Bold Design Idea: Paint Your Window Frames to Create Instant Appeal

published Apr 7, 2017
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(Image credit: Emily Billings)

Color (via paint) can be a very powerful design tool, especially when used in unexpected places. While most people don’t necessarily think to paint the inside of their window frames, it can be the difference between a run-of-the-mill room and a spectacular, and memorable interior.

A few “pros” to painting your window frames:

  • It’s not as big a time/money commitment as painting your walls.
  • It can unify rooms with different wall colors (as long as the color chosen for the frames are the same).
  • It adds geometric/architectural pizzazz.
  • It allows you to play with colors that might feel a bit much when slathered on the walls of an entire room.
(Image credit: Anna Spaller)

Doing dishes gets a bit of glamour thanks to Martha Stewart’s Precious Metals Gold paint, which adorns every single window and door frame in this condo.

(Image credit: Emily Billings)

Bright blue window frame surrounds give an industrial space polish and provide contrast from the natural tones of brick walls and rough wood floors.

(Image credit: Lana Kenney)

Throughout this home, gray window frames contrast with bright white walls, but in the dining room—which is basically all window frame—the effect is one of fabulously gloomy glam.

In Justina Blakeney’s Jungalow, green window frames add to the lush, tropical feel of the entire home.

In this master bedroom from Emily Henderson’s blog, window frames painted gray—Deep Space by Benjamin Moore—create a stately march around the room and offset the Swiss Coffee walls, “a pretty warm white, that goes beige if you aren’t careful.”

(Image credit: Casa Vogue)
(Image credit: Casa Vogue)

Let’s end on a bang: These bold red (or possibly orange) painted windows and French doors from Casa Vogue are the absolute perfect counterpoint to this humble kitchen, with its dark cupboards, chalkboard walls, and concrete counters, floors and walls. Off to paint all of my window frames this color!

If you’re ready to tackle this project at home and need a leg up on how to do it right, don’t miss this article: