25 Kitchen Window Ideas To Brighten Up Your Favorite Space

We know Southern cooks and bakers spend a lot of time in the kitchen. Which means just a little natural light goes a long way towards making your kitchen more inviting and more pleasant — for both your guests and the home cooks. When it comes to the window itself, you'll need to consider size, wall placement, and shape. Then, accessorize with trim, shelves, shades, and more to suit the style — or alter the style, if you're looking to mix things up — of your kitchen. With these kitchen window ideas, you're sure to find your natural light fix.

Related: 101 Beautiful Kitchen Ideas To Help You Plan Your Dream Space

Accent With Dark Trim

White, gray, and other light colors are refreshing in the kitchen, but dark colors have a place too. Painting your window and door trimming an accent color provides just the right balance of light and dark.

Wrap Around The Corner

Surround yourself with light and nature. Worried about storage space? Try installing floor-to-ceiling cabinets on either side of the wraparound to make up lost cabinet space.

Keep It Simple

Don't fret about fancy trimming and window styles. A couple of traditional center bar windows complement most kitchens.

Consider A Recessed Window

A recessed window is a window set into the wall that surrounds it. Besides providing a handy ledge for kitchen items, greenery, and more, recessed windows also make small kitchens appear more spacious.

Open Up

This house's central breezeway is a defining feature of dogtrot architecture, in which all rooms open up the inside to facilitate greater community.

Maximize Light

You'll want to pay special attention to which direction your windows are facing, especially if you're installing more than one in a row. Pay attention to the direction where that beautiful light shines into your space.

Natural Connection

For that light-shining-through-trees effect, place plants on your window ledge or hang them from the ceiling or on the window itself. Then, swap out your plants with the season — flowers for spring, a wreath for the holiday season.

Let The Outdoors In

Sometimes, you want t get fresh air flowing without letting in too much cold or wind. Crank swing-out windows are ideal for variable outdoor weather.

Coordinate Carefully

Whether your backsplash is a beautiful blue birds eye or a laid-back lavender lattice, your window trimming and decor can complement and accentuate your chosen backsplash colors and patters.

Go Bold

Nashville homeowners Michelle and Nick Spiva wanted their home to feel like it had been on the street forever. Architect Ron Farris and designer Rachel Halvorson helped them achieve their dreams with 11- by 6-foot steel-framed window that bring maximum light into the kitchen.

Welcome Bursts Of Color

Just because your cabinetry and backsplash are white doesn't mean you can't add some color! Fun window shade adds the perfect amount of color.

Love Lattice

Lattice exudes a combination of retro and farmhouse chic. With a lattice window, your house will certainly stand out from others on the street.

Install Shelves

Window shelves are our best friends when it comes to balancing functionality and style. Your best-looking kitchenware, plants, and jarred goods are a few wonderful candidates for filling window shelves.

Create Defining Space

Contrast between light and dark set this kitchen apart. Windows and black trim contribute to the effect by creating a sequence of white and black elements.

Divide And Conquer

Windows on either side of a range hood creates visual interest by. You can also take advantage of walls to divide your light sources.

Minimalist Beauty

Long, simple windows give you the best unobstructed view of the outdoors. They also work great for hanging decorations.

Work The Windows

This curtain's distinctive swoop is the defining feature of a roman shade. It emulates the feeling of sitting on a porch sipping sweet tea and enjoying the relaxing company of family round the dinner table.

Welcome Woodwork

The trim around light sources has the most impact of any trim in the house, so not just any trim will do. For a rustic effect, try this untreated wood trim.

Go With Glass

There's something about the simplicity of a glass fixture in front of a window; the colored hues filtering through stained glass set an ethereal mood in any kitchen.

Soak In The View

Take advantage of gorgeous outdoor views with a floor-to-ceiling window — or an entire breathtaking wall.

Perfect Pairs

If you're looking for more light in your kitchen but just don't have the wall space, consider using a glass door. Glass doors also help you keep an eye on pets, children, and anything else you might want to monitor.

Throw A Curve

An arched window gives your kitchen a royal atmosphere, which are ideal for those who love to cook and bake.

Elongate Your Sink Window

An elongated window allows you serene views of the outdoors while blocking out blinding overhead light so you can focus on cooking and cleaning.

Opt for Accordion Shades

There's never too much or too little light with an accordion shade. These fun window accessories also spice up your kitchen's style.

Find Fun Shades

You won't have to choose between stunning views of the outdoors and not getting blinded with an opaque shade. With a beautiful patterned shade, you'll also have stunning views even when the shades are down.

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Read the original article on Southern Living.