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Need ideas for dressing a bay window

14 years ago

We have a bay window in our living room. The window treatments are boring and faded (as is the formerly red couch!) but the windows have since been tinted so new things hopefully won't fade.

I've looked and looked at ready-made window treatments and find them to be either very dull or very prissy/fussy. I'm semi-handy with a sewing machine (full/drapey stuff yes; precision angles no.) I have found a few interesting fabrics online (heavy silk - should hang nicely I hope?)

But I haven't found much in the way of inspiring looks or patterns. We only use this room a couple times a year (silly I know) as overflow from the connected dining room, so I don't think I want to hire a designer/seamstress. But it's at the front of the house so I don't want to ignore it.

How would you dress this window? Pictures would be great!

{{!gwi}}

TIA!

Here is a link that might be useful: one idea I kind of like with different fabric and rods instead of hooks

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Comments (7)

nanny2a
14 years ago
Something like this might be attractive, and wouldn't be that difficult to make.

Here is a link that might be useful: bay window curtains
holleygarden Zone 8, East Texas
14 years ago
chicagoans - I like the valances in your link and think they would be interesting and not too hard to sew. In looking at your room, why not go with a plaid fabric? It would look cute in that style, and you could pick up all the colors of your rug in the pattern.
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Thanks so much! Valinsv, I had thought about doing Roman shades, and I think that would look great, but...I'm afraid the hardware/mounting wouldn't stand up to the raising and lowering of the shades. I think my fastest/cheapest/most sturdy bet is to hang them flat, like Palimpsest suggested. Les, I would love to add casings, but that would be low, low, low down on the list. After the fence, gutters, other misc. repairs, etc. These particular windows weren't installed properly. They don't open and close like they should, and they're drafty. We're going to caulk around them as best we can until we get to the point where we can replace them. If I had my way, we'd replace the whole bay altogether and turn it into a traditiona, flat window, but I imagine that's cost prohibitive. That room originally was the garage, so I have no idea what, if any insulation is in the walls. Adding insulation is also on the to-do list.
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Wow...are you sure a question like that doesn't require a site visit? Seriously, if you don't need coverings for practical reasons, don't bother as the room is beautiful. if those are single glazing, you might wish to have roller blinds fitted against the window and hidden by trim work painted to match the window trim. You would lose a few inches at the top but a talented trim carpenter could make them look almost like a part of the window trim. I could see custom made radiator covers that would mimic the wainscoting would turn those obstructions into a desirable feature. For the top use the same profile and dimensions, at the same height, as the window sills. Columns on the ends and probably three panels of approximately same proportions as the existing ones across the front of the radiators would work well. Do some research on radiator cover design as you need to have good air flow coming in from the bottom and exiting at the top and a properly designed cover will actually help, not hinder heat distribution from the radiators. Despite the term, more heat comes from convection than radiation and channeled air flow will increase the heat transferred to the room. Let me know if you need a link to info about radiator cover designs
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tournant
14 years ago
I'm looking forward to any suggestions folks give, I have almost the exact same sized bow window. I'll be back later with some pics and ideas I am considering!
tournant
14 years ago
Okay, I'm back!

This is my bow window from the outside - excuse the very ugly aluminum storms, removing them is another project for another day.

Here are a couple of inspiration pics

I want to "frame" the window rather than dress the inside, it's not that deep and with five rows of panes I think it would look too fussy. I love the look of panels over woven wood shades. I figure finding a shade sized to fit across an almost 10ft long span would be problematic and very expensive. Also I don't think I'd ever want to drop it all the way down/open.

I was at Target today and found these beautiful placemats on a clearance shelf for $1.49 each. They had the exact neutral tone colors (cream, khaki, brown and green) I was planning for a whole living room redo. I grabbed all 16 that were there. My idea is to attach them together with maybe a band of ribbon to hide the seams if necessary, baste in some "folds" running lengthwise and staple the whole thing along a piece of 1"x2" lumber and mount it over the window up close to the ceiling. I did a quickie mock up by taping the backs of two of them together and then to the rod:

I need to play with the proportions of the folds still. This shows two of the pieces of ribbon I could use if I think I need to cover the seams

I'll flank the window with simple panels of either a heavy twill or nubby linen on big rings. The rod will run in front of and at the same level as the top of the "blinds". I'm not sure what color yet but probably either khaki or chocolate - I think the green would be too much. I'd like to use a double rod to keep the sheers that are hanging now layered under the panels to have some flexibility when I want the window completely covered - a choice between light filtering/opacity or room darkening/insulating.

{{!gwi}}

Anyway ... that's my idea for dressing a big honkin' bow window!
parsuzi
14 years ago
Wow Tournant! You're really clever! Don't you just LOVE the Target Clearance end caps?? I would've never thought of this - I think it's a brilliant solution.

I read this thread with great interest, as we have 2 (!) bays in our DR!!! (DR is an addition - one bay in front, facing street, one in back. Only difference is the one facing the back year has a window seat.)

I purchased some inexpensive linen-look panels ($15/pair) at Ikea. They're tab curtains, which I don't like, but plan to turn them into back tab, by sewing the tabs down in the back. I have 4 panels per window and am unsure whether I should sew two panels together lengthwise so they appear to be one long panel per side? (Does that make sense?) We do close them at night for privacy.

I also LOVE the wood roman shades. Keep your eye on sales at JC Penney. I found some marked down to $15 there.

:)
kathleenca
14 years ago
I walk by a house in our neighborhood that has a bay window in the linving room. The owner has hung the rod & curtains straight across the front of the window as though it were a flat window. From outside (and I bet from inside)it looks like a stage.

I think bays look good when at least some of the WT follows the shape of the bay.
chicagoans
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks everyone for the feedback! Tournant - what a clever idea! Love those placemats and I always love a bargain.

Has anyone used curtain rods with connectors to make them fit bay windows? Right now I have a continental rod that I just bent to fit into the corners. It works fine but has to be covered because it's just ugly white metal.

I'd like to use curtain rods with connectors and I'm curious if they work well. Any feedback would be great!

Here is a link that might be useful:

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