According to historical records, in the beginning, a window was just a hole from where early humans protected their homes and family with arrows. Glass came during the Roman Empire in the 1st century AD, but was only added to the most vital structures. As centuries passed by, glass has still deemed a luxury that was installed on prominent buildings, like colorful stained glass windows on churches and cathedrals in the Middle Ages.
As progress changed the perception of architecture and gave it aesthetical significance, besides the functional one, so did the need for windows. Today, their purpose to keep the weather outside and regulate the temperature inside a building is only a small part of how window design can affect your interior look.
Giving you access to the outside world
Having a view of the outside world brings life to the space. If you have a nice garden, a large window framing the view of your flowers and greenery is like a work of art. Waking every morning to the sight of the sea or drinking a hot beverage while watching the snow fall down are all moments making your interior design more comfortable.
Even if the view is not as picturesque, the access to the outside world serves as metaphorical oxygen, allowing you to breathe and feel alive in an enclosed space. This is truer for houses since you can use tall glass doors as windows in the winter and as doors again by opening them up to expand your living area in the summer.
Brightening up the space
Ask any designer or architect and they will tell you that natural light is one of the most valuable assets of space design. After all, humans need sunlight, directly and indirectly, for their circadian rhythm and mental health. Having an abundance of light in the mood brightens up da space and gives it openness, even when you opted for a darker color palette.
The mood of the room becomes lighter, energetic, and spirited, giving the décor a more flattering expression. The position and size of the windows matter in this case as you should decide on the biggest ones your budget will cover. If you can’t afford bigger windows, hang a mirror opposite existing ones to reflect the light and make the room brighter.
Complementing the décor
Window and décor should go hand in hand. For instance, aluminum windows go well with a minimalist interior style, while wooden frames will highlight the traditional design. The modern look will benefit more from rimless solutions, giving it cleanliness and elegance. Neutral shades for frame color are a better option than white, giving the space a mysterious and dreamy look.
The type of window is not the only thing you need to pay attention to. If you want to dress the windows, be careful with the colors, textures, and patterns of the materials. Treat this as decorating and match your curtains and drapes with your furniture, carpeting, walls, and artwork. White curtains are a classic that never goes out of style and will almost always work.
Offering control of privacy
When people see large windows or glass walls, they often wonder about the question of privacy. The same, actually, applies to any window, no matter its size or type. Thankfully, there are many solutions offering control over how much can people see inside your home.
For instance, installing block-out roller blinds on windows is convenient with modern style and allows light into the space. If you want to completely obscure the view and light, you can use drapes — a handy way to create the perfect ambiance for sleeping. The key is to find an option that gives you the most control over the feel of the room with functionality, materials, and design.
Bringing freshness to your home
Interior design is not only about styles and colors, but also other senses besides your sight, like smell. Windows have a functional purpose — to open them and allow fresh air to come in and stale on to go out. Even in the winter, opening up your windows from time to time brings freshness into the space, waking up the room from its slumber.
To take this to the next level, place herbs on the windowsill — for example, basil and thyme. That way, when you open a window and fresh air enters your home, it will pick up fragrances from these herbs and bring aromatic scents into the room. You can do the same if you place peel from oranges on the sill or hang lavender above the window after you open it.
Including your ceiling in the interior design
If you ask homeowners what is one thing in interior design that can be considered the least inspiring, the majority would probably say the ceiling. Usually, the ceiling is painted white, in some brave cases, you can give it the same or different color from the walls. Light fixtures and moldings can make it more interesting, but usually, it’s dull, and not many people bother to look up repeatedly when admiring the room.
Skylights present a solution to include the ceiling in the interior architecture. They are practical for small spaces, bringing more natural light into the room and avoiding demolishing walls to install more windows. If you install them in your bedroom, you can stargaze at the night sky before falling asleep or watch the raindrops falling on the glass.
In conclusion
A lot of things can affect the feel of the house, willingness to own a place, and easiness to call it home. Undoubtedly, windows can do all that. Window design can affect your interior look to an extent it can completely change your space with its size, shape, and type. Sometimes, it’s enough to enlarge existing windows with transom lights to make the room brighter and more open. Other times, all you need to do is replace the blinds to feel the change in the room.