Curtains for tall windows: tips and ideas

hackrea / March 11, 2021

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If you can afford to install tall windows in your apartment or private house, you can only be envied. Excellent illumination, excellent views from the window, and minimal visual disturbance – translucent structures from ceiling to floor have many advantages and remain an inimitable decoration of any interior in themselves.

At the same time, tall windows impose a kind of responsibility on homeowners, since the first thing you have to think about is, of course, their decoration. It is impossible to ignore architectural elements of such impressive dimensions, and therefore one should not spare time and money to find suitable curtains.

Of course, in some cases, you can do without curtains or blinds. Such a simple option, as a rule, is acceptable for penthouses and interiors in a loft, industrial or high-tech style. For the owners of such housing, the opportunity to look at the landscapes behind the window glass at any time is a kind of status sign. However, if such a concept is not close to you, and the problem of selecting curtains becomes relevant to you, then it’s time to talk about the rules for decorating high windows.

Floor-to-ceiling windows: what to focus on when choosing curtains

Let’s not deny: a huge window or a row of windows on the whole wall looks extremely impressive. However, such an outstanding design requires a particular approach when choosing window treatments, and designers recommend following these rules:

Be sure to consider the shape of each window. The configuration of the window in some cases determines both the suitable type of curtains and the selection of the curtain rod and accessories. However, we will dwell on this in more detail a little later.
Don’t neglect your design project. If you have never dealt with very high translucent structures, then there is a risk of making mistakes both when choosing a color and texture, as well as the size of curtains or blinds. It is much wiser to entrust the design to a professional with experience, who will not only develop the maximum of suitable options but also correctly calculate the costs of material and accessories.
Be prepared to spend. It is quite logical that grandiose windows require appropriate design. Even if you decide to limit yourself to straight vertical panels, you will need an impressive amount of fabric – and adding decorative elements such as valances or complex draperies will significantly increase the cost of the design. In some cases, you will have to spend money on services for hanging curtains – especially if the windows are more than three meters high and the curtains are quite heavy. However, beauty requires sacrifice.

Curtains and blinds for tall windows: focusing on shape

As mentioned earlier, the second most crucial aspect in the design of high windows (the first, as you probably already understand, is their size) is their shape. We will not mention something extravagant like complex compositions that combine several geometric shapes at once – we will focus on more straightforward and more popular options.

High rectangular

Tall windows of rectangular form are found everywhere and in interiors of any orientation – from classics and palace style to modern minimalism. Such a correct and precise geometric shape is the most “convenient” from the point of view of design since it is friendly to almost any curtain solutions acceptable for tall windows in principle.

At the same time, you will have to pay attention not only to the interior style but also to the appearance of the window itself – more precisely, to the number of bindings. The more slats cross the glass – the lighter and more transparent the textiles should be; this will maintain good illumination.

Arched / Radius

Windows in the form of arches look grandiose (if not majestic) – such designs are most often found in classic interiors. However, they require a meticulous selection of curtains for all their beauty since miscalculation can break the harmony.

In the case of arched windows, you have two ways: to arrange only the rectangular part, leaving the upper arch as it is, or to choose curtains for it too. In the second case, you can limit yourself to short valances or to put long curtains directly from the top of the window to the floor itself.

Triangular

Tall triangular windows are not so common – usually in a more compact attic version. However, with the growing popularity of chalet-style houses, big windows are increasingly common.

The curtains’ selection for such windows is a rather complicated process since the frame’s upper slopes do not allow using the geometry traditional for curtains. In this regard, the choice of options is somewhat limited: it can be narrow curtains, semicircular draperies, or blinds on each sash, made according to custom order.

Trapezoid

Previously, trapezoidal windows were usually used for attics, but today you can see them in private houses. This shape of the window provides more efficient daylighting, but it is also not too simple in terms of design.

The curtains’ design for trapezium windows depends on the frame’s slope at the top and the angle that the sides form. If it is sharp, then the same types of curtains are suitable as for the triangle’s version. A more obtuse angle opens up more options – from double-layer window treatment with tulle to wide vertical floor-to-ceiling blinds.

Bay windows

A bay window is a single system of two or more windows with an attachment angle of 75 degrees or more. Bay windows are often found in new residential buildings, not to mention country cottages.

When designing a bay window, it is essential to maintain a uniform style for all its elements. Simultaneously, the variety of possible design solutions remains an absolute advantage. This includes the bay window’s decoration with two panels on the sides, their visual separation using vertical stripes of fabric, a shared or separate valance, and a combination of curtains with blinds.

Selection of curtains for tall windows: basic rules

Regardless of what kind of windows you have in your house, the selection of curtains for them obeys to certain principles that have guided designers for decades:

Maximum possible restraint. Excessive splendor for tall windows is a sure way to create unbearable visual disturbance, overload the interior, and save yourself from good daylight. To prevent this from happening, you should avoid overly luxurious voluminous draperies, extravagant valances, and the use of a catchy and colorful pattern on the fabric. Straight, austere curtains and neatly laid folds of fabric will provide a harmonious and, at the same time, sufficient design.
Restraint in everything – including the choice of curtain fixtures and fittings. When choosing curtains for tall windows, it is better to undersalt than oversalt – austerity and elegance invariably demonstrate their advantage over breathtaking splendor and ostentatious luxury. As for the curtain rods, their design can be exquisite but not too pretentious.
The choice of hooks is yours. Depending on the shape of the window, the curtains’ design, and the interior style you choose, you can attach them to hooks, clips, rings, or eyelets, but again – without any eccentricity.
The length – at the maximum. Short curtains for high windows are categorically unacceptable – there is no better way to completely distort the room’s proportions and spoil the room’s look as a whole. That is why you can decorate tall windows only with floor-to-ceiling curtains. If you want, you can leave a few centimeters so that the fabric lies on the floor – this will require more careful cleaning, but it looks very aristocratic.
Use decorative solutions for balance and harmony. If the windows seem too high or narrow for you, or if you want to adjust the proportions in the room as a whole, you have at your disposal a whole arsenal of relevant solutions. So, you can place the curtain rod below the edge of the window and close the gap with a wide soft or narrow valance, install the curtain rod at least 50 centimeters wider than the window, or combine the sashes with a shared valance – in all these cases, the window decor will look complete, and the imbalances that are uncomfortable for the eyes disappear.

Curtains for tall windows: choosing the fabric

One of the essential factors for the selection of curtains is fabric. The material, which forms smooth and beautiful, but at the same time soft folds, contributes to creating a cozy and elegant atmosphere. That is why designers warn against using too rigid or prone to creasing materials – primarily polyester, acrylic, organza, and viscose. The following types of fabrics will provide a much more harmonious design:

natural – flax, cotton, bamboo;
transparent – cambric, voile, tulle, and mesh (soft tulle);
translucent with a shimmer – taffeta, silk;
dense and textured – tapestry, jacquard, brocade, and velvet.

The choice of texture and type of fabric depends on the degree of natural light and the style in which the room is decorated. So, for rooms facing the north side, light and transparent fabrics are usually chosen; for those where the sun is continuously shining through the windows, you can pick up something denser and that will allow you to adjust the level of illumination.

Curtains for high windows: color selection

Having decided on the canvases’ length and fabric, you can proceed to the next stage – selecting the color scheme. Depending on your ideas and wishes, as well as the design of the room, you can use any of the following solutions:

Curtains in the color of the walls. This solution looks incredibly organic and visually makes the room much more spacious – but with a small caveat: if the room is not very large. In spacious living rooms and bedrooms, curtains that match the color of the wallpaper or wall paint will be invisible.
Monochrome. Fabrics without patterns remain a win-win combination and can be easily combined with both plain walls and patterned wallpapers.
The curtains are the same color as the furniture – but a few shades darker or lighter. This option is suitable for people with impeccable taste who know how to feel the most harmonious tonal transitions. A room decorated in such a palette looks stunning – however, the shades’ selection takes a lot of time.
Gradient panels. Curtains with a tonal transition from dark to light make the windows visually wider. This design allows you to solve the problem of narrow windows quickly.
The use of two contrasting panels. According to the compatibility table, curtains in this range look incredibly stylish but require rigorous selection.
Contrast sheer. An unexpected and yet very appropriate solution that helps to achieve exclusivity.

When choosing a shade of curtains, be sure to consider its compliance with the base palette’s color temperature. Curtains for tall windows can take a dominant position in the interior due to their size – and therefore, it is essential to be in the entire “color balance” with the decor.

Drawing on curtains for tall windows – yes or no?

In general, designers have nothing against patterned curtains for floor-to-ceiling windows. So you can easily choose a fabric with a print, focusing on the following essential rules:

large drawing – only in spacious rooms, small – you can use them in large and small spaces;
only horizontal stripes are allowed – vertical stripes can increase the height of the window;
geometric patterns are a win-win solution for a modern interior;
the selection of the ornament on the curtains to match the pattern on the wallpaper is undesirable – it is better to choose monochromatic draperies of the same color.

Window treatment for tall windows: Conclusions + Photo Gallery

High windows in a house or apartment are a spectacular design technique. Not sparing time on selecting curtains for them, you will be able to create a unique interior that will delight you for many years with both its elegance and natural perfection.