Windows have always been a critical element in any interior design concept. Although it is often dismissed as an inevitable requirement for building a house or a business space, choosing and installing the right windows and fixtures can satisfy specific form and function needs.
For your next idea, give windows the attention they deserve. Here are five ways your windows can boost your interior design.
1. Provide Natural Illumination and Ventilation
Light and airflow are among the primary purposes of getting a window installed. These two factors dictate several considerations, such as the dimensions, the height, and even the orientation.
In the context of interior design, you can never have too much natural light or airflow. However, it doesn’t mean that windows are always installed to only maximize these two elements. Some clients are not comfortable with direct sunlight at certain times of the day. In certain instances, light or airflow can obstruct installations in a room–a glare obscuring the television screen or too much breeze keeping tabletops dusty.
The amount of illumination and ventilation in an interior design is also balanced with other elements. The natural flow from windows is often controlled or balanced with interior and artificial sources. Therefore, artificial lighting and HVAC ducts are usually coordinated with window placement and design.
Lastly, window choices also serve a practical purpose. By allowing the right amount of natural light in, you can reduce the space’s reliance on artificial lighting, making your home more energy-efficient.
2. Establish Connections Between Indoor & Outdoor Areas
Another point where windows help define form and function is setting boundaries between different parts of the building. Here is where windows create the impression of space and expanse, even in cramped urban settings.
A window with the correct orientation and dimensions can make a room feel larger. This effect works by giving the person inside a clear, unobstructed view of the outside. Hence, they feel connected to the environment outside them. Again, particular room applications and design choices would benefit from smaller windows. For example, beachfront properties usually have a pair of beach-facing glass doors to the veranda. Meanwhile, other sides of the same room could use wide and narrow louver windows.
If you’re making an interior design plan, the key here is to identify the boundaries that need to be set. Windows, unlike doors, only offer partial access between two spaces. Whereas doors and arches allow people to pass through, windows do not. They only enable sensory connections without the full right of way–you can see, hear, or even smell what’s in the other room.
Also, functionality is an important consideration. Some designs require using a window or a similar element between two indoor locations. However, for windows separating the inside to the outside space, use the right kind of fixtures like double pane and sealed types. After all, windows shouldn’t leak and provide the protection you need.
3. Support Color and Style Coordination
Besides the essential functions, windows also serve various purposes relating to form and aesthetics. One particular impact is that windows, like most fixtures, can be color-coordinated with other elements in a room.
This impact also plays with the fact that windows let natural light into the building. By choosing the right color of windows and fixtures, you can better highlight certain features of a room. A great example is a room with neutral, earthy tones. A similarly-colored opening creates a feeling of uniformity and stability, on top of the impression that the room is more spacious than it actually is.
The same goes for style choices, as certain casement types work better with particular architectural and design preferences. For example, brutalist buildings often have fixed, single-pane windows, while neoclassical and antebellum-inspired structures have large and evenly spaced multi-pane windows.
If you’re looking to achieve a particular style, make sure to include your casement in the design considerations.
4. Doubles as a Dynamic Wall Decor
People say that nature inspires art, and you can do that with your windows. Since they act as a gap or an empty space in your wall, everything on the other side can create an image coincidentally framed by the fixture.
This mainly works in modern houses that feature actual artworks displayed in wall sections in between windows. Depending on where the building is located, you can capture the urban landscape or a more natural scenery with just your window. This is why specialty windows are becoming increasingly popular. Oversized and floor-to-ceiling windows offer an exaggerated view of the scenery–doubling as dynamic wall decor.
Meanwhile, interior designers are experimenting with the actual framing to create a thematically coherent display. Classical or vintage home ideas almost always go for wood frames, whether plain wood or ornately chiseled ones. Meanwhile, young professionals are being drawn more toward steel frames, usually installed as a part of a modernist or a minimalist area.
Complete Your Interior Design Dreams
To achieve that specific style you’re aiming for, make sure that you consider all elements, including windows. More than an essential requirement for any living or office space, windows can be used to highlight certain features and blend with other aesthetic choices you’ve made with other elements in the room. If you’re looking for more ideas to spice up your space, check out these home improvement ideas and see which of them works primarily for you.