Window Treatments for Tall Windows and Two-Story Rooms

A wall of windows is often the reason people fall in love with a house. It’s also the reason many great rooms are too bright to watch TV, too warm on summer afternoons and a little too exposed at night. Covering big windows well takes some planning, and the right choices make a dramatic room easy to live in.

What’s different about large windows

• Reach. Windows ten or twenty feet up can’t be opened and closed by hand.
• Size. Wide shades need sturdy hardware and smooth operation.
• A consistent look. Big rooms often mix rectangles, transoms and arches that should read as one design.
• Heat and glare. More glass means more sun on your floors, furniture and screens.
• Energy. Large windows are where a lot of heat escapes in an Illinois winter.

Motorization is almost a must

For windows you can’t reach, PowerView® Automation is the simplest answer. Every shade in the room can move together from a remote, wall keypad, the app or a schedule. Many of our clients set their great-room shades to lower during the sunniest hours and rise again in the evening, so the room stays comfortable without anyone thinking about it.

If motorization is new to you, start with our beginner’s guide to PowerView®.

Great choices for big windows

Cellular shades

Cellular shades help insulate large expanses of glass, which can make a tall room feel noticeably more comfortable year round. They come in large sizes, and many can be made for specialty shapes so the whole wall matches. In this new build with top-down cellular shades, tall windows are covered from the top down so daylight pours in above while privacy stays at eye level.

Roller and screen shades

Roller shades give a clean, modern line across wide windows. Solar screen fabrics on Designer Screen Shades cut glare and heat while keeping the view, ideal for rooms facing a lake, a golf course or a big backyard. The two-story room above uses screen shades for exactly that reason.

Sheer shadings

Silhouette® Window Shadings and Pirouette® Window Shadings soften strong light into a warm glow, and their fabric vanes tilt for privacy. They give a big room a soft, finished look that bare glass and blinds can’t.

Drapery

Floor-to-ceiling drapery makes tall windows feel even taller and adds warmth to a room full of hard surfaces. Motorized drapery tracks handle heavy panels on wide walls with the touch of a button.

To cover the upper windows or not?

Many two-story rooms have a row of transoms or arched windows above the main windows. You have two good options:

• Leave them bare to let in light, and cover only the windows below. This works well when the upper windows face north or don’t cause glare.
• Cover them too if they throw sun onto the TV, heat up the room in the afternoon, or face a neighbor. Motorized shades make that practical.

Designer tip: Before you decide, notice where the sun lands in the room at 4 p.m. in summer. If it’s on your TV or your sofa, the upper windows probably need covering.

Our guide to arched and specialty-shaped windows goes deeper on unusual shapes.

Keep the look consistent

When a room has a mix of window shapes, we usually recommend the same fabric and color on every window. Even if the products differ slightly, matching colors make the whole wall feel like one design. It also keeps the outside of the house looking tidy.

Measuring matters more on big windows

Tall and oversized windows leave little room for error, and a shade that’s slightly off is very noticeable on a wall of glass. Our team measures every window during your consultation, and our installers handle the ladders and lifts on installation day.

See more big rooms

Browse finished rooms with tall windows in Our Work, or visit our showrooms to see motorized shades in large sizes. When you’re ready, book a free in-home consultation and we’ll bring samples and ideas for your space.