Picture Window Curtains
Having large windows in your home helps make your interiors feel brighter, airier, and fresher. While privacy might be an issue, you can always solve this by installing picture window curtains. These window treatments are made with taller dimensions that can span from the top of the window down to the floor. Aside from their function, they also frame and soften the view, especially if you have a stunning panorama outside.
Lattice Picture Window Curtain
$22.99 $29.99
Lattice Picture Window Curtain
Charlton Home®
$22.99 $29.99
Perfect For: If you prefer patterned curtains
What We Like: Still offer some privacy
Not So Good For: Casual spaces
This patterned curtain comes in three sizes and four colors, including gray and ivory. Machine washable for your convenience, it is made from polyester in a stunningly sheer finish. Though it isn’t lined or backed due to the sheer finish, this curtain does feature a subtle crisscross lattice pattern. The base is completely sheer.
Designer Advice:
It may be sheer, but the pattern on this curtain will give you a little more privacy than a typical sheer curtain would. Plus, the lattice design will add texture to a neutral room, particularly with the gray finish. Gray often has a reputation for being dark, but it can offer a sophisticated neutral look like beige.
What Users Say:
Beautifully sheer, but providing just enough privacy. Love the look of these panels.
Understated Curtain for Large Windows
$23.99 $64.99
Understated Curtain for Large Windows
Alcott Hill®
$23.99 $64.99
Perfect For: Darker spaces
What We Like: Iron-safe
Not So Good For: If you want privacy
Available in four sizes, you can pick from a white or off-white finish with this curtain. Made from 100% polyester, it is completely sheer for a beautiful light-filtering effect. Despite it being sheer, this curtain can be ironed, though it cannot be machine washed. In terms of design, it features a subtle pleated pattern for an elegant effect.
Designer Advice:
This curtain panel will add a dreamy quality to any room and is an extremely useful purchase if you have doors that open out onto a patio or outdoor space. However, note that it will offer no shield from any sort of light, so it’s best for a living or dining room rather than a bedroom.
What Users Say:
Very nice high quality sheers. Lays really nice and heavy, they don’t look cheap by any means.
Thick Picture Window Blinds/Curtain
$10.99 $25.99
Thick Picture Window Blinds/Curtain
Wayfair Basics®
$10.99 $25.99
Perfect For: A bedroom
What We Like: Lots of color choice
Not So Good For: Dark rooms
Featuring tons of features like thermal insulation and noise reduction properties, this blackout curtain will help you get a good night’s sleep. You can pick from four sizes for each panel as well as over ten color choices, ranging from pretty blush pink to classic stone gray.The header is also ruffled for a subtle feminine touch. It is additionally machine washable.
Designer Advice:
Blackout curtains have a reputation for being dull, but the array of colors this curtain is available in prevents that. For a bedroom, a neutral finish would look best, as a bedroom should be a light and calm place. If you prefer color, the terracotta finish will bring earthiness to a room.
What Users Say:
These blackout curtains are just what I need for a space that has maximum sunlight. Very sturdy.
Twist top Curtain
$22.99 $39.99
Twist top Curtain
Kelly Clarkson Home
$22.99 $39.99
Elegant for their classical details, these curtains for large picture windows are a sight to behold. Their twisted tab tops will not only capture your attention, but they also create a unique effect on how the drapes fall. Made of stain-resistant polyester with a blackout effect.
Designer Advice:
These curtains are available in 12 colors and are ideal for introducing an airy yet formal component to your interiors. It also has a reversible design that allows you to subtly change the look of your window drapes according to your preference. We recommend this set when styling farmhouse, transitional, cottage-style, and traditional interiors.
Subtle Wave Curtain
$36.99 $107.99
Subtle Wave Curtain
House of Hampton®
$36.99 $107.99
Sheer with subtle details, this window treatment for a picture window has a chic and elegant appeal. It is made of polyester with a blend of linen and woven with wavy details. The result is a charming pattern that will draw everyone’s attention.
Polka Dot Drapes
$19.99 $80.99
Polka Dot Drapes
Dakota Fields
$19.99 $80.99
Introduce texture and interest to your windows with these picture window curtain ideas. Crafted in polyester, each panel presents subtle details with its lined fabric background and polka-dot weaving. On top are ring eyelets that lend a farmhouse feel.
Designer Advice:
These curtains look great when installed against a dark or warm wall treatment. This will create a contrasting palette that will further enhance the attractiveness of the room. If you are looking for a way to incorporate this but also want a blackout curtain, we recommend a double installation. With this, you can pair the set with solid-colored panels.
Translucent Drapes
$11.99 $33.99
Translucent Drapes
Wayfair Basics®
$11.99 $33.99
Let the sun stream in with these window treatments for picture windows. Made of polyester fabric, the panels have a semi-sheer appearance with a tailored grommet top and hem. Offered in solid hues and are durable for machine washing and tumble drying.
Solid Hue Curtains
$23 $77.02
Solid Hue Curtains
Everly Quinn
$23 $77.02
If you want more privacy at home, then opt for these window treatment ideas for picture windows. Made of polyester material, these blackout curtains have a soft silhouette and are available in solid neutral and cool colors. Grommet eyelets for easy installation.
Blackout Curtains
Blackout Curtains
Best Home Fashion, Inc.
Sold in a set of two, these picture window curtains offer a blackout effect in a solid neutral color. Its top tab is composed of grommet rings, while its drapes are made of a smooth fabric. Insulated with thermal features for better energy efficiency.
Designer Advice:
A versatile option for different interior settings and styles. Available in 32 colors, you will never run out of selections from this collection. When styling this piece, we recommend choosing a curtain rod that matches the room's aesthetic. For more traditional ones, you can opt for matte or antique rods. Meanwhile, modern and contemporary spaces will fare well with polished rods.
Sheer Tab Top Curtains
Sheer Tab Top Curtains
These charming and dreamy curtains for picture windows are not only affordable, but they also offer the right amount of privacy. At the same time, it is made of polyester fabric with a sheer look that allows light to enter your home.
Vintage Pattern Curtains
Vintage Pattern Curtains
For picture window ideas that pop, try this set for a touch of vintage appeal. Each panel showcases a damask motif in a contrasting color to that of a solid neutral background. It has a liner that provides a blackout effect and a tab top header for a clean look.
Designer Advice:
Available in blue and tan. We recommend the blue set for coastal, vintage, and transitional style interiors as the damask patterns would look perfect with the themes of these homes. Meanwhile, the tan option is ideal for contemporary, farmhouse, Parisian, and vintage spaces. When choosing a color for the curtain, look for one that has a subtle contrast to the wall treatment.
Buying Guide
Mia is a freelance bathroom designer and writer with over a decade of professional experience. From space planning, cabinetry, storage solutions, and tile design to hardware and fixture selections, she knows a thing about creating baths that strike a perfect balance between functionality and aesthetics.
Picture windows do a lot more than let in a surplus of sun into your living room and give you unobstructed views of the horizon. They also provide you with a perfect stage for décor.
Yes, large glass panels that extend from floor to ceiling make for a very alluring, empty canvas that can be painted in many exciting ways.
So if you are at wits end trying to do justice to the architectural asset in your home, here are some tips and recommendations to help you get started.
Curtains
To draw attention to the windows, you can use draperies or curtains. Curtain rods can be installed on either sides of the windows keeping the glass portion empty. You can also install them an inch below the ceiling or the crown molding to create an illusion of maximum height and depth.
Drapes that extend all the way to the floor can add some instant drama to the setting. You can also use valance curtains to create a theater-styled effect. Depending on whether you are looking to let in the sun or block a little of that bright glare, you can choose between sheer drapes or heavy ones.
There are tons of options when it comes to fabrics. In sun rooms, fade resistant fabrics work best. Leave the silk for the upholstery.
Wallpapers
Wallpaper decoration around the picture windows is an easy way to make them the focal point. Floral patterns and damasks work best.
Moldings
Window moldings can be painted to create a contrasting pop-out effect against the wallpaper.
Picture windows made a resounding comeback in post-war homes with contemporary décor. So, blinds go extremely well with them. From vertical blinds that offer excellent light control and privacy, to Venetian blinds that allow you to switch between admiring views and having the room all to yourself, your options are unlimited.
Some of the popular material choices in blinds are wood, faux wood, plastic, synthetic composites and even metal. Some of these can get really heavy when covering an entire large picture window and bowing might occur.
Irrespective of which variety you choose, opt for a continuous cord loop system that makes it easier to raise and lower the blinds. Another option is to use a single head rail with multiple blinds installed.
It allows you to control each blind individually and also does the bulk of the lifting, eliminating the problem with heavy materials. Cellular shades are an easy way to filter in the light or block it completely. An added perk is that they can conserve energy.
If you wish to go old school, Roman Shades are an infallible choice. They are elegant, timeless and come in many styles like hobbled and flat. These are easy to operate and provide excellent privacy and light control.
Your window treatment is a critical part of the visual structure of any room. Play with styles, patterns, and shades to create a stunning style statement that’s easy to operate and control.
