Window Covering Decoration Ideas for Bay Windows
The About.com: Interior Decorating website, says that the window covering basics are “privacy, light control, function, and style.” So why do you want to cover your bay window? Do you need privacy or light control or a combination of the two? With city living, we usually have close neighbors that we don’t necessarily want to watch or have watch us all the time so privacy is definitely an important factor in deciding on window coverings for your bay window. Perhaps the bay window is in your bedroom and you work nights and sleep days so light control is a major concern. Once you decide exactly why you are thinking of covering your bay window, then you can think about the function and style that will work best for you.
Before you choose window coverings for your bay window, measure the entire bay window, all three of them, very carefully. You will need a metal measuring tape for the most accurate measurements and you will need to measure the height of the bay window itself, each one, then measure the width of each window. It is best to measure each window in three different places, at the top, middle, and bottom because windows are not always the same exact size especially in some of the older homes. After you measure your windows, measure the area surrounding the windows. Measure from floor to ceiling and from side to side of the actual recessed area your bay window sits in. Gather all your measurements into one place on one piece of paper and carefully label what each measurement is for. I know sometimes we like to think we won’t forget, but please, write all the information down, just in case you MIGHT not remember exactly. Then make sure that you and anyone else who may be helping you to choose the window coverings has a copy with them at all times.
There are many different window covering ideas for bay windows. There are different blinds, shades, shutters, curtains, drapes and combinations of all of them. Some can be inexpensive and some can be extremely pricey, it just depends on your budget, but there is a huge variation in the different prices on versions of the different window covering ideas that can fit into any budget plan. I have put together a list of five window covering ideas for bay windows to help you to decide what window covering treatment will work best for you.
Window Covering Ideas for Bay Windows, Idea #1: Mini Blinds (Plastic, Metal or Wood) Also Known as Horizontal Blinds
Mini blinds, also known as horizontal blinds, are the most inexpensive and easiest way to cover your bay window and they are one of the most commonly used window covering treatments because of that. A few years ago I worked at Sears Department Store in their Window Treatments Department and I was amazed when I found out how many different brands, types, colors, finishes, and materials that horizontal blinds can come in. You can buy mini blinds in plastic (not recommended), wood, metal, bamboo, matchstick or composite materials. And if you can think of a color, you can get a horizontal blind made in it most likely! Plus, they even have special finishes on some of the metal blinds that are textured. Looking through samples for the horizontal blind color, material and texture that you want can be time consuming and frustrating. The only suggestion that I can really give you is to pick your colors based on the room that your bay window is in, coordinate with the wall color or fabrics in the room. Once you have a general idea of a color family that you want, then you’ve narrowed it down a bit and you can bypass all the other color samples. Then you need to decide what width of slat you want your mini blind to have. You can buy horizontal blinds in one inch, two inch or two and a half inch size slats. I noticed at the Hunter Douglas website that you can get horizontal blinds called a Lightlines blind. It’s a mini blind that hides the cord holes to give a more uniform look and for more privacy and light blocking control. Another factor to consider is where you want to install your horizontal blind, inside the window sill or on the outside of it. You’ll have to choose ahead of time, before you order custom-made blinds or buy standard sized blinds. There is no real right or wrong method; it’s mostly a matter of personal choice. You can check out some of the different horizontal blind options at Hunter Douglas. Another blind option for you to consider is the vertical blind. It can be purchased in aluminum, vinyl or even fabric, similar to what you can get in the horizontal blinds.
There are a couple of drawbacks to having blinds alone on your bay window. In certain circumstances and if the blinds are not shut quite right, someone can see into them. Another drawback is that horizontal blinds can be considered too generic or utilitarian a look for a bay window. But it’s really a personal preference for each individual and if you like it, then that’s all that matters.
Window Covering Ideas for Bay Windows, Idea #2: Shutters
Shutters are a beautiful choice for a bay window and can really make the room seem private. Of course if you don’t shut them quite right, well there goes your privacy! Shutters today come not just in wood anymore but in vinyl or hybrid materials as well. Over at the Hunter Douglas website, they offer a Palm Beach PolySatin Shutter that is made of specially formulated ultraviolet resistant polysatin compounds that are guaranteed never to warp, fade, chip or peel, regardless of high heat or moist conditions. Since windows can be very moist places, it sounds like a good shutter option to choose. As with horizontal blinds, you can choose the color and material of your shutters. Shutters tend to be more of an expensive bay window covering option but with a guarantee to never warp, fade or chip, you’ll never need to buy them again in your lifetime.
Window Covering Ideas for Bay Windows, Idea #3: Shades (Accordion, Roller, Roman, Pleated, Cellular)
The different choices of shades are even wider than the selection for horizontal blinds. There are so many different types of shades that I would never be able to cover them all here. So I will just mention just a few of the choices available. One very basic type of shade is the good ole spring loaded roller shade that has been around for many years. But they no longer come just in white or off-white with the plain white edge that grandma used to have any longer. You can get them in fabrics as well as vinyl with different styles of edges such as scalloped now. Spring loaded roller shades, along with horizontal blinds, are the lowest priced options for your bay window. One company that has a very nice selection of roller shades is Great Windows.
Another type of shade is the accordion, pleated or cellular shades. They come in fabric and are pleated and they keep their accordion-type looks even when they’re lowered. They have a special feature that you can order where they can be raised from the bottom in the usual manner of shades OR to lower from the top. Some accordion shades can even do both, closing between the top and middle of the window. Fabric shades such as the Roman or balloon shades are made of fabric and are sort of a roller shade meets horizontal blind meets fabric yardage type of treatment. They open from the bottom in the usual manner of shades. You can buy them in either a solid fabric or a sheer fabric depending on the privacy and light control that you need for your bay window. If you can sew, you can even make your own Roman or balloon shades for a lot less than you can buy them.
A website with full instructions for making your own Roman shades is Alternative Windows. Another helpful website with patterns and instructions for making your own balloon shades is Denver Fabrics.
Window Covering Ideas for Bay Windows, Idea #4: Any Fabric – Curtains, Drapes, Valances, Swags
Fabric treatments for your bay window are extremely varied. You can have curtains made of sheer fabric that offer daytime privacy but none at night. You can have floor to ceiling curtains made from a solid fabric. There are drapes made from heavier fabric with privacy or weather lining. You can have cafe curtains hung on a curtain rod that covers only the bottom half of your bay windows. You can have a decorative valance at the top of your window. A valance is a piece of fabric that only covers the top edge of your window and is usually just decorative or to cover any window hardware you have from combining window treatments. Swags are also a form of a valance where the fabric is swagged along the top of the windows. Fabric curtain window treatments can be made from any fabric whatsoever. Sometimes they are even made from sheets but I don’t necessarily recommend it for a bay window!
One important thing to remember when you are buying curtains that are shirred on a curtain rod, shirred just refers to that bunched look at the top of your curtains when you put them on the curtain rod, is to buy a curtain size that is at least twice as wide as your window. If you don’t allow enough fabric for the curtain to bunch correctly along the top, then the curtains won’t hang right, they won’t look right, and they won’t offer you as much privacy. This is such an important step to remember when buying curtains for your bay window, or any window really and it is often overlooked by the inexperienced curtain buyer. You can buy curtains in a standard length of either 63 inches or 72 inches. If you need a different length than either one of these, you will need to either custom order curtains or be able to sew a hem along the bottom of your new curtains.
Where can you buy curtains? A lot of stores in your area sell curtains such as WalMart, KMart, Sears, JC Pennys, Mervyns, to name a few. You can order curtains online too. If you can sew, your curtain choices expand even more because you can make them out of any fabric you can find at a fabric store.
Curtain rods are another area for you to make even more decisions about. Curtain rods can be very different. There are tension rods that go inside the lip of the window, there are plain curtain rods that no one sees because the curtains cover them, there are decorative curtain rods than can have plain or fancy finials on each end and there are drapery curtain rods that have a pull string to open them with. There are even specialty bay window curtain rods available but you are not obligated to use only that particular curtain rod for your bay window. One online store with a nice selection of curtain rods is The Curtain Rod Store.
Window Covering Ideas for Bay Windows, Idea #5: Combination of Ideas – Mini Blinds; Shutters; Shades, Curtains
My favorite idea for covering bay windows is to combine several different window covering ideas and layer them. Perhaps you can start with horizontal blinds or a spring loaded roller shade and then top that with lightweight decorative curtains, top that with a valance or swag and you have a beautiful bay window. Or you could combine shutters with decorative valances on fancy curtain rods with charming finials. How about wood blinds topped with a Roman shade? The possibilities are almost limitless for combining window coverings and I like to think that you are only limited by your imagination.
Of course, if you find choosing window coverings for your bay window too stressful, too hard, too boring or just plain too much for you, you can always contact an interior designer. You can also go to your local JC Penney’s or Sears store to their window treatment department and have one of their sales associates show you different window treatments for bay windows and they will be more than happy to help you and they don’t charge you for their help either. You can also find some bay window decorating ideas at the Denver Fabrics website.
Whatever window covering idea you decide to choose, once you’ve chosen the window coverings for your bay window and either installed them yourselves or had a professional come in and install them, you can take a deep breath, sit back and enjoy them for many years to come.
Resources:
About.com: Interior Decorating. “Window Covering Solutions for Your Home.”
