How to Add Trim to Make Your Shutters Reach the Ceiling
Last week I showed you my beautiful new shutters and how they have improved my lifestyle. I no longer have to wedge myself between my chair and the wall to open the curtains in my bedroom. I can have easy privacy when necessary and let the sunshine in with one flip of the wrist.
I love, love, love them. BUT my bedroom needed height at the windows and the new shutters were only the size of my windows. I thought, while I loved them with all my heart, that they needed some tweaking.
I wanted to make them look a bit more grand, more substantial. So I hopped in the van and went to the hardware store for some trim. I wanted to widen the windows a bit, so I got a 4″ trim and I wanted to stretch the windows to the ceiling, so I got a package of beadboard and some smaller trim.
In less than 3 hours I was finished with the whole project and my windows are perfection. Mwah!
First we cut the 4″ trim to fit along the sides of the window from floor to ceiling.
We also added this same trim across the top, below the crown molding that was already there. If I didn’t have crown I would have just taken it all the way to meet the ceiling. We mitered those corners. Mitering corners isn’t scary…you just need the right tool. (my oldest son was sweet to help me with the project)
The only hitch was that we had to notch around the window sills. After cutting the side piece the exact length to fit floor to ceiling we held it up to the window and marked where the notch needed to be.
Then we measured how far in we needed to cut and we marked that.
Until we had our mark exactly where we needed it.
There are several ways to cut a notch. This is just how we do it. We use the miter saw (we also used it for the mitered corners above) to start the cuts.
Then used a chisel to chip out the rest. It only took about a minute.
And it was ready to put up.
Then we cut the beadboard to fit into the opening above the windows. I attached everything using a brad nailer, but you can also use finish nails.
Next I cut some narrow trim into a frame to fit inside of the beaded board. I just did that to add a paneling feeling. After it was all caulked and painted it looked like this:
Below the window I just painted the exposed wall with the white paint, but I didn’t add beadboard there. I was too cheap to buy another package when I really didn’t need it.
To show you what a huge difference the trim makes, I did one window at a time so you could see them before and after side by side.
Here it is finished….nice, huh?
I am in love. Real, true, deep love.
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Looks great Lisa!
That looks amazing! I would love to do this in our master bedroom! Do you remember the name of the color on your walls Lisa? It’s really pretty and reflects light nicely. Our room is a dark olive and I think it’s time to lighten up a bit!
Heather, {sigh} I wish I could remember the name of the wall color! The old curtain rods left holes that I had to fill and now I don’t have any paint to finish it. Now I’m gonna have to repaint. If I figure it out I will let you know! LOL! Lisa~
Wow wow WOOOW!!!! I absolutely love the trim, you are one creative / handy family. Absolutely gorgeous, Lisa!
Love it! How creative! Your bedroom looks so peaceful and inviting.
Definitely makes a BIG difference!
Wow, what a difference, I love it!!!! Pinning!
Lovely, just lovely! Thanks for sharing!
Wow! I love shutters to begin with. The trim you added really makes the shutters stand out. I’m wanting to do this very thing in my dining room!
What a great idea!!
Wow!! Love how extending them looks. Great job!!
I love the look! Such a nice upgrade! Doors can also be done this way…. really adds height to the room! Lucky you to have your son do the work!
Lisa, I read this post last week but I don’t think I left a comment. . . and this post definitely deserves a comment!! What an amazingly clever thing to do. You’ve taken the blessing of those shutters and then used your own two hands to create something that’s a double blessing! This is a fantastic idea, and you executed it beautifully. Way to go, girl!
How can one person be so talented? This made a wonderful and BIG difference! Great job, Lisa!!
Wow- what a beautiful transformation- your idea is amazing!!
They look perfect! I recently had plantation shutters installed in my home office and now that I see yours I would love to do the same thing! Just gorgeous and so custom looking!
-Shelley
I want to do something like this on a bay window in my living room. Currently I have vertical blinds that i hate but i have a dog who likes to look out the window all night. She just puts her head through the verticals to look out. I want to use woven wood roman shades instead of shutters. The only problem is, I’d have to leave them up for the dog and thats a privacy issue. Do you think this type of moulding treatment would still look ok with drapery panels i could pull shut at night for privacy while still allowing the dog to step behind to see out?
If not, maybe I’ll get inside-mount vertical blinds and REALLY beef up my trim around the window so that the slats disappear behind the trim on the sides while they’re open.