Closets have been a part of the home for decades. Originally, they were functional, providing a space for keeping personal items. But as society advanced, so did closet design.
Today, most closets can be described as luxury spaces. Sure, they keep your clothes safe, but some also include sound systems, televisions, and even windows.
But why exactly do closets have windows? A window in a closet serves to provide enough light, ventilation, increased safety from fire and better energy efficiency and cost savings.
As you walk into your closet, the first thing you’ll probably notice is a big window that looks out into your backyard.
It’s the first thing you see when you step inside your closet, and it’s the first thing you see when you exit it.
Possible reasons why your closet has a window
Most closet windows are found in older homes, as this feature was common in closets that were built before 1940.
However, a few closet designs today do include windows.
The truth is, a lot of people don’t even realize they can have a window in their closet.
Home owners can even install them in existing homes as well.
Why would a closet have a window?
Let’s take a look at some of the reasons closet windows are installed:
- Provides light
- Ventilation
- Provides a view to the outside
- Increased safety from fire
- Better sound quality
- Energy efficiency and cost savings
- Makes the closet look appealing
1. Provides light
Most houses have at least one closet.
While a closet’s main purpose is the storage of clothes, some homes are big enough to have an additional closet in the bedroom for clothes and another in the hallway.
Other homes have closets placed in the laundry room, with the purpose of hanging clothes to dry.
Whatever the case may be, traditionally, windows are used to provide natural light.
A closet window provides a cost-effective alternative to installing a plexiglass skylight.
2. Ventilation
Often hidden in the closet is a window, which can provide ventilation to the room through which it is opened.
A window in the closet can be useful if you wish to reduce the heat in the room by increasing the air flow.
Usually this window is installed in a way that it doesn’t impede the door’s opening or the closet’s flow.
Your closet is likely to contain clothes and shoes, as well as other items.
For this reason, it’s important to ensure the air inside it is clean and fresh.
When the closet remains ventilated, there is less likelihood of moisture formation that causes musty smell.
Also, you won’t develop respiratory problems that arise from exposure to mold and dust.
3. Provides a view to the outside
Seemingly insignificant spaces like the closet can provide a view to the outside.
For many people, the most important thing about a closet is to be able to see through it to the outside.
That’s because having a closet window gives the room a feeling of openness, lightness, and airiness that’s not achieved by enclosing the space entirely in wood or drywall.
It also gives you a sense of being connected to the outdoors, even when you’re inside.
This can be especially useful in homes, where a single window can be used to open a view of the outside world while also providing privacy from the outside.
This is also useful in bathrooms, where the window can be used to provide light while also allowing the user to view outside.
The closet window is a great feature in any room, giving you a view to the outside world without requiring you to go outside.
4. Increased safety from fire
As most homeowners know, the first thing you should do when you move into a new home is to get to know your local fire departments.
House fires kill 4,000 Americans each year and injure 2,000 more.
This is due to an average delay of over 30 minutes from the time of smoke detection until the time the fire department arrives.
Using a window in a closet as a fire escape can drastically reduce this delay, allowing residents to escape a fire in less than five minutes.
5. Better sound quality
Have you ever wondered why some closets have windows?
It turns out that it’s not just for looks.
While it is true that the natural light that comes in through a window makes a room feel more spacious, it’s also a big help for acoustics.
If you have a walk-in closet with no window, you’ve probably noticed that it can get pretty noisy.
This is because, when we close the door, the entire space becomes one giant echo chamber.
But if you have a walk-in closet with a window, the noise level drops significantly.
Cranking up your tunes and dancing around with the curtains open is now a possibility!
6. Energy efficiency and cost savings
With many homes being built these days with open floor plans, people often overlook one of the easiest ways to save money and energy: windows.
Windows on exterior walls can do a lot more than simply let natural light in.
Closets with windows are the most efficient way to store clothes.
This is because they allow the user to store clothing in a cool and airy environment.
Closets that are poorly ventilated cause more energy to be used when a.c and radiators are installed in an effort to maintain the desired temperature and humidity in the closet.
As a result, the rate of energy consumption is greater for poorly ventilated closets compared to those with windows.
7. Makes the closet look appealing
Closets are a necessity, but they’re also the most boring part of any home.
So, if you want to make your closet look more fun, add a window!
Not only will the window allow you to see what’s outside, it will give your closet a unique look, and make it seem more spacious.
The sun can illuminate your room and make the whole room look beautiful.
When choosing a window, make sure it matches the look of your closet, and the rest of your home, and be sure to pick a model that’s easy to open; otherwise you’ll be adding a lot of unnecessary work to your life.
Ways to make the small window look bigger
One of the most common space challenges facing homeowners who need more closet space is the small closet window.
No matter how much actual closet space you have, if you have a small window in your closet it can make your closet feel smaller.
But there’s no need to add more square footage to your home when you can make the closet and windows look bigger.
Whether it’s a small casement window or a sash window, if you want to make it look bigger there are a few things you can do.
- Paint it a color that is a lighter shade of the wall color
- Hang curtains that are a color that is a lighter shade of the wall color
- Have a curtain rod that extends beyond window frame
- Have a window that visually invites more light
- Install a window frame that is taller or has a thick border
