These 3 Window Shapes Let Light Into the Most Challenging Spaces

The right windows can change your perception of a space—especially one with small alcoves, awkward nooks, or sloped ceilings. As a result, sometimes your standard casement or picture window just won’t do. And that’s part of the fun. With triangles, trapezoids, octagons, and circles, among others, Marvin’s Specialty Shape windows are made with the most difficult design elements in mind. So whether you’re facing a tiny bathroom or a wall with way too much blank space, we asked three interior designers to share the unexpected ways to let light into any room.

The Challenge: Angular Rooflines

If you have a home with angular architecture, like an A-frame or an updated Tudor, lifestyle photographer and director Thayer Gowdy suggests incorporating triangular windows to run along the roofline. “It adds light, but also picks up on the other triangular shapes that already exist in the character,” explains Gowdy. Triangular windows also are a great option for second-floor bedrooms or bathrooms with pitched ceilings, she notes.

The Challenge: Tiny Bathrooms

Due to privacy concerns and space restrictions, the bathroom can also be one of the trickiest rooms to decide windows for. “A key part of my design is strategically incorporating windows that allow light in and maximize views while still maintaining privacy,” says Los Angeles–based interior designer Beatriz Rose of Byrdesign. 

If you’re looking for a window to place above a freestanding bathtub or on a narrow wall, try a narrow-frame picture window. It’s a decorative element that makes the space feel larger.

The Challenge: Too Much Blank Space

Sometimes the most exciting decor isn’t enough to liven up an irregularly-shaped room or alcove with way too much blank wall space. “A uniquely shaped window can do more than just solve a tricky design challenge—it can be used to create a real ‘wow moment’ in a room,” shares Lana Taylor of Three Birds Renovations. “A round or arched window can make the most stunning wall art when there is a beautiful view on the other side.” 

If you really want to transform a corner of your home, Taylor suggests boxing out the added window and building in a bench—perfect for reading or lounging—or lining the walls with lattice for a French orangery feel, as Brooklyn designer Natalie Kraiem did in her family room. It will help turn an otherwise unused or forgotten part of the house into your new favorite spot.