21 Modern Window Trims and Ideas That'll Make an Impression
Window trims come in various styles and sizes, and it can be a daunting process to choose the right one that fits your home's aesthetic. Depending on the look you're trying to achieve or the space you currently have, you may need to consider various factors like shape, material, and size to find the perfect one that works for you.
If you've been looking for inspiration for modern window trim ideas, look no further than these 21 selections that will make your entire home or a singular space stand out.
Create Some Contrast
When you want to accentuate the architectural bones or main features of a space, consider a trim finish that contrasts with the rest of the room. If all the walls are white or another light-toned neutral, go with a satin- or matte-black window trim. If the walls are dark, consider a pop of color or a standard metallic such as brushed gold or silver.
Blend Everything Together
If you prefer window frames that disappear into the backdrop, clean-lined frames painted the same hue as the surrounding walls will create that wanted effect. Fiberglass frames are often well-suited because they sport narrower sight lines and larger glass panes.
Get in Shape
Don't be afraid to add fixed windows in shapes other than rectilinear. Think arches, octagons, circles, and trapezoids. All of the above can contribute to a modern aesthetic by using larger glass panes, thinner frames, and same or contrasting color trim.
Blur the Lines
Consider visually bringing the outdoors inside your home. You can dissolve the line between the interior and exterior landscape with an expansive window wall, whether it's a wall of continuous standard-sized windows or floor-to-ceiling and double-height windows.
Save Some Energy
Vinyl is a great material for trims because it's on the cheaper side and it doesn’t conduct heat or admit cold drafts caused by weather conditions.
You can still opt for metallic frames, if you prefer: Look for ones that incorporate thermal breaks. The breaks are low-conductivity, so the materials between the exterior and interior frame parts will reduce thermal transmission from the outdoors.
Create a Warm Welcome
Nothing conveys warmth like wood, but wood trim can also be expensive at the get-go. However, many window manufacturers now produce narrower wood profiles in a wide range of finishes for a minimalist aesthetic. They also offer hybrid windows where the indoor-facing trim is wood and the exterior face is aluminum, vinyl, or fiberglass.
Embrace Traditional
People often think of the multi-pane window as traditional but there's an easy modern fix for it: Matte black–painted metal muntins (the trim that physically or visually divides the panes). This style will give off an industrial-chic look that’s appealing, which you can see used on windows, doors, or shower partitions in designer boutique hotels. You can also try any super-clean and slim linear trim in any color.
Make It Scandi
Scandinavian design tends to have a timeless look that's both warm and minimal, so if you're looking for windows that can't date your entire home, think about light woods for the trim. Consider using neutral and grayish tones or even skinny trims and frames.
Make It Private
You may be tempted to forgo windows in some spaces due to privacy needs. However, instead of a conventional window with shading or curtains, consider creating a clerestory with awning and transom windows. These horizontal openings can be situated high up on the wall, making it perfect for a bath, basement, or any other room where you want to discourage peeping toms but bring in natural light.
Light the Way
People tend to overlook stairways and corridors when it comes to window planning, instead of opting for recessed ceiling lights, wall art, or a statement chandelier or pendant. Bring in fixed (non-opening) windows in these areas to open these otherwise closed-off, cavernous zones and supplement artificial lighting. Consider implementing a full window wall or double-height windows with slim-profile trims for maximum effect.
Fake It to Make It
Design by Cathy Hong Interiors / Photo by Christy Q. Photography/
If you’re seeking to create a cozy nook to read in, you’ll need some sort of alcove, bay, or bow window. But if you’re renovating an existing house that doesn’t have such an outward extending space, and don't wish to change the house's footprint, think about adding windows to both sides of a corner and work from there.
These can be operable or fixed windows, or for a sleeker minimalist aesthetic, butt-glazed windows (windows that meet at the corner without a visible mullion in between). Although it may not be a true nook, the view will wrap around the corner to create a similar effect.
Open Your Own Bar
Design by AAHA Studio / Photo by Amy Bartlam
Home entertainers with kitchens that face the backyard have the unique opportunity to turn the kitchen into a bar that passes out refreshments to the patio or deck revelers.
Passthrough windows, which are windows that open for easy access between indoor and outdoor zones, make this possible. To get the cleanest, most modern look, consider bifold and accordion windows, a large awning window, or pocket windows.
Slim It Down
A skinnier frame profile with clean lines presents a minimalist aesthetic and opens up sight lines, making it perfect for homes with modern leanings. Fortunately, leading window manufacturers have been producing thinner trims every year.
Currently, you can find frames that are just under an inch thick. These frames are so slim that finishing them in a contrasting color from the walls won't detract from the design.
Raise the Roof
Use transom or awning frames high up on the wall close to the roofline to draw the eyes upward and highlight a soaring ceiling. For even more drama, if your roof is pitched, custom order the windows to mimic the roofline. You'll see this design in modern, minimalist, traditional, and farmhouse interiors, in both the city and rural areas alike.
Choose a Side
Doorways are often overlooked but the foyers or mudrooms just beyond them can be just as deprived of natural light. Sidelights—slim vertical windows on either or both sides of a door—can squeeze into the narrow wall space beside a door to resolve this sort of problem. If privacy is a concern, go with frosted or etched glass or add minimal DIY drapery.
Animate "Dead" Spaces
Just as with the in-between zones, you might find "dead" spaces that are dark, closed off, utilitarian, or don't serve any purpose. Think of a pantry, butler's kitchen, laundry room, or underutilized corner of a larger room.
If the opportunity arises and it's situated on the perimeter of the floor plan, try adding a fixed or operating window to create visual interest, invigorate the space, or just let some fresh air in.
Reach for the Sky
Most manufacturers now make remote- or app-controlled motorized skylights that open to air out a space. There are various sleek and minimalist designs that are solar-powered or programmable. Some also have smart features that use wifi to detect inclement weather and auto-close or self-tinting glass to prevent heat build-up.
Install a Screen
Operable windows are fantastic for getting a whiff of fresh air, but they can also let bugs fly in. Window screens rectify this issue but negatively impact views and aesthetics.
That's where retractable screens can make all the difference. These are systems that completely conceal the screens when windows are closed, as opposed to just sliding screens in front of another pane. Manufacturers and custom window fabricators each have their own proprietary designs and mechanisms, so be sure to research how various systems function to see what best fits your home.
Make It Picture Perfect
Did you move to a place for its vantage point or picturesque landscape? Then show off the view, making it a focal point with a picture-frame window. This is typically a single-pane, fixed window in a large format that resembles a framed picture on the wall. You can also use multiple windows to create an aesthetic display.
Double It
If the floor plan allows it, visually expand a narrow room or corridor by glazing two sides of the space with fixed floor-to-ceiling windows. Just like mirrors, it'll create the illusion of more square footage without actually veering from the footprint.
Think Inside-Out
Remember that the right window shape, type, placement, and trim affect not only the interior aesthetic but also the exterior. Adding a bay, picture, double-height, or roof-shape matching window in the right spot can elevate your home's curb appeal and give a preview to guests as to what they're walking into.
Read Next: 20 Window Accent Wall Ideas That Make a Unique Statement
Read the original article on The Spruce.
