Ideas for Bay Window Treatments
Bay windows are a wonderful architectural addition to any home, but even the most skilled decorators can have trouble coming up with ideas for their window treatments. The key to selecting the right bay window treatment is finding one that highlights the window's shape. Anything that masks or draws attention from the window is doing your home a grave injustice. Fortunately, there are many designs that will not only highlight your bay window but make it truly shine.
Roman Shades
One of the simplest and most common ways to show off your bay window is through the use of roman shades. These cloth shades create a classic and polished look and their position within each window box makes it easy to show off thick, vintage window casings. The blinds can be made out of any fabric and can even be backed with a blackout material to provide the maximum amount of privacy. The shades are easily raised and lowered using a cord located on the side of each shade.
Shutters
Add a little extra character to your bay window by installing shutters. While shutters were once reserved for more traditionally styled homes, today there are varieties to match any decor, from rustic dark wood to modern and sleek metal. Selecting shutters as your window treatment will add a great deal of texture to your room and help to draw attention to your bay window. Shutters can be easily adjusted to suit your needs, from letting in a great deal of natural light to shutting it out completely.
Blinds
Blinds are one of the most common types of window treatments and offer a great deal of privacy while still allowing light to filter through. Blinds are available in a variety of materials, including vinyl, metal, wood and other natural materials, and they can be one of the least expensive types of window coverings. Blinds are readily available in a range of standard sizes and can be ordered in custom sizes if your bay windows do not fall within the normally produced standard sizes. There are several different types of blinds available, such as Venetian, cellular and vertical.
Window Seat Valance
If you're lucky enough to have a bay window seat, consider using window treatments to frame the seating area, rather than the windows themselves. You have several options if you decide to take this route. A long valance hung at the ceiling line in front of the seating area will nicely frame the cozy nook while still letting in the maximum amount of light. This treatment can be paired with blinds or another window treatment to ensure privacy when it's needed.
Window Seat Curtain Panels
If window valances aren't your style, consider attaching a long curtain rod on the rod above the window seat and using fabric curtain panels to flank the area. The long, vertical lines of the curtain panels will pack an extra design punch and help to make your bay window a focal point of the room. An added bonus is that the curtains can be easily drawn closed to block light from the window.
