Three Ways to Manipulate Window Treatments and Improve a Room

It's something a lot of amateur decorators don't realize, but how you present your windows makes all the difference in a room. Did you know that you can actually make your windows look bigger just by properly decorating them? And letting in enough natural light can really freshen up a room. When it comes to window treatments, you've got a lot of options, and it's tempting just to go simple. Whether you take a basic and traditional approach or want to go all out, you can still amp up any room with the right manipulations.

Create the Illusion of Bigger Windows, Higher Ceilings

Think about where your curtain rod is hung in relation to the top of the window and your ceiling. Is it hung at the same height as where the window ends? Is there blank space between there and the ceiling? Then it's time to reconsider. Move the curtain rod a bit north – quite a bit, if you've got the space. By hanging long, thin drapes from a rod placed high-up on the wall, you actually make your windows look bigger by creating long lines on the wall. This also makes the ceilings appear higher, which in turn makes the entire room appear a bit bigger. If you don't like the bare space that's visible between the curtain rod and the top of the window, then use a valance to hide it.

Interior shutters give any room sophistication.

Make Your Home Look Expensive on a Budget

We've all got an image of what our dream homes look like. Perhaps marble countertops or cherry wood floors are present in these hypothetical homes. If you just don't have the cash to do a full-on home makeover, though, you can do a makeshift one. More and more interior designers are turning to interior shutters to give homes a more expensive-looking interior. Wooden shutters play off of the other accents in your home to provide an upscale yet classic look, and best of all, they're energy efficient. They block out sunlight (and, therefore, heat) more effectively than any other type of window treatment to keep your home cooler in the summer, reducing the amount of air conditioning energy you need to use.

Give Your Home Glow with Vinyl Film

Similar to how your bathroom window is made from clouded glass, you can put vinyl film over any window in the house. This has many benefits. Firstly, it's very modern in appearance; some people find that it eliminates the need for curtains or blinds altogether, which helps you to achieve the modern look of clean lines and minimalism. Secondly, it diffuses the light a bit to give a room a nice glow, whether the sun is washing in or you've got a backdrop of city lights. Plus, it gives you privacy without "weighing down" the room. Some people think curtains or drapes take up too much visual space, so simply covering the windows with vinyl – especially larger windows – makes the room look and feel bigger.