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When the rooms in your New Jersey or New York home aren’t large or built with expansive windows, you have to get creative to make up for the lack of natural sunlight. Renewal by Andersen of New Jersey and New York Metro replacement windows are designed to maximize light levels. Here are a few decorating tips that will “trick the eye” into thinking small rooms are larger.
Fool the eye into thinking your narrow double-hung replacement windows are larger (wider) than they are by extending the curtain rod 12 to 15 inches beyond the window edges. Install curtains that fit the rod and not the window to make it look like you have part of the glass covered when the panels are open. This gives the impression there is glass behind the window treatment, and therefore larger windows in the room.
You can use this same principle to trick the eye into thinking the ceiling is higher by installing the rods just beneath the molding and hanging a window treatment that flows from floor to ceiling, even if your home windows are a few inches off the floor or centered on the wall.
You don’t have to resist the urge to use heavy fabrics and bold prints. A dark print on a light background creates visual interest, similar to choosing eye-catching specialty hardware styles and finishes over standard options. Well-chosen handles and hinges incorporate another design element that ties a decorating scheme together. Modern Energy Star certified replacement windows eliminate drafts beneath the window and cold spots in the corners. Since heavy drapes are necessary after a home upgrade, some people assume that lighter fabrics will automatically brighten a room and add more warmth. The truth is that using thick, sturdy window treatment materials is an excellent way to draw attention to an otherwise negative fixture. Professional designers remind us to choose softer tones to make a room look larger since darker colors absorb light – essentially “shrinking” your space, or at least that is what it feels like.
When selecting interior colors for your paintable/stainable components consider lighter hues. Stay within the color scheme – off-whites, greens, blues – painting your molding and baseboards a lighter shade than the walls.
Build a bigger, bolder window to fool the eye. Choosing a replacement window with a low profile gives you a larger viewing area – think, picture windows and sliding windows. You can give the impression you have larger windows by choosing casements that have a more substantial frame to support the side hinged movable panels.
Really want to give the impression your windows are bigger? Build out an even thicker frame. Larger-than-standard interior frames add dramatic details that lay the foundation for more welcoming spaces. Painting your frame masterpiece in a slighter darker shade of the wall color you select. Amazing color combinations create amazingly inviting spaces, even if your rooms are small. While it might sound contradictory, you can also make your windows “pop” by painting the surrounding walls a cooler, darker color than your window frame. When used properly, both complementary and contrasting colors allow you to control the mood and tone in every room in your home, regardless of the actual square footage or the size of your windows.
You can usher in abundant natural light with Renewal by Andersen of New Jersey & New York Metro’s high-performance replacement windows customized for your spaces. When you have small rooms, and even smaller home windows, you have to get creative to maximize natural light. We hope these tips will help you add warmth to your rooms, and get the most out of your home improvement upgrade investment.
Haven’t already installed modern, high-performance replacement windows guaranteed to block air and moisture leaks for as long as you live in your home? What are you waiting for? You have three simple ways to get started designing your own replacement windows. Stop by our showroom and ask about our Signature Service. Fill in the short form on this page or, dial (866) 609-5033 to schedule a private home consultation with a professional replacement window specialist. It’s just that easy.
Learn Everything You Need to Know BEFORE Buying Replacement Windows