Curtains for Kitchen Bay Window Dilemma

7 years ago

last modified: 7 years ago

Why the builders framed out a short ceiling height with header above for the bay area in a 13 ft. pitched ceiling kitchen is beyond me.

The height within the bay area, from floor to above windows/door is 92-1/2". (7 ft, 8-1/2")

The height from floor to the top of the header area is 108" (9 ft.)

Also, as you can see, no window trim.

I currently have honeycomb shades on them. (Pushed up to top of Windows/door)

I like the look of curtains with rattan shades.

I cannot sew. So, I can't buy 96" panels and shorten them to the strange 92-1/2" height. My only other option is 84", which will make the bay area seem even shorter.

I've seen some DIY curtain rod ideas for bay Windows. Any input on DIY rods?

What would you do with this situation? Sorry, moving isn't an option :-)

Please excuse the temporary ugly light.

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Comments (4)

torreykm
7 years ago
I also like the look of woven wood/rattan shades with panels. And you are right, your panels should be hung at the top of the soffit. Hemming some ready made panels may not be too difficult for you if they're unlined. I've not used them, but there are some iron-on hem adhesives available. You may also be able to find a seamstress or drapery workroom to hem them for you.
designsaavy
Original Author
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
Thanks, Torrey.

So, you're saying to NOT hang curtains inside the bay above each window/door, but to hang it on the actual wall at the top of the soffit in front of the bay area?

Will that make it feel cave-like and bare with nothing on windows? I've seen that done on bedroom Windows for a more intimate feeling with a window seat, but not in a kitchen.
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I posted some tailored options because I believe that a tailored valance will work well over your shades and the black and white color scheme sounds more tailored to me than ruffly. It's also a matter of personal taste, and my taste in a valance runs to something very tailored. Here is a gathered-on-rod very simple tiered valance that could work. You'd just need a bay rod. Other ideas, Here's one with pleats and fringe. Do you like toile? Toile in a black and white kitchen, especially a toile that brings in some color could be really pretty. I'm thinking a red and white toile, or a green and white, or even black and white. I don't think I'd use blue and yellow toile in a black and white kitchen, but this is a great treatment. Here's a more tailored option that I think could work well, and still soften up all the hard surfaces a bit. Here's another [Traditional Bedroom[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-bedroom-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_715~s_2107) by Cropwell Window Treatments Terry's Designing Windows Unless you're doing the WT to stage for a real estate sale, I wouldn't worry too much about what's in or out, but get what you like. If you have a picture you could post of your kitchen and bay window it would be nice. There are some people here who're really talented with photoshop and can give you some ideas what different treatments might look like.
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Second all Grapefruit says. It'll look really nice. Unless you really want something bright, I'd suggest going in the light range to blend as a way of not drawing attention to less than architecturally ideal window, cabinet, wall spacing. Big deal anyway, of course, but unlikely to be noticed at all without help. I love curtains for their pretty, softening effect of all those rigid surfaces, functional versatility, the way they flutter in a breeze, and that you can choose among hundreds of fabrics. Perversely, considering how very inexpensive simple panels are to run up (or tape), I hardly ever see them these days except in some higher-end, professionally decorated homes in glossy magazines or commercials. And my own. :) I have curtains on the windows flanking the hood over my stove. I mounted them inside the frames (which are 4" deep) to keep them safely away from the stove, but they're much closer than yours, and there's never been a problem with spatters. But of course curtains are as washable as dish towels. Sun would fade bright colors before washing did.
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torreykm
7 years ago
Oh no - hang them inside the bay as high as possible.
kai615
7 years ago
I would say hang inside the bay windows. Also get the 96 and have them shortened. If you really can't sew anything, almost any drycleaners has alterations available - they will do this for you at a pretty low cost. I sew myself, but hate hemming pants, I have splurged on a local seamstress from the drycleaners nearby to hem for me once in a while. A huge help when you have to measure yourself, mark, and what not. She only charges $8 for pants. The hem is the same especially with no lining, only straighter.

As far as DIY curtain rods, I have three bay windows myself. When we first moved in I needed to just cover them to avoid peering eyes. We are trying to gut and completely remodel the entire house, so we are also going to eventually replace these, so I didn't want to spend much. I used IKEA brackets, very simple two dowel brackets, wooden dowels from the hardware store which I sanded and stained and as a connector I used pvc pipe connectors to make the angels and get everything snug. I just made sure the curtains I sewed up covered all the hardware in the corners, definitely a pocket curtain not a tab top type of set up. The top dowel shows a bit, but looks like a normal rod. I will probably up the quality of the set up when we install new windows, but I am definitely ok with the current set up for however long it takes (this is a 10 year renovation we figure).

Curtains for Kitchen Bay Window Dilemma

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torreykm

designsaavy
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Curtains for Kitchen Bay Window Dilemma

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torreykm

designsaavyOriginal Author

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designsaavy
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