Your window to the world

With a little thought and artistic flair, the functional window can add to the beauty of a room’s decor, writes Anju Munshi.

What’s a room without windows? A prison-like claustrophobic room. The humble window that lets in the sun and air can be turned into a beautiful style statement with a little imagination. The furnishing of a house is not complete if attention is not given to the windows or the window space. Dressing up the window gives a distinct touch to any interior. 

Today, there is a variety — everything from cotton and silk to jute, denim, muslin, khus khus, bamboo beads and sea shells make for curtains with a difference. “Designing one’s home is an intellectual diversion; you want to apply what you think to make your living space better,” says Rana Garg, an interior designer from New Delhi. 

“With a little effort, you can do wizardly things like transforming a dull curtained-window space into a focal point of creativity,” says Garg.

Not all windows, however, require curtains. Some are beautiful by themselves. There are fixed and sliding windows that have a ledge which you could use to display your collectibles as the sliding panes will not knock them off. You could dress them up in short frilly curtains coming down by only 15 inches or so for privacy and light, especially if the apartment is in a high-rise.

Different styles

Bay windows project from the wall of a building and form an alcove of a room. A cosy sitting area set in a bay window offers an ultimate sense of space for gatherings or relaxing on a lazy afternoon. 

If you cleverly use this angular space for a built-in window seat, the potentially awkward angle can turn into a nice sunny breakfast area. Hang a wind chime and some potted plants to add beauty. “Bay windows lend lots of character and room to your living space,” says Tara Kunzru, a homemaker from Lucknow.

French windows are a pair of windows that have many small panes reaching to the floor and opening in the middle, like doors. Roman shades, rounded or flat, are a good alternative to blinds or drapes for such windows.

Some, however, prefer keeping them bare because they say that the beauty lies in the window itself; so why cover it?

Casement windows are the usual open and shut windows with a square or rectangular shape. They do not offer much option, but one could try natural fibre shades that could blend with grass cloth wallpaper for an organic feel. A textured and stained glass window can be a one-of-its-kind design for the window.

“A simple window shade can get a makeover by adding accessories to the bottom, like shells and frills,” says Rati Duggar, a homemaker from Mumbai who likes innovative decor ideas. She tried making window shades with ordinary jute sack cloth and has not regretted it. “It keeps my room cool and gives it an earthy feel,” she says. 

The bow window, which is basically a rounded bay window, could just have an etching or a frosted effect. You can also simply tie the curtains with a French ribbon to give the window a casual country feel. Use the space that it offers for plants, collectibles or for a low table-chair set.

Cornices can be covered with fabric till one-third of the length of the window, instead of full length, thereby allowing maximum light from the window to flow into the room. “This is a new trend and many of my customers want to introduce this in their homes,” says Bahman Baheti of Vishal Furnishings in Kolkata.

It is important to do some soul searching as to what one wants. Are you bohemian, eclectic, traditional, or do you like the rustic design style?

Similarly when it comes to choosing your curtain style, ask yourself if you want functional or stationary panels for your curtains. Functional panelled curtains are used for privacy and light control and require more material, are easy to pull and draw; stationary ones, on the other hand, are strictly decorative and are used to either highlight or soften a window’s hard edges and, like the name suggests, are difficult to draw. 

Cartilage pleats is pleating to a specific design style and an ideal fit for traditional, formal and informal interiors generally with hooks, rings or springs; scalloped style is more formal and brusque with pinched pleats. 

Think out of the box if you like adventure. If you have space, your windows can have a waterfall view with a rockery or flowering shrubs.

Place a couple of decorative pot holders with herbs growing on your kitchen windows. They are functional and offer a visual appeal they do not need strong sunlight either. The bathroom windowsill can look inviting with small pots in ornamental varieties that you get in the market. Hang puppets, shells and photo frames with pictures of plants and pets, or get frosted glass with green hints.