11 Small Window Treatment Ideas That'll Add Style To Your Space

As far as style is concerned, the way you dress your windows matters. It's a confusing topic to get your head around regardless of size, largely because style is so personal. And thing is, the smaller the window you're dealing with, the bigger the problem becomes. Should you add stained glass to the windows of your front door, or will it read dated? Should you cover up those gorgeous porthole style panes, or will that waste an otherwise intriguing architectural feature? Should you get curtains or blinds for your kitchen?

If any of these questions are buzzing around your mind, don't worry. There are actually loads of small window treatment ideas that can add style to your space. The key is narrowing down the list of options to those that suit your style, and then thinking strategically about what those treatments need to do. Is there a small window in your bathroom, for example? If so, privacy is paramount. Is there a small but sun-soaked window that's waking you up earlier than you'd like? Then something to let in less light will be high on your agenda. In larger rooms, small windows can be scaled up with oversized dressings, and likewise in smaller rooms, just a tiny touch can go a long way to preserving a sense of space. Whatever your goals, if you're stuck for small window ideas, you'll find just a few below.

Roman shades are one of those wonderful window treatments that can brighten up any room. Folding up neatly into soft, pleated sections, then dropping to create a flush covering when lowered, they're also excellent for windows of various sizes. From a stylistic point of view, they're available in a variety of colors and patterns, which means you can easily use them to layer interest into your space. Practically speaking, they're also highly versatile. They can be customized in different types of fabric, including both noise reducing and blackout fabrics, making them useful in rooms around the house.

As for their specific suitability to small windows, they're usually fitted to sit very close to the glass. In other words, they don't intrude upon your space like larger dressings such as curtains. Now, as we'll see later, going "big" with curtains on small windows can, in some scenarios, work to your advantage. But if your small window belongs to a small room, then Roman blinds have a clear advantage. You can buy Roman blinds to fit windows of various sizes, and even if you live in a rental, there are no-drill products widely available, like these No Drill Roman Shades from Boolegon. These, like other similar options, can be customized to suit the size of your window, helping to achieve that all-important made-to-measure aesthetic.

As one of the most common window treatments available, it may come as no surprise to find wood Venetian blinds listed in this guide. However, they have perhaps never been more relevant. Interior design sensibilities are increasingly favoring biophilic design touches. What is biophilic design? It's essentially a means of layering our homes with more nature-grounded touches. Think more plants, softer shapes, and the natural, textural warmth of wood. But wooden blinds offer more than just a trendy swap for curtains.

Provided that you have your blinds made to fit your smaller windows, they can help to achieve a more intentional, built-in look. Like Roman shades, this will ensure that they don't stick out and close out your space unnecessarily. Once installed, wooden blinds can also be adjusted to let in more or less light, depending on the mood you want to create. They're not as infallible against morning light as, say, Roman blinds, since the slats naturally have gaps, which in turn allow some light through. But in spaces that you only tend to use in the daytime, they offer a useful blend of style and practicality. They can be especially practical in kitchens, especially faux wood blinds, which are easier than fabric to keep clean, and less prone to warping than natural wood.

Covering just the lower portion of your windows, using cafe curtains instead of regular curtains is a useful trick for smaller frames. If you think of them in the context of an actual cafe, where they shield diners from the view of the street outside, this may help give an idea of where you could use them. Your kitchen-diner may have a small window gazing out onto the street, for example. Your dining room may feel a little exposed from neighborly views when you're trying to enjoy quality time together in the evening. Or you may want to dampen the amount of light flooding into your space without closing it out entirely.

Where cafe curtains really shine is on windows where you don't want to completely cover the glass and block out all the light, but where a bare window would simply feel unloved. Like valances (which we'll come to later), they add just a touch of style, and since you can buy them in fabrics of various colors and patterns, you can get as creative with them as you please. Finally, since they only cover the lower portion of the window, they're great for more architectural window features. They help to control light and add privacy without completely hiding the feature behind.

There are some smaller windows where something like a blind or a curtain just doesn't make sense. The glass above your door, for example, is typically best left uncovered, especially in long hallways where it's the only source of natural light. But that's not to say that you can't still "treat" it for a touch of style. No longer reserved for the grand designs of a church, stained glass provides a great opportunity for homeowners to get creative. And it lends style to a space in two ways.

Firstly, whether you incorporate stained glass into your front door or add it to a transom window, the glass becomes a focal point. It works like a piece of artwork on the wall, drawing the eye with interest without the need to cover or otherwise "dress" the glass. Secondly, and especially if it's installed on your home's sunny side, it does magical things to the light within your walls. Light refracts in myriad marvelous ways when passed through stained glass, achieving an almost ethereal effect quite unlike anything else you might treat your windows with. Oh, and while adding stained glass to your home might sound expensive, it needn't be. Since you're treating the smallest windows, you'll spend much less than you would on larger installations. And in a pinch, to save on costs, you can also create custom DIY stained glass windows with inexpensive kids' craft markers.

One small window treatment that you may not be able to recreate with your kids' crayons is a set of electric blinds. However, that's not to say you shouldn't consider it. Electric blinds are a great choice for hard-to-reach windows, like skylights. Not only do motorized blinds improve accessibility for light management, but they also make it easier to regulate temperature, reducing heat in the summer while helping to lock it in in the winter. They're often controlled by remote control, and depending on which product you choose to install, they're surprisingly versatile.

For example, you can buy solar-powered blinds, which require no complicated electrical wiring. You can also buy smart-home compatible blinds, like these Motorized Skylight Blinds from ZSTARR. Products like this can be controlled via app, and can often be set to automatically open and close at different times of the day, like the morning and evening. The trick to making electric blinds slot neatly into your decor is choosing one that matches your space. Luckily, there are electric blinds in various "types," from Venetian and Roman to vertical and more. In turn, this means you have virtually limitless colors and patterns to choose from.

If you already have curtains over your small windows and you're not looking for a dramatic change of treatment, then a simple switch of curtain could be equally effective. Of course, that depends on what you're trying to achieve with your window treatment. If you have a window that feels too small compared to the rest of the space, then a few vertical stripes could help to give the illusion of taller windows. This will help to trick the eye into thinking the window space is larger than reality. Alternatively, you could choose to go horizontal, which will create an illusion of width.

Now, if you're not overly sold on the idea of stripes, then don't worry. You could instead consider adjusting your curtain pole. For example, like vertical stripes, a slightly higher curtain pole can also give the illusion of taller windows — provided that your existing curtains have enough "drop" to look natural. Or, for a sense of greater width, consider installing a pole that's longer than strictly necessary. Either way, by playing with the pole position instead of leaning on stripes, you'll have way more stylistic choices to pick from. You could go for a sumptuous, mossy green for earthiness, or a rich floral pattern to enliven an otherwise stark space. It's up to you. The point is that if you like to get creative, a small tweak to your curtain pole provides the perfect chance to do so.

Unfortunately, not all small window treatment ideas are strictly suitable for all small windows. Fabric blinds, for example, may prove a touch too high-maintenance in the humid confines of your bathroom or kitchen. The same can be said for natural wood. Fortunately, if your goal is purely privacy, you don't actually need to "treat" the windows at all. At least, not in the sense of hanging curtains or blinds. Instead, you could incorporate frosted glass.

Frosted glass windows lend precisely the kind of privacy you need in the bathroom, without the need to constantly clean, pull down blinds, or draw curtains. Another bonus is that they don't starve the space of light. Instead, the frosting helps to diffuse the light, creating a softer ambience. This also makes them useful in hallways and other common areas of the house, helping to separate different spaces while ensuring the light carries through. Now, as for how to do it, the obvious way is to have a custom frosted pane made to fit your window. But you don't need to. You can easily frost your existing windows with glass frosting sprays, like this Frosted Glass Spray Paint from SENVEN. Priced at $24.99 for two cans, products like this are a useful alternative, and certainly cheaper than having a contractor replace your windows.

Shutters are another natural choice for smaller windows, especially in smaller spaces. They're designed to fit snugly inside the window recess, which means that they do nothing to intrude upon the space or close it out, like curtains. They're also great for light control. They can be fully opened on days where you want to let there be light. They can be partially closed for those days when you don't quite share the sun's disposition. And at nighttime, they can be fully closed, enveloping your space in darkness. Neat, right?

Shutters are also useful for temperature control. They serve as an additional layer between your window panes and the inside of your home, thus helping to lock in more heat and keep out the cold. That's certainly worth knowing if you're trying to maximize your home's energy efficiency. Now, depending on the size and shape of your window, you may need to have them made custom, which is likely to hike the cost versus, say, roller blinds or frosted glass spray. However, as window treatments go, they're fairly timeless, especially if you stick to a simple, traditional design. In other words, once you've had them installed, you're unlikely to be in a hurry to replace them.

We touched very briefly upon this earlier. Like cafe curtains, a single valance at the top of your window is a great way to add a stylish accent to your small window. It brings a dose of decorative charm to rooms where you're not overly worried about blocking out light or enhancing privacy. It's a small touch that can make a big difference, and it's useful for two reasons.

Firstly, if your window is so small and in a place where covering it doesn't matter, you may prefer to forgo the daily trouble of drawing curtains or pulling blinds. But at the same time, leaving the window undressed could feel boring. Worse, it could make the space look as if you've just moved in and have yet to decide what to do with your windows. The small addition of a valance (in a fabric that's colored or patterned to match your decor) lends intention and style, without unnecessarily overdoing it with a full (and expensive) set of curtains or blinds. Look for a fabric that feels light rather than stuffy, to avoid accidentally cramping your space, and place it so that it overlaps and conceals the window trim. This will make the window feel taller than it actually is — a useful tip in smaller spaces.

Striking a happy middle ground between style, affordability, and decent window coverage, roller shades are among the best window treatments for privacy. A pull-cord design rolls the blind up or down easily to control light and privacy levels, though for homes with children, there are also cord-free options. They come in a variety of fabrics, colors, and patterns, too, which is convenient if you have a specific style that you need to match. And since they're widely available on platforms like Amazon, they can often be bought comparatively cheap versus more premium installations like shutters or Roman shades.

With a small window, the trick with roller blinds is to ensure your fixture contains as much light as possible when drawn down. That means measuring your window and identifying any obstructions that might interfere with the blind's operation, like tiles on the wall or architectural quirks within the recess. Once you have your measurements, try to find a roller that matches your measurements as closely as possible. Alternatively, it needn't cost you a fortune to have one custom made. These Custom Blackout Roller Window Shades from MYshade, for example, start at $36.99, and are available in various colors to suit your decor.

Our final suggestion for small windows is for those that are frequently flooded with sunlight. Solar shades, as the name suggests, are designed to stand up to the sun. They work much like a pair of sunglasses, filtering incoming sunlight while preserving your view of the outside world. They're especially useful if the window in question enjoys a beautiful view which you'd rather not block out. They're similar to frosted glass in that they still allow plenty of light to filter through. However, whereas frosted glass can read austere outside of utilitarian spaces, like in the bathroom, solar shades feel a touch more intentional and decorative. Oh, and since they're designed to filter the sun, they'll naturally help to regulate your room's temperature.

Like roller blinds, solar shades roll up into a cassette. That means they don't intrude on your view when retracted. They also share the same installation requirements as roller blinds, including precise measurements and ensuring that you buy a blind that closely matches your window frame. The closer the fit, the more effective your blind will be at blocking the sun's rays. As for style, products like these Light Filtering Roller Shades from AOSKY are available in several colors, including white, beige, black, and white. Just bear in mind that, since they're designed to be translucent, they won't have as dramatic an effect on your space as, say, a block-colored or patterned roller blind or Roman shade. Then again, if you are trying to preserve a beautiful view, that's unlikely to matter all that much!