Updated at: 14-12-2022 - By: Sienna Lewis

When it comes to decorating bay windows, it might be a challenge. While the architectural detail is a lovely addition to any room, it presents a difficult form for window coverings – but with the correct know-how, bay windows may be easily dressed with curtain ideas, blinds, and shutters. ‘

As a design manager at ILIV.co.uk, Debbie Leigh, encourages homeowners who have a bay window to make the most of it by considering the window dressing.

For bay windows, I usually suggest customers to go for a custom-made window treatment to give their property an air of sophistication.’ When it comes to bay windows, custom-made window treatments are a need because they are perfectly tailored to match each individual space.

Challenges of Blinds for Bay Windows

With bay windows, blinds and curtains provide a number of issues. Curved windows are the first thing you notice about this set. So you can’t just use any ordinary blinds. Make My Blinds’ made-to-measure blinds are perfect for dressing curved windows since they provide the custom fit you need.

To make things even more difficult, there are a variety of bay window styles to choose from. Bow windows with curving glass panels and several angled panes are popular choices for multifunctional bay windows. When deciding how to use blinds and drapes to outfit a bay window, each design element must be taken into account.

The challenge of dressing a bay window | Louise Misell Interiors

Most houses lose a lot of heat through their windows. To combat draughts, bay windows are often larger and have more glass than standard windows. Window coverings with thermal qualities are needed to assist retain heat inside during the cooler months.

The traditional architecture of many of these buildings makes using draperies to cover bay windows a difficult task. Underneath the windows of Victorian dwellings, heating equipment like radiators are common. So, unless you want to start a fire, you can’t keep the curtains closed while the heat is on.

What is the best way to dress a bay window?

In your opinion, what is the most effective approach to decorate a bay window? Designer Debbie Leigh of ILIV says that the choice of window treatment can be influenced by a variety of factors, including your desire for privacy and the overall aesthetic of the space.

The smooth flow of natural light that transparent blinds allow into your home creates a peaceful atmosphere is worth considering if you’re looking to let in as much light as possible. Good-quality lined curtains, on the other hand, provide year-round temperature control and privacy, making them a worthwhile investment.

According to Debbie, ‘Roman blinds and drapes are probably the most popular bay window treatment.’ Not only does this offer the best of both worlds, but it also appears to be rather opulent.” An unusual aesthetic and privacy can be achieved by setting each roman blind at a different height in a room with roman blinds in each window.

To create a cozy, pleasant, and inviting atmosphere in a room with two bay windows, use full-length drapes’ Choosing a quality thick fabric not only adds an extra layer of insulation but also creates a luxurious atmosphere.

BAY WINDOW IDEAS – HOW TO DRESS BAYS WITH BLINDS, CURTAINS AND SHUTTERS

There are a plethora of bay window ideas to choose from, each with their own set of advantages and disadvantages. There is a dizzying array of window treatment options available, ranging from traditional fabric options like curtains and Roman blinds to more modern options like slatted venetian blinds and composite or wood shutters.

You can control the amount of light that enters your home with bay window coverings while also boosting privacy and adding an extra layer of insulation to your property. You should consider how you intend to use the room and what you hope to achieve with your window treatments before settling on a particular design.

1. BRING CLASSIC ELEGANCE WITH FULL LENGTH CURTAINS

Floor-to-ceiling drapes are a certain way to dress up a conventional dining room’s bay window. Window treatments are an excellent choice for your dining room curtain ideas since they can provide timeless elegance to a room and, with so many luxury textures and creative prints to pick from, can offer the opportunity to wow dinner guests with their beauty. The pelmet adds a typical formal touch while hiding the gathered top in this golden velvet, making it perfect for special events.

To hide the tops of drapes, you’ll often see an ornately carved box frame called a pelmet or cornice board. Yvette Murrell, an interiors writer for Homes & Gardens, says that pelmets can be built from foam core or plywood and painted to match the walls or upholstered in fabric to match the curtains.

In older structures, such as this Kensington home, they are popular because they are both ornamental and insulating.’ Christiana Syrris, an interior designer at Studio Indigo, employed a mustard color on both the walls and the window treatments in this room. As an added bonus, it adds visual interest to a monochromatic color scheme.

2. PRESERVE AUTHENTIC WOOD SHUTTERS

Bay windows, complete with their lovely original wooden shutters and window seat, are a wonderful feature to highlight as part of your home’s interior design. Melanie Griffiths, editor of Period Living magazine, says that “original shutters are cherished characteristics of period homes and should be conserved and enjoyed whenever feasible.”

3. BRING WARMTH AND COLOR WITH ROMAN BLINDS

You don’t have to worry about how to measure for curtains or how to hang them. It is possible to outsource the measurement work to a professional. Fabric that can be customized It is a stunning bay window concept to have Roman shades installed in each frame. In addition to being able to alter the amount of light in a room, they are a great way to add color and warmth to huge, bland living rooms. A blackout lining can be added to Roman blinds to further reduce glare and increase energy efficiency.

When it comes to your bay window, you may want to consider a combination of shades and curtains. Sims Hilditch Interior Design’s design director, Louise Wicksteed, says this. “This adds an elegant touch to your home while also providing an additional layer of insulation.”

When purchasing bay window blinds, many people wonder if the blinds should be installed within or outside the window frame.. ‘If you’re putting a blind to cover a wide window with a seat built in (as shown here), the blind might extend beyond the frame,’ Louise adds.

4. CREATE A FOCAL POINT WITH COLOR-BLOCKING

Additional control over lighting and insulation are two benefits of using Roman blinds and curtains together, but they may also be an eye-catching design element in a living room since they allow for fascinating color combinations. The combination of rust-colored drapes and peacock-colored blinds in a living room would create a stunning visual contrast.

Our bay window curtains | Fifi McGee

Curtains with a wave heading, notes Period Living magazine’s interiors correspondent Sarah Warwick, “create a sleek image” when suspended below a carefully constructed pole or track. In addition, because of the way they stack, they won’t block views or natural light.

5. MAKE A FEATURE OF ORIGINAL SHUTTERS

If your shutters are original and you want them to look as authentic as possible, leave them unpainted like they were historically. You can also paint your shutters a different color than the rest of the room if you want to give your home a more modern look.

6. ADD THE FINISHING TOUCH TO A COLORFUL LIVING ROOM

If you have a bay window in your living room, full-length curtains are an excellent solution. Curtains in a soft pastel tint can be an excellent way to balance out a vibrant environment that is full of pattern and ornamental interest, as this style illustrates.

According to Kelling Designs’ creative director Emma Deterding: ‘When it comes to color and pattern, it’s all about personal preference; but I usually go for neutral curtains if the room already has a lot of color and design.’ Additionally, if you have a beautiful view from your window, this will allow that view to flow into your room, making it appear much larger.’

It is a good idea to use cafe-style sheer curtains in combination with full length drapes if your living room bay window is overlooked or situated on a busy street.

7. INJECT PERSONALITY WITH PATTERN

When it comes to decorating a bedroom, pairing curtains and blinds in different patterns and colors is a great idea. The headboard should be covered in the same pattern as the blinds to give the room a more united appearance.

You want to create a relaxing atmosphere in your bedroom, so choose bedroom curtain ideas that don’t overrun the room, like Vanessa Arbuthnott’s Sepals and Petals design (on a blind) and Pretty Maids (on a curtain) (on curtains). Create a dynamic, layered design by introducing pillows and bedspreads in larger-scale prints in complementary colors.

8. CONTROL LIGHT LEVELS WITH PLANTATION SHUTTERS

Adjustable slats or ‘louvres’ in plantation shutters allow for fine-tuning of light and privacy for windows that face the street. Plantation shutters, which are available in cafe-style, tier-on-tier, or full-height, are a more contemporary option than curtains if you’re seeking to create a sleek, streamlined effect in your home. They are also simple to clean with a damp cloth.

9. CREATE A COUNTRY FEEL WITH A CLASSIC STRIPE

Installing a window blind in an earthy, textural linen can enhance the natural patina of your country home’s wood and stone accents and truly make them pop. With a homage to the weatherboarded walls of this rustic living room, Vanessa Arbnuthnott’s French Ticking in Mushroom/Raspberry adds pattern to this peaceful nook.

10. MAXIMIZE LIGHT WITH WINDOW FILM

Do you want to increase the amount of light in your bathroom without jeopardizing its sense of seclusion? It may be possible to use sheer shades and frosted window film as an alternative solution. It’s possible to get frosted window film from companies such as Purlfrost, which can be used to cover the lower lights of sash windows to provide a darkened bathing experience without blocking any light. While the view can still be seen through the blinds, they will also add an air of romance, making them a fantastic choice for a classic bathroom.

WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO DRESS A BAY WINDOW?

The ideal approach to decorate a bay window depends on a variety of elements, including the type of space and how it is used, as well as the appearance and feel you want to achieve.

In summer, you may block the early morning sun with blackout blinds while still allowing light and privacy in during the day with sheer blinds installed in your bedroom.

Window treatments, such as blinds and curtains, are excellent alternatives for bedrooms, living rooms, and dining rooms since they manage light levels while allowing you to introduce individuality, pattern, and color through gorgeous materials..

With curtains, you can add a layer of comfort and coziness to any space. According to Penny Morrison, “you have the ability to incorporate color and pattern in huge scale and choose a complementary paint color for the walls and co-ordinating fabrics for other upholstered in the concept.” Loose floaty linens are my go-to for a more casual look, while silks and velvets are my go-to for more formal occasions. Curtains should be hung on a pole or tracks, depending on the appearance you’re looking for, and whether or not you’ll be using a pelmet should all be taken into consideration.

Venetian blinds and shutters made of water-resistant materials, on the other hand, are easier to clean and more resistant to splashes than fabric alternatives in moist areas such as kitchens or bathrooms.

Chrissie Harper, a customer experience manager at California Shutters, says that plantation shutters can be excellent choices for windows facing the street. If you have a huge bay window in your living room or bedroom, tier-on-tier shutters are a terrific way to add style and privacy. If you’re changing clothes or watching TV, you won’t have to turn out the lights on the lower tier.

How to Dress Bay Windows - Concorde Blinds

WHAT LOOKS GOOD ON A BAY WINDOW?

Curtains, shades, and shutters can all be installed on a bay window; what looks best on your bay window is a question of personal preference. Curtains and fabric are great ways to draw attention to your bay window. When decorating with color and pattern, Roman blinds are an excellent choice. In addition to bringing a sense of warmth and softness to a room, fabric treatments can also function well in conventional schemes, making them ideal for bedrooms and living rooms.

Made-to-measure shutters can add a sleek, streamlined finish to a contemporary design.

You may want to start with the bay window as a starting point if you’re planning an interior design overhaul, as it’s one of the most coveted architectural aspects in a room.

Starting with a bay window, I begin to plan the layout of the room Avoid wasting valuable real estate by including it in the room design, if there is any. Penny Morrison, an interior designer, agrees. An armchair, lamp, table, or even banquette seating for a dining table can all be placed in a bay window.’ It’s vital not to obstruct too much of the sun’s rays, though. You should plan ahead of time for how you’ll cover the bay window, whether with blinds or drapes.