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How to Make Basement Windows Look Bigger (with just Trim and Blinds!)

Categories Basement Makeover, Crafts and DIY, Guest Room Library, Window

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by Robin

Have you got one of these too? A basement room with a weirdly small and awkwardly high window?  If you have a below-grade basement, chances are you do.  It’s so frustrating – I used to struggle with how to make basement windows look bigger?!

Not any more! I have two DIY ideas of how to make a basement window look bigger!

basement window before guest room

I can’t wait for you to see what we did to solve this problem in our basement guest room!  With just trim and cheap bamboo blinds, we made this odd little basement window look – dare I say it – beautiful.  And it was so easy!

Check it out…

Here’s our first way (we have two!)…

How to make basement windows look bigger:

What you need…

  • Bamboo blinds (the cheaper the better –  you’re going to take them apart)
  • Window casing (for the outer box)
  • Trim the same thickness as your casing (for the vertical section between “windows”)
  • 1/4″ trim for the header of blinds
  • Nailer (we have an older model of this one)
  • Nails
  • Mitre box or mitre saw (we have this one)
  • Trim paint (ours is Soft Focus from Behr)
  • Staple gun
  • Staples

How to:

Step 1: Frame the faux windows with trim.

basement window ideas with trim
We could only make our faux windows as wide as the wall on the right.

Can you notice that the faux windows are slightly smaller than the real one? I hope not – but it’s the best we could do.
Using MDF that is the same depth as the window casing we trimmed the sides of the real window. 

We nailed it in place and caulked the gaps.
We copied the exact same faux window – the same size – on the other side.
The finished box.  It still needs paint.

That’s all it is – one large box vertical trim in the middle section.

Step 2: Remove the hardware from the blinds.

This is why you want cheap bamboo blinds!  You’re going to take them apart.

I did this by just untieing the strings from the hardware and then retying the knots up against the bamboo. 

Do this carefully – the blinds’ strings are simply woven around the bamboo – they will fall completely apart if you don’t retie the knots.

Step 3: Cut the new header/top piece for the blinds.

This header piece is important – it’s how you’ll attach the blinds to the wall. 

It’s about 1/4″ thick – and we cut it to the same length as the gap between the trim for all three windows.

The green tape you see above marks the centre and where the cut will be to make the bamboo the right width.

Step 4: Cut the blinds to size.

Be very careful – you want to measure from the centre to the sides – you want the strings that hold the blinds together to be centred and cut evenly. 

There are two pieces of tape to hold both sides of the cut together – wrap the tape as tight as possible before cutting to avoid splintering and messy ends to your cut.
We held our breath when we made the cuts. 

Remember – you can always cut them smaller – you can’t cut them bigger! Err on the side of making them too big and then do more cuts to perfect it.

Step 5: Attach the blinds to the top piece/header.

I folded the blinds in half and tied the strings together.

Then stapled both sides to the header.

Step 6: Attach the blinds to the faux window frames.

We screwed the blind header to the inside top of the faux window area.

Step 7: Make the bamboo look folded like roman blinds.

Here’s how I made them look like they were closed roman blinds.

I carefully made sure the blinds were evenly folded in half (basically let them hang down evenly). 

I held the bottom fold and pulled them up even with the bottom window trim. 

Then I just stapled them in place.
Next I adjusted the top fold until it looked just right. 

Then I reached up and stapled it in place.

The beauty of staples – you can pull them out and redo it until you’re happy with it. Which I did, of course. Love that!

Step 8: Repeat the process for the other 2 windows.

For the left faux window, it was the exact same process.

For the centre window, I kept it simple for now.  It’s simply stapled in place to look like an open roman blind.  There is so little light down there, especially in the morning, it’s dark enough to sleep.  I may go back later and pull the blind down and make it so that it works with roman blind tape and cord.  We’ll see…

Here it is! Our first basement window solution:

basement window blinds
Can you believe that’s the same space?

I’m thrilled with how this room turned out!  

And it’s all DIY. Of course. 💪
how to make a small window look bigger
That’s still the same single, tiny window – we didn’t add any windows – that’s definitely not in our budget!
how to make basement windows look bigger
The faux windows help this room feel like it’s upstairs.

(Have you read about how we made the built-in bookcase?) 

The pillow I made using this fabric.
how to make a basement window look bigger

Decor sources:

Throw Pillow Fabric (I made the simple pillow using this tutorial.)
Sheets (So soft and pretty – and a great price.)
Coverlet and Shams (Yeah – I almost didn’t buy it when I saw who the “designer” was. Ha! But the quality is wonderful.)
Lamps (similar outside Canada)
Faux Pink Peonies
Faux boxwood topiary (similar) vase is thrifted
Panelling paint (green): Milk Thistle Behr
Trim paint: Soft Focus Behr

Other projects in our Basement Guest Room-Library:

This is the basement window in the next room!  Here’s how we made it look bigger too…

another idea to make basement window look good

This is one of dozens of projects we’ve created in our Budget Basement Makeover (more here) and one of many projects in our cozy Guest Room-Library (more here).  

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Mel

Saturday 6th of August 2022

Excellent idea. It truly made a big difference. What would you suggest for windowless basement? Thank you.

frugalfamilytimes

Wednesday 17th of August 2022

Hi Mel! A windowless basement is tricky to make brighter - but not impossible. The key is layers of light and reflective surfaces. Pot lights and wall sconces and lamps will give you light at a few levels and make it feel bright. Also adding mirrors will bounce light around and make it feel bright. :)

Char

Saturday 11th of April 2020

You have such great ideas that turn out magnificent! I am getting ready to do my whole house a little at a time. Lots of great ideas here for cheap. Keep the DIY's coming!!! I may need some help and need to ask some questions......thank you so much

frugalfamilytimes

Thursday 23rd of April 2020

OH Char! You can't know how much your comment means to me! I've been feeling blocked and discouraged and I needed to hear this sort of encouraging words. Thank you!!! :)

Unknown

Sunday 23rd of February 2020

Wow! What a great idea! It does look bigger.

frugalfamilytimes

Thursday 27th of February 2020

Thanks so much! :)

Giselle

Monday 5th of November 2018

The entire room looks fantastic, that ceiling is amazing but the window hack is genius!

frugalfamilytimes

Monday 5th of November 2018

Thank you so much, Giselle! You’re so kind to stop and say so. 😊

Unknown

Sunday 10th of June 2018

hey girl! i love what you did with the window(s!) but am super impressed with the ceiling...did you go right over the ceiling tiles with the new look? I ask, because i have the same ceiling tiles, and abhor them! How did you do your ceiling?

frugalfamilytimes

Monday 11th of June 2018

Hi Diane! Glad you like our projects - the ceiling turned out great too. It was really cheap and pretty easy! Here's our tutorial: https://www.frugalfamilytimes.com/2018/06/our-paneled-wood-basement-ceiling-on-a-budget.html