How to Add Architectural Detail to Your Windows with Paint

Adding architectural details to your windows with paint is easy and affordable. If you are living in new construction that is lacking the traditional wood window frames and architectural detail of older homes, then you will really like these budget décor ideas.

If you live in an older home that already has great architectural detail built in, then these simple ideas using paint can really enhance the look of existing window casings! Whether you feel like you are crafty or not, you can easily create some affordable architectural details around any window with a little time and patience.

The first way to add some architectural detail to a window that does not have wood casing it to use some painter's tape to tape off a frame around the window. You want this to be about 4 to 5 inches wide. Tape this same measurement all the way around the window opening.

Now, paint this out to match your floor molding. Even new construction homes have floor molding. If you do not, then paint the frame out in a white, cream, or any color you would like your window frame molding to be.

If you want dark wood architectural details or window casing, then buy nice dark brown color paint as well as a little black. Paint the brown color first. Once this dries you can dry brush a little black paint on to mimic the wood grain.

No matter what color you paint be sure to paint the inside wall of the window, the four sides that butt up to the actual window. In a home that does have great wood casings on the window, this would always be painted.

Let this dry. Now, take that same paint and pour about a cup into a disposable plastic container. Add some brown paint or black paint to create a darker shade of the same color. Now, use the painter's tape to tape of the left and bottom of the painted frame.

You will want to run one lien of tape to lien up exactly with the edge of the painted frame. The other piece should be about ¼ inch out. Press the tape down with your fingers. Tape off the ends of the shadow as well.

Paint this shadow with your darker shade of paint.

To create depth in the actual "frame" you can tape of some more strips of shadow like this. Keep them thin, about ¼ inch. To get inspiration on where to paint these shadow lines, look in magazines for photos of windows with great casings. You could also look at molding at your local home improvement store.