I don't know if this is what your window looks like or not, but here are roman shades on a 5-window bay. You can't see it in this picture, but the pull string wraps around a cleat mounted on each window frame at about the midpoint of the lower window.

{{!gwi}}

If you can post a picture of the window, I think you will get some good suggestions. Also, please let us know what you are looking for in your WTs: privacy, light control, preservation of view, and/or adding to a more layered look to your home.

movinginva, do you have a picture of your window? I am getting a bay window (which will have 3 glass panels) installed tomorrow in our DR and think I will run into the same problem. It's a vinyl window so I will also have to mount at the top, which I'm disappointed about. I now wonder if I won't be able to do the shades because of the mechanism as well.

forhgtv, love your window! I originally wanted to do roman shades, but didn't think they came up high enough when open. Yours are perfect. Did you order or have made? I have heard they are easy to do but don't know if I could attempt it.

I think something light and airy such as roman, bamboo or a woven shade is best because it doesn't cover the beauty of the window.

Here is a pic of the window. I had just finished painting it white. Only the panels on the far left and right open and you can see the mechanism in the picture.

@kmarcel, I think bay windows look lovely and you will love yours. The mechanism thing bothers me, I hope someone out there has a solution for that problem.

!

My bay is a 3-part, but after considering various options for shades, I ended up doing panels which open and close:

{{!gwi}}

I did consider doing some type of romans, but I was concerned that an inside mount would not only take away from the view but lower the eye inside the room since they would be at a lower height than the other WTs I was planning for my LR which was in view from the DR.

movinginva, my window will have the same mechanism. I just checked the website. I think they're all like that. My daughter has a bay window and has faux wooden blinds. They look nice on the window. They lay okay. You have to kind of move them a little to open the mechanism, but not a problem.

I have a bow window like that in my LR that has sheers on it and I keep thinking I would like to do something different so that when you close it you don't lose the window behind the curtains.

Be sure to post a picture of what you end up with. May have to "steal" your idea for my LR.

I have the same window only 4 panes. I hung wooden blinds. You can replace the crank with a different kind that doesn't stick out like that; they sell them at Lowe's.

Kmarcel, the windows I pictured actually belong to a friend and I know he had the roman shades custom made. They do seem to be pretty simple construction, though, so if you are an experienced sewer, I'm sure you would have no problem making some.

Movinginva, After seeing your picture, I think I would opt for a treatment similar to the one that Valinsv pictured with a rod mounted either right under the ceiling or halfway between the top of the window trim and the bottom of any ceiling trim.

I have the same window, but all of the casement windows open out. It is a large window, ceiling to about 20" from the floor. I put a rod close to the ceiling and hung drapes to the floor. I open them during the day and close them at night. I may hang a rod to add sheers behind the drapes one day.

I used these from Lowes on some casement windows that the original handles were interfering with my blinds.
They work great.

{{!gwi}}

I like the idea of using drapes and thanks for the pic @valinsv and I will probably be stealing your bay window look with the candles etc. it looks great.

Our living room is tiny and I have noticed that since I removed the vertical blinds, the room feels so much bigger than before, which is why I wanted to go with something mounted inside the window. Do you guys think that using the drapes will make the room feel small again, or will using the inside mount blinds, make it even worse? The drapes across the window will certainly make my life a whole lot easier.

Someone had also mentioned traverse rods which I had never heard of. I have looked into them, but I am not sure if it is a solution I would like since it seems as though I will have to use the little hooks on my blinds. Has anyone ever used them, and if so any thoughts?

Thanks for the tip on the handles, I will look for them the next time I am at Lowes.

Thanks!

Hi movinginva,

Pardon as I bump this thread up.I have the exact same bow window as you do and was wondering what you decided as your window treatment - if you did decide that is? Thank you.

Hi movinginva and anelei - I too appear to have this same exact window, although I cannot for the life of me find out who makes this window? I've searched high and low for any sort of manufacturer name etched anywhere and I cannot find one. I need to have the window fixed :(

5 Sided windows can be very complex. We wrote a guide on this topic here: https://wcpa.me/window-coverings-for-bay-windows-definitive-guide/ Hope it helps