Large windows are a stunning architectural feature, flooding a home with natural light and offering expansive views. Dressing them, however, can feel like a big challenge. A large window needs a covering that is both beautiful and functional, a treatment that complements the scale of the window without overwhelming a room. The right large window covering ideas can take a space from blah to ta-da.
Here at Blindsgalore, our family has been helping people create homes they love for over 25 years. As the first company to sell custom window treatments online, we know that great window treatment ideas are about more than just style. A perfect covering should match your lifestyle. We handcraft every product to your exact measurements, ensuring a perfect fit for even the grandest windows.
Key Considerations for Large Window Coverings
Before diving into specific ideas, a few practical points are worth noting for big windows. The sheer size and weight of a covering for a large window mean you need to choose wisely.
- Weight & Operation: A very wide or tall window covering can be heavy and difficult to operate manually. For this reason, we always encourage customers to consider motorized window treatments for large windows. A motorized lift makes adjusting even the biggest shade effortless.
- Light Control & UV Protection: A large pane of glass lets in a lot of sun, which can cause glare and fade your furniture and flooring over time. A window treatment that can manage light and block harmful UV rays is essential.
- Energy Efficiency: A big window can be a source of heat loss in the winter and heat gain in the summer. An energy efficient window treatment can help manage your home’s temperature and potentially lower your energy bills.
Our Top 15 Ideas for Large Windows
Here are some of our favorite solutions that combine modern style with smart function for your home’s biggest and brightest features.
Sleek and Simple: Roller & Solar Shades
- Minimalist Motorized Roller Shades: For a clean, modern look, a roller shade is a fantastic choice. A single piece of fabric rolls up neatly, providing an unobstructed view. For large windows, a motorized lift is almost a necessity. A Blindsgalore Envision Blackout Roller Shade is perfect for bedrooms or media rooms where you need total darkness.
- View-Preserving Solar Shades: What if you want to cut glare without losing your beautiful view? Solar shades are the answer. Our Blindsgalore Solar Shades are engineered to block UV rays and reduce heat while maintaining your connection to the outdoors. You can even choose the “openness factor” to decide just how much light and view you want to keep.
- Layered Roller Shades with Drapery: For a soft, dimensional look, pair a functional roller shade with decorative drapery panels. A Blindsgalore Envision Light Filtering Roller Shade can provide daytime privacy, while stationary drapery panels on either side add color, texture, and a sense of luxury.
Smart and Insulating: Cellular Shades
- The Energy-Saving Power of Cellular Shades: Are energy efficient window treatments worth it? Yes, and cellular shades are the champions. The unique honeycomb pockets trap air, creating an insulating barrier against heat and cold. For a large window, a Blindsgalore Gallery Cellular Shades: Light Filtering option provides insulation while bathing your room in a soft glow. Cellular shades can have an R-value of up to R-4.
- Total Blackout with Cellular Shades: A large window in a bedroom or home theater calls for a serious light-blocking solution. A Blindsgalore Select Cellular Shades: Blackout product will block 99% of incoming light, creating the perfect environment for sleep or movie night.
Elegant and Airy: Sheer & Dual Shades
- Soft Light with Sheer Shades: Sheer shades offer the elegance of a fabric shade with the functionality of a blind. Fabric vanes suspended between two layers of sheer material can be tilted to control light. A Blindsgalore 3″ Light Filtering Sheer Shade is a beautiful way to soften the light from a large window.
- The Versatility of Dual Sheer Shades: Often called zebra shades, modern window coverings for privacy and style do not get better than this. Dual sheer shades feature alternating bands of solid and sheer fabric. Align the solid bands for privacy or the sheer bands to let in light. A Boutique Serenity Light Filtering Dual Sheer Shade gives you incredible, precise control in a very modern package.
- Room Darkening Dual Shades: You can get the same stylish look with more light control. A Blindsgalore Luxera Room Darkening Dual Sheer Shades uses a more opaque solid fabric band to significantly darken a room when closed.
Covering a Wide Span: Vertical & Panel Blinds
- The Modern Vertical Blind: Forget the clunky vertical blinds of the past. Today’s Blindsgalore Vinyl Vertical Blinds come in a wide range of colors and textures, offering a durable and cost-effective solution for extra-wide windows and sliding doors.
- Chic Sliding Panel Tracks: Think of panel tracks as an updated, more sophisticated version of vertical blinds. Wide panels of fabric slide smoothly on a track. A Blindsgalore Envision Light Filtering Sliding Panel is a perfect choice for a contemporary window treatment in an open space.
- Natural Woven Panel Tracks: To bring texture and an organic feel to a large window, a Bali Sliding Panels: Natural Shades product is a wonderful choice. The woven woods create a warm, inviting atmosphere.
Dramatic and Classic: Drapery and Shades
- Floor-to-Ceiling Drapery: Nothing adds drama and elegance quite like floor-to-ceiling curtains for large windows. One of our favorite curtain ideas for large windows is using a Blindsgalore Designer Custom Drapery with a decorative rod to draw the eye upward. For more function, you can add a liner for thermal insulation or room darkening.
- Elegant Roman Shades: Can you use Roman shades for large windows? Absolutely. The soft, looping folds of a Roman shade add texture and a tailored look. For a large window, a motorized lift is highly recommended to handle the weight of the fabric with ease.
- Architectural Plantation Shutters: Shutters are a permanent, architectural upgrade to your home. For very wide openings, a bypass or bifold track system allows shutter panels to slide or fold out of the way, offering a timeless and incredibly durable solution. They are one of the most durable and pet-proof options available.
- Multiple Shades on One Headrail: For an extra-wide window, one single shade can be very heavy. A smart solution is to use two or three smaller shades mounted together on a single headrail. A setup like this makes operation easier and gives you more versatile light control.
Tips for Choosing Window Treatments for Large Windows
We believe you should not need to hire an outside professional to get beautiful custom window treatments. We are here to give you the confidence to do it yourself.
- Measuring and Installation: 99% of our customers measure and install their own window coverings, and you can too. Whether you’re a DIY expert or not, installation will be a breeze. All you’ll need are a few basic tools and about an hour. No guessing, no stressing! Our online measuring and installing guides have all the information you need.
- The No-Drill Option: For a truly simple installation, check out our new No Drill Shades. You can install these custom shades in minutes with no tools and zero damage, perfect for renters or anyone who wants a quick upgrade.
- Our Guarantee: You can order with complete confidence. We have arguably the best guarantee in the industry. We offer free product exchanges for any reason within 30 days, covering up to four windows per household.
- Cleaning Your Coverings: Most treatments just need a light dusting or a gentle vacuuming with a brush attachment. A crucial point to know is to never submerge your blinds or shades in water. Submerging the coverings can cause serious damage to the materials and internal mechanisms, no matter if the material is light-filtering or blackout.
Frequently Asked Questions
Motorized roller shades, cellular shades, and custom drapery are all extremely popular choices. Roller and cellular shades offer a clean, modern look and excellent function, while drapery adds a layer of softness and luxury.
Automated window shades have a motor that connects to a smart hub. A setup like this allows you to control the shades with a remote, a smartphone app, or even voice commands through systems like Amazon Alexa or Google Home.
Vertical blinds are typically the most budget-friendly solution for wide windows and patio doors. A simple, custom-made roller shade can also be a very cost-effective choice for a large window that is not a doorway.
To add warmth and softness, choose treatments with texture. Custom drapery, Roman shades, or natural woven wood shades are all excellent choices for making a large, bright room feel more inviting. You can choose from fabrics with airy cotton-like textures to rich, heavier materials.
Yes. Many large windows have specialty shapes. Custom-made plantation shutters and certain cellular shades can be crafted to fit arches, angles, and other unique window shapes perfectly. Our expert team can help you with measuring for these unique spaces.