The windows in your home are your connection to the outside world, and how you choose to decorate them says a lot about the style of your interior design. Leaving windows bare is a sleek, modern look for those who live in wooded or secluded areas. But for those who have neighbors, sidewalks, and streets just steps away, that’s not really an option. To decorate windows there are endless modern ideas that can be adapted to any interior style or particular taste.
Modern ideas for decorating windows
If curtains are too demanding for your minimal furniture and blinds are too dull for your modern taste, plenty of alternatives are available. These are some of the modern window decoration ideas to protect your privacy while displaying a chic style.
Window finishes
Frosted glass. Window films and glass alternatives let in light while protecting artwork, wood, and other household items from fading from sun exposure. They also help with heating and cooling bills, add privacy, and hide unpleasant views.
These alternatives are particularly attractive to people with allergies or sensitivities to dust or animal hair, which tend to accumulate on fabric curtains and blinds.
Authentic stained glass. Stained glass windows are lovely in old houses. They can also be installed in new construction. Available in clear leaded glass, as well as traditional color styles, which can be as ornate or as simple as your heart desires.
The frosted glass provides privacy without obscuring the view of the window. This appearance can be obtained by chemical treatment of the glass, covered with semitransparent contact paper or using aerosol products. You can treat only part of the window or all of it, depending on your needs.
Decorative adhesive film. It offers countless options for decorating windows, including the stained-glass look, color graphics, and even glow-in-the-dark styles. Many cling films are easily removable, which can cause you to change the style of your windows as often as you change the interior style.
Displays
Metal laser cut screens make an important architectural statement in windows, and some have retractable screens to allow air to circulate on very nice days. They can be placed inside or outside and cause a more private and sophisticated air in the openings of the house.
These species of screens do not harbor allergens or irritants such as pet hair or dust mites, and many can be used to separate spaces within rooms when they are not in front of the windows. Folding screens or portable triptychs can be very decorative or simple, and are an easy alternative to more permanent window decoration.
Blinds and curtains
Window blinds have seen a renaissance thanks to new fabrics that filter UV light. Many can be programmed to raise and lower with minimal effort, or by remote control. Place plants in front of them for a unique look, or have them in different patterns that complement your décor.
Decorating windows with solid panel blinds or those with adjustable openings (planks) like the image above is very flexible since they can be painted to match or complement a room’s color scheme. The planks in these panels can even be substituted to create your own design.
Art
Artwork in the correct size and shape can multitask in any room. Use a favorite painting or drawing as window art by day, and as a privacy shield and creative accent at night. (See top image).
Maps or posters can be turned into blinds mounted on sturdy boards, providing privacy and an evening of fun bursting with color.
Vintage neon signs or any other type, you can take them as a whimsical element in the kitchen, a game room or a child’s bedroom.
Floors
Plants, particularly the tall, dense varieties placed on an interior window sill, provide not only privacy, but also elemental beauty and the added benefit of filtering the air. Plant an herb garden in your kitchen window and have fresh herbs with all your meals. Outside, window boxes can be filled with taller flowering plants that provide color and a beautiful view both inside and outside from the windows.
We hope these modern window decorating ideas have inspired you.
