There are some of us who enjoy the privilege of having bay windows. If the landscape outside is something relaxing, like the beach or a mountain, it’s even better for the lucky ones. It’s great to sip your morning coffee enjoying the morning light in a room with bay windows. However, later on in the day, you may want some privacy and light filtering, so you need to install some bay window treatments in place. There are many solutions that fit this type of windows, from the Venetian blinds we all know, to Roman shades or pleated shades, or even plantation shutters. Everything goes, provided that you use the appropriate hardware. The main element that makes bay window treatments be a perfect fit is the curved track which has to follow the curves of your windows. This is why most of the times, this part needs to be custom-made, especially for your windows.

Tips For Elegant Bay Window Treatments

If you can, try to install your hardware as close to the ceiling as possible and don’t forget to use a valance to mask the rails. In case of bay windows, treatments that touch the floor such as vertical blinds or curtains and draperies will create a dramatic effect when fully shut, especially if you get some extra fabric to use it for decorative pillows or a table cloth, or at least a few napkins. Although you can make your own window shades without needing special skills, in case of bay windows you’d better address to a specialist installer, so you can be sure they’d be a perfect fit. Otherwise, you could easily spoil the effect, if your shades would hang unevenly at your windows. Bad measurements for window blinds are very easy to take and mistakes are costly to correct after your blinds have been produced.

When it comes to bay window treatments, try to avoid vertical blinds. There are two reasons for this. The first one is that verticals look very formal, office-style, so they can’t help you in giving your home that personal touch that makes great interiors. The second reason is that because of the bay windows architecture, such blinds may be difficult to operate and get tangled.

Pairing bay window treatments allows for more creativity. Consider, for instance, installing shades paired with panels, or sheer curtains paired with thick, heavy drapes. Bay window shutters are beautiful when used without any additional treatment, but you can consider pairing them with see-through shades.

Sliding glass door window treatments can be quite difficult to choose, because they have to allow the doors to slide smoothly whatever their position may be. Moreover, although they are very beautiful, sliding glass doors are not too energy-efficient, because of the big glass surface where heat exchanges are favored, so you’ll see it hard to keep the heat inside your room during winters and the cool air during summers.

Depending on the positioning of your patio sliding doors in comparison to other elements in the room, you’ll have to opt for eye catching window treatments or for more discrete ones. Only think what do your want your guests to focus their eyes when they first enter the room. Is it the door? Then go for some bold, contemporary, modern window treatments. Hanging several shades on a common headrail and roll them up at various heights can create an interesting and stylish effect, whether you decide to buy all shades in the same color, or you go for a combination of shades and nuances that bring in a joyful aspect.

In formal rooms, or in bedrooms, where you need a higher level of light filtering, you may want to choose some custom drapes as sliding glass door window treatments. In office spaces, vertical sheer shades or wood vertical blinds can be a great solution.

One of the sliding glass door window treatments ideas I find very stylish is the Hunter Douglas Duette 3/4″ Single Cell Sheer with Vertiglide Side Stack. This is a honeycomb shade which, although it’s sheer and translucent, has excellent thermal insulating properties. Being very simple and featuring one of the smallest stacks available on the market, it doesn’t clutter the room, so if you love minimalist decoration styles, this shade is for you. There are three options available: with side stack, with split stack or with center stack. The Vertiglide fabrics are all treated, so they are stain and dust resistant, thus allowing you to clean them with ease. They also feature sound absorption qualities, which can be a great plus in case you live in a noisy area.

Isn’t it cool to be able to enjoy your privacy and still have good visibility outside thanks to such sliding glass window treatments?

If you are a fan of window shutters, you’ll probably have to spend some time researching before taking your final decision. That’s mainly because there are several types of window shutters, each of them serving a precise purpose.

Roller Shutters vs. Plantation Shutters

While exterior roller shutters can successfully serve as security or storm shutters, we can’t say the same about plantation shutters, which are rather suitable for areas where the weather is calm and hot. Some people even mount their plantation shutters instead of glass window panes, so you can imagine they aren’t so protective in case of strong winds or stormy weather.

Roller shutters, on the other hand, are extremely solid, sturdy, and suitable for offering security to your home, even when you’re out for vacation. They are usually installed on the exterior of the windows and they can be operated from the inside via an endless cord or a remote controlled motor attached to the shutter.

Plantation shutters can’t offer complete blackout, because of the way they are designed. The central rod allows the slats to tilt, but not completely, therefore there will always be some light entering the room through these slats. On the contrary, when completely closed, exterior roller shutters will offer total darkness, so you can enjoy your home cinema system or you can take an afternoon nap as if it was midnight.

What you need to know if you have arched windows: plantation shutters may be much more appropriate for such shapes, because they are more versatile and can be cut to rounded shapes. Roller shutters are more difficult in this respect, because they need to be rectangular, as they have to roll in the upper cassette, therefore your arched windows won’t be visible from the side where the roller cassette is installed, be it in the interior or on the exterior of the building.

Therefore, when choosing the type of window shutters, make a list with all your priorities, then see which ones are more important. If you have arched windows, you’ll probably want them to be visible, so you’ll have to discuss your available options with the window treatments specialists.