This Budget- and Rental-Friendly Decorating Trick Can Turn Any Teeny-Tiny Room Into a Fancy Jewel Box

In most rooms, window treatments are more of a practical necessity and less of a dramatic design moment — especially in bedrooms. Sure, you close them every night and open them each morning, and they’re probably pretty, if you took time to pick something out that goes with the rest of your decor. That’s usually about all the thought they get though… until now. Lately, I’ve been noticing designers covering full (often windowless) walls in sumptuous window panels, and this design idea truly has the power to turn any small room in to a fancy jewel box. 

Advantages to this trick include creating a textured look that will add plenty of warmth to your sleeping quarters. It’s also handy for eliminating visual clutter, which goes a long way in making your slumber time more peaceful, and who doesn’t want that? The seamless flow of curtains covering full walls blurs the boundaries of a room, making even the smallest space appear bigger and all the hard edges in a space practically disappear. Last but certainly not least, your room will look super-luxe without making much of a dent in your wallet. You could even try this idea in a smaller living room, study, or office.

Whether you’re a minimalist or a maximalist or somewhere in the middle, you can riff on this idea. It all comes down to the curtain you choose; a solid color will lean clean and minimalist, while a print, as shown above, creates a feeling of maximalist abundance. Velvet curtains in an emerald green shade or a deep sapphire blue are both dramatic and luxe. For a more pared-down approach that still gives you jewel box vibes, try floaty linen fabrics in neutral shades like creamy white, soft beiges, or grays. For an extra fancy flourish, add some sconces that peep out from where the curtains meet, or hang artwork over your drapery walls.

If you just want to dip your toes in this look, cover just one wall; in a bedroom, for example, the bed wall always makes for an apt canvas for this idea, as shown above. If you happen to have unsightly walls with cracks or dings, this budget-friendly solution will not only conceal them, but it’ll also make you feel like you’ve upgraded your room to another level of luxury. 

You’ll have to mount the curtains, which will be similar to hanging them over a window (hardware or tension rods are required here), and you’ll want to make sure the length of the panels you choose is right for your ceiling height. Another factor to consider is how many panels you’ll need to fully cover the wall, which may come down to your personal preference for more or less fabric. This design idea may take some trial and error, but I promise, if you want to make a room feel romantic and special, it’ll be well worth it.