Des Moines has a huge amount of mid-century housing stock, ranch and split-level homes built from the 1950s through the 1970s across the southeast side, southwest side, and plenty of the inner ring neighborhoods. These homes have a completely different window profile than either the Victorian houses in Sherman Hill or the newer builds going up in Waukee and Ankeny.
Ranch and split-level windows tend to be wide, low, and sometimes mismatched in height between levels, and that shape calls for a specific approach if you want the finished room to look intentional instead of awkward.
Whether you bought your ranch home decades ago or picked one up recently because of the character these homes have, custom window treatments make a bigger visual difference here than in almost any other housing style I work with.
Des Moines' mid-century housing boom
Like a lot of American cities, Des Moines grew fast in the decades after World War Two, and ranch and split-level homes were the answer to that growth. You will find them all over the metro, from established Des Moines neighborhoods to the older sections of the inner ring suburbs, usually on a single level or with a distinctive split entry that puts the living space a half flight up from the garage and lower level.
These homes were built with a specific design language, low rooflines, horizontal proportions, and windows sized to match that wide, low aesthetic rather than the tall narrow windows of an older Victorian or the oversized great room windows in new construction.
A lot of these homes have been updated over the years, new kitchens, refinished floors, updated bathrooms, while the original windows and their proportions stayed exactly as built. That mix of an updated interior with original window shapes is extremely common, and it is exactly the situation custom treatments solve best.
The wide, low windows ranch homes are known for
The signature ranch window is wide and comparatively short, sometimes stretching most of the width of a living room wall. A picture window flanked by two smaller operable windows is a common configuration I measure constantly on the ranch homes I visit across Des Moines.
Wide windows like this need a treatment that can span that width cleanly without looking like several mismatched pieces stitched together. Custom blinds sized to the full opening, or a single wide shade, almost always look better than trying to break the window into segments that were never meant to be treated separately. It is a simple fix, but it is the single most common thing I correct on a ranch home that already had blinds installed before I ever measured it.
Split-level homes and mismatched window heights
Split-level homes bring a specific challenge ranch homes do not have, windows at different heights on different levels that are still visible from the same sightline, especially from the entry or the stairs connecting the levels. Getting these to feel coordinated rather than mismatched takes some planning.
I usually recommend picking one material and color family for the whole home, even when the actual window sizes vary level to level. Consistent hardware and a consistent look tie a split-level's separate levels together visually, even though each individual window still gets measured and treated on its own.
The stairwell itself often has its own small window too, frequently overlooked in the original build and still bare in a lot of the homes I visit. A simple treatment there finishes the look of the whole entry in a way that is easy to skip but noticeable once it is done.
Clean, simple lines that fit the era
Mid-century design favors clean, uncluttered lines, and heavy, fussy window treatments tend to fight that aesthetic rather than complement it. Faux wood and real wood blinds with a simple slat profile, or a clean roller shade, generally suit these homes better than an ornate treatment built for a different architectural style.
That does not mean boring. A warm wood tone blind against original hardwood trim, or a crisp white shade against exposed brick or wood paneling, can look genuinely striking in a well kept mid-century home. It is more about matching the era's restraint than picking the flashiest option available, and that restraint tends to age far better than a trendier choice would over the years you actually live with it.
Where blinds beat shades in these homes
For the wide picture windows common in Des Moines ranch homes, I lean toward blinds more often than I do in newer construction. Blinds give you precise control over light and privacy across a wide opening without the bulk a large shade can add when it is stacked at the top of a very wide window.
Shades still have their place, especially in bedrooms where a cleaner look or blackout function matters more than adjustable slats. But for the classic ranch living room picture window, custom blinds are usually the simplest, cleanest, and most flexible choice.
The exception is a north facing bedroom or a home office where a homeowner specifically wants blackout or maximum insulation. In those rooms I will usually recommend a cellular shade instead, even on a wide ranch window, since the insulating value matters more there than the slat control a blind offers.
Getting the proportions right
The single biggest mistake I see on ranch and split-level windows that were not custom measured is proportion, a treatment that is too narrow for the opening, or mounted too high or low relative to the window's own low, wide shape. It throws off the whole room in a way that is hard to unsee once you notice it.
I measure every window myself, and for a ranch or split-level home in Des Moines, getting those proportions right is most of the job. If you are in the Des Moines area and want an honest opinion on what fits your home's specific windows, request a free estimate or call (515) 850-9700.
Have a question I did not cover? Call (515) 850-9700 or request your free in-home estimate and I will give you a straight answer for your exact windows.