Drapery for Bay Windows

How to Dress your Bay Windows

For the past few Mondays I’ve been responding to design questions and dilemmas on my instagram stories. The most commonly asked question I get is about window treatments and specifically about how to dress a bay window.

So here is my guide to selecting the right window treatments for your bay window. Keep in mind it can be a personal choice depending on your personal style but also the structure of the window, like if there are any bulkheads will be a factor in what you decide to do.

What to do when your windows are floor to almost ceiling

I love drapery. It’s no surprise that as a designer I love to dress windows with luxurious fabrics. Drapery helps add height to the room and adds warmth. It can also add personality and texture. 

Examples of what to do with drapery for a Bay window:

1. Ceiling mounted on a KS Track if you have a bulkhead.

Keep in mind that you only have privacy when these are closed. Sheers add privacy in the day but can be see-through at night. 

2. Rod with rings.

Make sure you hang the rod almost to the ceiling, this adds height and elegance. You can simply have side panels if there is space on the wall to both sides of the windows OR you can have panels that hang in between each window if there is room. I prefer the later if it’s possible. This makes the window much more elegant.

You can layer drapery over a shade for added interest and privacy. Some options include, woven shades like a bamboo inside mounted. Soft linen romans or even a roller or silhouette blind.

California shutters are a good option if your window gets too much direct sunlight and you want added privacy. Keep in mind that these will darken your room permanently.

What to do when your bay window is over a bench or is only half wall

In this case, roman shades are often the best solution.

I like the softness of a cotton roman but bamboo is also a good option. If you want privacy from the street there are great blinds that pull up or down. This is great if you still want to see out the window but stop your neighbours from spying up on you from the sidewalk below.

Bamboo Roman Shades by Hunter Douglas

Roller and venetian blinds can also work well for bay windows. Bay windows often have more glass than usual windows, meaning there is the likelihood of drafts and that heat will escape. You may wish to have your blinds lined as that will help retain heat in your home.

Hunter Douglas Blinds in Bay Windows

When working with blinds keep in mind that they can be Inside Mount (mounted inside the window casing) or Outside Mount (mounted on top of the window trim or even slightly above it). Inside tends to be more modern but I’m seeing a trend moving back towards softer outside mounts. I like to do this when we want to exaggerate the height of a window. For example at our Mount Royal project, the window was about 8” short of the bulkhead above so we simply mount it higher to give the illusion that the window goes full height.

Before

After

Ultimately whatever you decide to do - do something! There is nothing worse than a naked window… in my opinion :)