A Palladian Window Shelf is an easy way to address several different challenges for window treatments, namely for large openings. While we spend a great amount of time selling window treatments, we put as much emphasis on installing them properly. However, it is imperative and necessary that we educate our clients on the benefits, features, and challenges of each product in order for them to make an educated decision when choosing a new window treatment. 

In your living room, for example, you may have a large, wide window topped with a half-moon arch. Although these windows are beautiful, functional, and fairly common in our area, they pose a unique challenge when deciding on the right window treatment. The wider the window, the wider in length your blinds or shades will be, right? Simply end mounting on wider windows does not give enough support throughout the blind and can result in bowing. Nearly every window treatment in such a space would require center brackets to add support. However, if there is no wood casing to drill into, there is nowhere to mount a center support. If we drill into the window transom itself (an aluminum separator between the windows and the arch), it may break and void the warranty of the window!

While some may just be concerned about breaking the glass, there are several other issues to keep in mind. There is the possibility of releasing argon gas, for example. Argon is the gas placed between window panes to help fill the thermal holes to avoid air leakage. You also want to avoid damaging any lift operations on the window, and reducing the energy efficiency of the window. All of these are not only possible when drilling into the frame of the window itself, but can also void the warranty.  Now that you’ve been educated on the challenges a wide window poses, let’s look at a possible solution for a unique, stunning window treatment.

The Palladian Window Shelf is an elegant, versatile, and most of all, simple solution to perfectly dress your wide windows or when you need to create a mounting surface.  Just as it sounds, the Palladian Window Shelf is a finished wood board painted to match the color of the trim or the window treatment. It is then end-mounted on the sides of the window casing. This solid wood shelf acts as an extra point of contact for the entire top mount window treatment, giving extra support in the center, all the while disguised as part of the window itself.

Palladian shelves can be as shallow or as deep as the casing and are available in a variety of colors. With this option, there are no extra holes in your windows, which means no danger to you, the glass, or your warranty! Choose your shelving, shades, blinds (or any other treatment), and we will install it all with security and peace of mind!