Window trims are one of the best ways to polish and perfect your home’s aesthetic appeal, whether you’re looking for something with clean lines or you want to go with something more ornate. Beyond their decorative purposes, they offer a fantastic frame for your home’s natural light sources, and they can also boost your home’s energy efficiency overall.
Read on to learn more about the most popular trim styles and designs as well as our experts’ suggestions to incorporate your new trim pieces with your interior design elements.
Popular Modern Window Trim Materials
Gone are the days of white trim and contrasting color doors. Many homeowners and designers are now leaning toward mixing mediums and trim types while still keeping to the same color scheme — bringing a more cohesive dynamic to the home’s design.
As such, trim ideas for windows can be executed with many different trim styles and materials. Here are a few of the most common that we’re seeing today:
Wood Trim
Natural wood trim can be flawlessly incorporated into design schemes of older homes or into more modern styles. There are hundreds of different shades, colors, and types, offering near-endless customization potential wherever it’s used.
Despite the range of colorways available, many appreciate the “natural finish” look for their interior windows and window frames. Natural materials have a unique, complete casing that accents the natural light without “blocking” it off or out.
PVC Trim
PVC stands for polyvinyl chloride, and it installs similarly to wood — despite it being non-wood-based. Many appreciate its resiliency and its natural resistance to rot or insect penetration which is often missing from natural materials. PVC is available in a range of colors, or homeowners can opt for off-white or natural colors that go well with a more modern look for their window casings.
Aluminum Trim
Although many wouldn’t think that aluminum trim exists, it does. In fact, it’s quite popular for interior windows that need a more industrial accent. These trim options offer natural heat resistance and temperature regulation, making them ideal for those in more extreme climates. They are also fairly simple to install compared to other trim types. Like wood and PVC trim options, aluminum trim comes in a range of different colors to match every trend or design scheme.
Composite Trim
Composite trim is made of a mixture of recycled plastics and wood fiber — or “composite materials.” The composite materials used in the resultant trim are well-known for their durability and weather resistance, making this an ideal trim option if you live in a location that experiences the four seasons. This trim style, like the others, comes in the full range of colors and neutrals and can be used as casing for any design scheme or style. It is notably more minimal and muted compared to an option like aluminum, however.
Design Styles for Modern Window Trims
Now that we’ve covered the many types of trim styles out there for your window casing, it’s time to explore design styles to gather some inspiration for your casing. We’ve included a summary of three of the most prevalent schemes out there, as well as examples so you can truly visualize how the aesthetic would look in your space.
Minimalist Trim Designs
Minimalist design options have been a popular choice since the late 2010s and for good reason: This style works to capture, curate, and elevate simple beauty in a given space, honoring the other components of the interior while making open, airy themes the core focus of the design. It’s a dichotomy that appears effortless yet intentional and instantly offers elegance to a home.
Wood or composite trim options are often first picks for those looking for a modern casing that’s minimal and “clean.” There is no traditional casing type used, however, so you can feel the freedom to personalize your look as you see fit.
Traditional Trim Styles
Traditional styles hail back to classic Americana influence, choosing to forgo bold paint colors and emphasizing white, eggshell, soft ecru, and other neutrals to frame every side of the window. Straight lines are prized, and the smooth transition from walls, to casing, to the great outdoors appeals to homeowners of all demographics.
Perks of this design style are that it can be used for all window types, including floor-to-ceiling windows or shorter, more compact options. You can also simplify or sophisticate it as much as you like, and you can do so with any of the hundreds of types of window trim available.
Rustic Modern Blend
Whether you’re after a look fit for a rustic Italian getaway or you’re wanting the aesthetic of an upscale farmhouse, we’re sure of one thing: You’ll love the feeling that the rustic modern blend style can bring to your home. All trim styles can work with this aesthetic, depending on the type of windows you have and the elements of design you want to emphasize.
Integrating Window Trims With Home Interiors
Ready to design? Here are a few tips from our experts to support you as you integrate your window trims with your interior design scheme.
Matching Trim With Interior Molding
If you’re not sure where to start when it comes to trim design and making your space cohesive, consider matching your trim to your interior molding. Having synergistic design components in your space can effortlessly tie your space together without any sort of visual clashes or disturbance.
Our specialists are happy to work with you to create a personalized strategy for the flow of your home’s design.
Coordinating With Furniture and Decor
If your home doesn’t have interior molding or you want to have a broader range of harmonization in your overall aesthetic, you can always consider coordinating your trim with your furniture and decor. Generally, this works best if you have a static or classic scheme that you don’t plan on straying from in the (near) future. Like with molding coordination, our experts are here to help you reach the perfect ratio of matching elements in your home — across your interior furniture and your interior-to-exterior window trims.
Using Contrasts for Visual Interest
Sometimes, coordination simply won’t work for a space, and that’s perfectly okay. Many homeowners find that their neutral or classic space could do well with a bold window and the element of “surprise” — and if that’s you, we want to encourage you that it can work and look absolutely effortless in your home.
If you’re looking to go outside the box and use bold, deep contrasts to create some visual dichotomies, the specialists at Clark Hall in Charlotte, North Carolina, are here to help.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I add trim around windows?
While your interior window doesn’t need trim, trim can effortlessly elevate it — giving you a finished look that’s truly your own. If you choose to add these decorative elements to your window space, know that you can choose options with as little or as much detail as you’d like, selecting from the thousands of different styles available on today’s market.
How can I incorporate modern window trim into an older home?
The first thing you should consider as you determine which type of window trim to incorporate into an older home is the current architectural features of your space and whether or not you will want to honor them. Ultimately, the right window trim is subjective to your taste preference. However, your trim choices should add elegance or personality to your look, not clash with it — so this step can save you hours and dollars spent on the wrong decor.
Are there eco-friendly options available for modern window trim?
The most eco-friendly window trim to consider out of the options on this list is the composite window trim option, as it’s durable over time, insulating, and the most sustainable choice on the market due to its long lifespan. Additionally, this trim style can be used both as exterior window trim and interior window trim.
Composite also comes in a range of styles — so you won’t have to choose between sustainability and personalization as you customize your house.
