choose to your taste and stylistic compliance. A stone product can completely change the appearance of a building and bring the necessary style. There are plenty to choose from.
Here are just the most common decorative items:
- Trim
- Slopes
- Window sills
- Brackets
- Keystones
- Sandriks
What is important, each detail, as a rule, has two functions, applied and decorative. Let's consider each option separately:
1) Architraves are the most important and widespread figure in facade decoration.
This is an architectural element of various shapes that outlines the window and door openings of the building. In addition to the external aesthetic function, the platband has a functional significance for the building. With its help close the gap between the window and the window opening.
Similar ones could be found even in Rus'. Carved platbands made of wood (often of a different color) framed window frames in wooden houses. Their creation was approached with great seriousness and difficulty, therefore, often, the products were of rich workmanship and even resembled lace. However, the main function was not a decorative one, but a protective one: the architraves served as an additional barrier to the wind, so that there were no drafts in the apartment.
2) Cornice . Unlike the platband, this element touches the window with only one of its faces (usually the top) and continues to be placed on the wall of the house. Outwardly, it looks like a plinth.
This design visually enlarges the window opening, making it higher. Moreover, the product itself is extremely minimalistic and fits into almost any exterior and architectural design.
3) Window sill , which has long been used not only for decorative purposes. The window sill protects the facade and the window opening from getting wet and the subsequent destruction of the brick. It can be made in various forms, it all depends on the color scheme, the style of the house and your wishes. This is one of the most easily installed elements.
4) Capstone . If the molding has a laconic appearance and only visually enlarges the window from above, then the keystone, like a crown, crowns the opening. Initially, this product was used to increase the reliability of the structure, performing the function of a spacer. Over time, the need for this has disappeared, but he has not lost his charm. Now it is installed above the window to echo the baroque style or a medieval castle.
5) Slopes are the part of the wall that goes deeper in front of the window frame. This detail of the facade is rarely given special attention: the main function of the slopes is to make the protruding wall more pleasing in appearance and to protect the brick tub from temperature changes and precipitation. As a rule, slopes choose a simple plain style. However, in terms of design in terms of composition, they play no less important role than other elements.
14 exterior window finishes with faƧade decor
The visual design of the facade with decorations is complex: all elements are combined with each other to create well-established and time-tested schemes. Each of these has more than once found its place on the facade decor.
There are 14 main compositional schemes:
1. The most minimalist version. The use of trim around the entire perimeter of the frame. Depending on the choice of width, you will get a completely different visual perception of the window from the outside.
The frame can also be supplemented with panels in the corners if the profile of the product is cut at a right angle of 90 degrees.
More project photos here.
2. Window sill combination with U-shaped trim. Even in such a simple scheme, you can choose a unique size to play on the visual perception of a solid combination of two types of finishes.
More project photos here.
3. The third option is similar to the previous one, but the keystone above the window opening is added to the already used elements. Even such a modest detail can become dominant in the composition.
More project photos here.
4. Another interesting combination is a window sill and cornice, which is not limited by the width of the window opening, but, bending around it, stretches around the entire perimeter of the house.
More project photos here.
5. The combination of overwindow and windowwindow cornices, platbands and keystones is a harmonious and balanced ensemble.
More project photos here.
6. If minimalism and classic ideas don't match the image of your home, then you can choose a more eclectic frame. The sixth type involves the use of a platband along the diameter of the window along with a window sill. However, its trajectory and width varies. Most often, this is the transition from wider to narrower from top to bottom.
More project photos here.
7. To make the sixth design more elegant, it can be supplemented with rectangular panels, which will be decorated with repeating or various stucco decorations.
More project photos here.
8. The use of only a pedestal, supplemented with brackets, and a window sill cornice comparable in size.
On the one hand, this is symmetry, and on the other hand, it is a game for the visual lengthening of the window opening.
More project photos here.
9. But brackets can be added not only to the sunroom, but also to the window sill, as was done in the version below.
More project photos here.
10. Still the same combination of sandrik and window sill, but this time with a keystone.
More project photos here.
11. The cornice can not only be located on top of the window, but also go down a little along the edge of the opening. How long to lower its side elements is a matter of your preference.
More project photos here.
12. A more minimalistic version of the eleventh variant - without the use of slopes and architraves, but at the same time, the lowered parts of the cornice support brackets, and below it harmoniously complements the window sill.
More project photos here.
13. Tribute to tradition ā home decoration in the style of a medieval castle. As a rule, specially processed semi-antique stones are placed around the perimeter, on the right and left sides of the window.
More project photos here.
14. Addition of a standard framing with a triangular tympanum will give a truly elegant and memorable appearance to the facade of the house.
More project photos here.
Buy exterior window decor
The choice of a suitable decoration from all the existing variety is primarily based on the appearance of the house itself, its style and exterior solutions. There are no right and wrong options here: any combinations and selected sets are just a matter of taste.
The choice of material for facade framing is much clearer. Among all used today, artificial stone occupies a leading position in terms of price / quality ratio.
It is durable, weather resistant, relatively easy to mount, detailed and affordable.
On the catalog page you can see the full range of window decor options available for order. If you have any questions or would like to place an order for facade stucco, please contact us in any way convenient for you or request a callback in a special form on the website.
Styrofoam architraves for the facade of a private house.
Styrofoam window and door frames, technology and aesthetics.
Buy foam trims from the manufacturer.
Exterior window trim with styrofoam moldings is a technically simple and versatile solution for any type of wall. It has much more advantages than disadvantages. The disadvantages, first of all, include some fragility of the foam molding, which is fully compensated by high maintainability. Any classic finish can be made of foam.
BUY window foam kit.
The box is erected, the roof is covered, it seems that it is ready and the bulk of the work is done.
However, finishing both inside and outside takes even more effort and time than construction and installation work (CMP). Project "Julia" - without exterior finish.
Styrofoam details and artificial stone have completely transformed this cottage.
Windows are one of the most visible and significant elements in the architecture of a building, both in terms of functionality and aesthetics.
The design of the window opening from the outside raises many questions, which this article will help to solve. Let's start with the design aspects:
There are 2 types of window openings:
- With a quarter.
- Straight.
BUY Styrofoam trim for windows.
Styrofoam parts are installed in different openings in different designs. This must be taken into account when buying or ordering stucco.
With a direct opening, it is necessary to arrange slopes from the outside, and if there is a quarter, the quarter itself is already a window slope. Styrofoam profiles are well suited for slopes, but you can get by with warm plaster.
If the window opening does not have a quarter, then the ideal option for finishing the slope + foam trim.
3 options for composite window framing with foam or concrete profiles.
Buy Styrofoam trim combined with slope.
From the solution of a purely technical question: āWhat material to make architectural elements from?ā depends on what appearance the building will acquire in the final.
Architectural concrete windows, architraves and slope form a single unit. The L-shaped platband can also be made of polystyrene foam.
Styrofoam window trims to buy in the online store from the manufacturer.
In the manufacture of window trim, we have previously used various materials, concrete, foam, concrete-polystyrene composite.
We now produce a variety of styrofoam decors as an alternative to expensive items.
An example of the use of slopes and architraves of our production. BUY A FRAME FROM POLYFOAM IN MOSCOW.
Ease of manufacture, ease of installation, excellent properties after plastering and painting, allowing the foam molding to decorate the facade for many years, as well as excellent value for money. Do not forget that polystyrene is an excellent insulation.
Therefore, we can say that the exterior window decoration with foam plastic is a good choice for a limited budget.
The rectangular platband is easy to make by hand. It will look like the images below.
Rectangular platband can also be bought in our online store at the most attractive price. But this is the simplest and least visually attractive way to design window openings from the outside. You can often see cottages with a rectangular frame around the windows.
Of course, such a slope and a foam plastic trim will serve to insulate the opening, but it is unlikely to greatly decorate it. Of course, beauty, as always, requires sacrifice and a figured casing will most likely cost more, but even here you can find good options in terms of price-quality ratio.
An important issue when carrying out facade work in general and window decoration in particular, at what stage is the installation of facade moldings. How to properly install relief finishing details if the facade is already tiled, plastered and painted or made in facing bricks. Facade profiles made of foam plastic are light, so there is no need to leave mortgages under them, there is also no need to make additional insulation, foam plastic is a heater in itself.
Styrofoam outdoor products with the āWet facadeā finishing method are installed on a rough screed along the insulation until the final wall plastering.
Styrofoam window trims to buy in the online store from the manufacturer.
When the exterior walls are already lined, the facade polystyrene parts are mounted directly on the facing material. One clarification, if the cladding has a pronounced relief, for example, a torn stone, then most likely you will have to level the seat under the stucco molding.
Basic questions related to the installation of window frames:
- How to combine (join) pieces of the profile with each other?
- How is Styrofoam molding trimmed?
- How to arrange window and door slopes?
- How to arrange window and door slopes?
- What is the best adhesive to stick foam to the wall?
- Where can I get a wiring diagram of the components?
- How to connect different elements to each other?
- At what point is the metal flashing installed?
- Features of the installation of arched and round architraves.
- How to paint the outer slopes of the foam.
We tried to answer these questions in detail in this article.
If, after reading, you have additional questions, then call us at 8 (968) 622-33-96, we will definitely answer.
How to join profile pieces together.
Facade profiles of the same section are joined in a straight line simply: tightly and without any gaps, the joint is not flared. However, the ends of coated profiles that come from the factory must be trimmed! Joints (ends) must be coated with the same adhesive that is used to install the trim on the facade. Corner joints are glued similarly to straight ones, tightly, but without undue pressure, pressing against each other.
How to cut foam moldings.
Styrofoam profile is sold in our shop in pieces of two running meters. Under zakau, it can be cut into pieces of any size, but not longer than 2 meters.
Cutting a profile into non-standard segments is a paid service , and it is very easy to cut a foam plastic with a regular hacksaw or a construction knife, so we recommend that you entrust the cutting into the necessary fragments to the builders during installation or do it yourself.
IMPORTANT! If the molding or platband needs to be turned at a right angle, then the profile must be cut at an angle of 45 degrees, and it is not necessary to immediately cut the entire platband on the ground. It is better to install it in parts, first the upper segment, then the vertical side parts, and then the bottom. This will allow you to āplayā with the profile in case of not ideal geometry of the window opening.
A miter box must be used to cut the foam at an angle.
Miter box for small profiles.
If the profiles are large, a goniometer is required for marking.
How to glue the foam on the facade.
Small profiles or other small styrofoam faƧade products can be fixed to the faƧade with adhesive alone.
Longer and heavier profiles must be fastened both with glue and mechanically , eg with dowels. Large and protruding elements must be additionally protected with ebbs with their own fastening system.
15 adhesives suitable for styrofoam bonding:
- Styroglue and similar
- Mounting foam.
- Polyurethane foam.
- DecoFix Hydro for outdoor use.
- PenosilPolystyrol adhesive mix
- Kreisel220
- CeresitCT85
- CT84
- ST83
- Liquid nails.
- Hotmelt.
- Penoplex FastFix
- TechnoNIKOL Professional 9 Foam Adhesive0010
- Tytan Styro 753 O2 Thermal Insulation Adhesive
- Moisture resistant PVA is suitable for indoor use, it is not recommended to use it on the facade.
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It should be noted that for different cases, different glue is suitable, but this is already a matter of practice.
Assembly diagram of architectural elements.
The mounting scheme must be developed for each project individually, but there are ready-made assemblies and schemes for assembling individual elements, such as windows.
For various applications of our profiles, see the "Completed sets" page.
How to join different elements together.
It is not difficult to physically join different foam plastic facade parts. The question is rather about the combination of various elements with each other. Sometimes it is difficult for a non-professional to decide which sandrick fits which vertical frame and which window sill.
Styrofoam window sill protection on the faƧade.
Styrofoam window sills must be protected from above with metal flashings.
Please note that in the photo below, the window sill is finished differently along the edges. In one case, it is cut at an angle of 90 degrees, in the second there is a rotation of the pattern.
Read more about turning the window sill on YaZen.
How to paint exterior slopes and foam trims.
First of all, expanded polystyrene must be reinforced or plastered, it is called polystyrene and so, the meaning of the name does not change.
There are many ways, in principle, there are 2 ways to protect styrofoam moldings:
- under production conditions
- directly on the front
After applying the protective layer, you can paint with anything, but you should not use paints containing acetone or alcohol, perhaps the reinforced casing will not suffer, but it's still not worth the risk, since the foam is soluble in acetone and alcohol. The best solution for painting facade elements is rubber paint, which withstands temperature deformations, which are inevitable in our climate.
However, any other facade paint will do.
BUY Styrofoam architraves
Features of installation of arched and round architraves.
Arched openings are more difficult to finish than rectangular ones. In order to accurately and beautifully decorate an arched window, you need to order a casing along with a slope, then everything will turn out very neatly. In the option of ordering only a frame, you will have to level the round slopes with putty, which is somewhat more difficult.
Design options for window and door slopes.
It is impossible to disassemble facade elements abstractly from the architectural style, even if we take the window classification invented by the current generation of plastic window sellers, which migrates from site to site, it is clear that the names in this classification are associated with certain places on Earth or historical periods. This classification lacks any logic and system, order systems are mixed, partially selected without any visible principle, styles and time periods by which architecture is classified are not taken into account. But since this list is the most common, we decided to illustrate it. There are serious doubts about some positions. If readers have more reliable information, we will be very grateful if you leave it in the comments.
- Berlin Window is a wide three-leaf window, usually located in the inner corner and used to illuminate the rooms formed by the intersection of two outbuildings.
There is a description of this window, but the author of the article could not find pictures illustrating this type of window. Moreover, under this type of window, a simple three-part window was encountered all the time. This type of window was not found in English-language sources. The source from which this term appeared on Wikipedia has also not been found. Perhaps this facade fits the description.
- Biforium is a double arched window or opening divided by a column or column. Such a window was widespread in Western European medieval Romanesque and then Gothic architecture. From the definition of this type of window, the binding to a certain time period and to the location and style is already read.
- Bramant's window - Arched semicircular window inscribed in a rectangle, appeared in Italy during the High Renaissance Cinquecento late XV - 1527 and is named after the architect Donato Bramante.
- Bramant Window of the Palazzo Cancelleria, Rome
- Fan window is a window whose upper part consists of sectors fanned out. This type of window can be found in the architecture of different periods and styles. But the first thing that comes to mind when you hear "Fan Window" is the windows of London. Actually, the so-called type of window, in this case, concerns only deglazing and does not affect the outer frame, it can be anything, for example, "Bramant". Which again indicates the unsystematic nature of this classification.
Fan glazing in the style of "Liberty" or historical "Modern"
2 examples that show how different the shape of a window can be and how different stucco molding can surround a window with a glazing of the same type.
- Venetian window is a double arched window with a column in the middle. This definition raises the most doubts, since it essentially echoes the definition of Biforium .
Of course, Venice is a city with a unique style, and in the selection of Andre Goncalves windows it is not difficult to recognize Venetian windows even without a signature, but rather by style details, color and characteristic stucco elements.
Windows of Venice Italy trims for windows.
- Red (oblique) window - the name is slanting (not to be confused with the slanting, although it used to be the same thing) speaks for itself - that is, framed with jambs. Windows with beautifully carved architraves in Russian villages are still called red. The name "red" window was not only because of the beauty, but also because a lot of light penetrated through such windows. This classification refers to Russian architecture, does not intersect with the order system.
Window trims
Window trims Alexei Mikhailovich Palace. (Red window)
- Roof window is a window cut directly into the roof slope and designed to illuminate the attic.
This classification refers to the classification of windows by function. A roof window can come in a wide range of styles in terms of style. Today in cottage construction it is very popular to use the space under the roof, more so that modern heaters allow it. Today, skylights are cut directly into the roof, earlier, for lighting in the attic, a small separate birdhouse was built, the slopes of which were adjacent to the roof, the window was cut vertically into the central facade of this "birdhouse". If the attic was located in some castle or palace, such a birdhouse was decorated very elegantly.
- Mezzanine window is a window of the upper half-floor (Mezzanine) located above the main row of high mezzanine windows. The mezzanine often has a balcony. In Russia, the mezzanine became widespread in the 19th century. Usually this is an element of the architecture of a small estate, both stone and wooden.
Russian house with a mezzanine and carved architraves on the windows.
Shakhmatovo, A. Blok's estate, mezzanine window. Platbands on windows with a simple profile, wooden shutters also serve as window frames.
The Bolshoi Theater has a row of mezzanine windows on the top floor, a typical example of the Classical style in architecture.
- Window of the second light - a window in a dark room through which light falls from a lighted room.
Styrofoam trim for a double-height window.
- Corner window - corner window., since the word "kut" used to mean a corner, now it is more common in the root of the word "nook". Why the modern architectural dictionary suggests the term "Planet window" as a definition of a corner window is not entirely clear. After all, it is obvious that for the modern Russian language the term "corner window" is more obvious. Corner windows are a modern technologically complex solution, choosing which, when designing your home, you need to understand that this is not a cheap solution, and in Russia it is also impractical.
In the history of architecture, such windows are found mainly in southern countries, where it was not necessary to think about keeping warm in winter and freezing corners.
The corner window has a brick lining and a stone supporting column.
- Palladium window is a three-part window in which the central arched opening is flanked by two side rectangular openings separated from the central one by small columns or pilasters. The whole composition is united by a common arch and a rectangular frame. This principle of building a window is named after the Italian architect of the second half of the 16th century. A. Palladio.
The compositionally complex platband of the Palladium window has pilasters in the form of semi-columns and a complex sandrik.
- Panoramic window can replace a wall in large rooms, offering a beautiful view. The latest modification of an old French window.
- Rose is a poetic name for a large round window in the western facade of a Gothic cathedral with an openwork weave of stone lace filled with colored stained glass.
Small roses were also placed in the end walls of the transept.
Sometimes "Roses" were made without filling with glass, they served as openwork openings in the walls.
- āFish Bubbleā is an arched window opening with complex curvilinear binding inside in Late Gothic architecture. The arched opening has an increased number of branches, while the rule to strengthen the concave parts of the arches remains in force. Fish bubble is formed by a plexus of curved lines resembling flames of fire in the wind, such Gothic is sometimes called "Flaming Gothic". Why this particular Gothic style was chosen in this classification is not entirely clear, because there are several styles united by the concept of "Gothic".
Windows in different gothic styles. Far right just "Fish Bubble" or "Flaming Gothic", also "Arrowed" and "Ray Gothic".
Architraves at that time in cathedrals and palaces were made of the same material as the walls, of stone or brick.
- Serliana is a three-part window treated with columns or pilasters and having a semicircular segment above the middle part. Named after the Italian architect of the second half of the 16th century. S. Serlio. Actually, this is the same as the Bramant's window. Just a different era gave a new name.
- Blind window is a niche in the wall imitating a window opening.
A rare example of a corner blind window with a thermal window next to it, decorated with grotesques.
- Dormer window - window in the roof of the building, designed for natural lighting and ventilation of attic spaces, sometimes for access to the roof.
The dormer window very often does not have glazing, as it is intended for ventilation, it can also be located on the gable of the house.
Sometimes it looks like Lucarna.
- Lucarnes are called Dormers windows in the form of a ledge on the roof of a round or oval shape. Lucarnes can be glazed and serve as skylights.
Architraves on windows photo of stucco molding in the form of a lucarne.
- Florentine window is a double or triple window with arched endings united by one large arch. Venetian window modification.
- French Window is a high floor-to-ceiling window with fine glazing, arched or rectangular top and a French balcony at the bottom. Characteristic element of French architecture of the 17th century in
32 windows of Paris collected on one sheet.
- A English window is a term that defines a window with single pane glazing. Such a window is opened by shifting the frame up and fixing it.
Hardcover ordinary English window is formed from small squares.
- Thermal or Diocletian window ā a window that is divided into three compartments by two vertical posts (multipliers) ā the central one is wider and the side ones are narrower. Such windows are typical of the Roman baths of Diocletian, now converted into the church of Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri. Below is the facade of the Baths of Diocletian with such windows.
500 classic window designs, examples from around the world:
Photo of windows on the exterior of the house.
Evora Portugal Andre Goncalves
Window frames Coimbra Portugal. Andre Goncalves
Vienna Austria Andre Goncalves
Amsterdam The Netherlands Andre Goncalves
Lisbon Portugal. Andre Goncalves
Montemor O Nova Portugal Andre Goncalves Any trim can be made for Styrofoam windows.
Window frames Bangkok Thailand. photo Andre Goncalves
Window frames Bangkok Thailand. photo Andre Goncalves
Design of window architraves, examples of solutions for window and door openings.
Pilasters for windows instead of architraves, this is one of the ways to decorate windows in an unusual way from the outside. In the case of using pilasters as a platband, a sandrik is arranged in the upper part of the window, which can be made from a cornice profile.
Details about the rules of window design, stucco options, combinations of various elements of stucco details on windows, read in a new article.
Moldings , which are presented in our online store, are much simpler than the magnificent frames that you saw above, but the price of a simple profile is much more democratic.
Styrofoam facade products are a simple and inexpensive way to decorate your home, however, you can repeat any of your favorite frames to order.
Beautiful photo houses.
Private house allows its owner to express his imagination and make the facade to his liking.
Styrofoam finishing elements that we have in the catalog allow you to do this inexpensively.
The decor of the facade of the house after painting looks the same, no matter what material it would be made of.
However, Styrofoam allows you to implement any idea even when the house is built, and the decor has not been plastered, because it is light.
Finishing the facade with foam plastic will not only make the house unique, but also serve as an additional insulation.
Styrofoam decor can be made according to architect's drawings for facades in any style.
Facade design is a necessary and sufficient condition for the facade of the house to look unique.
Intricate, voluminous, wide roof eaves are most easily made from expanded polystyrene.
