Bay Window Roman Shades: Top Ideas & Tips
The bay window is a marvelous architectural feature that maximizes natural light, offers a panoramic view of the landscape and doubles up as a cozy alcove for a designated activity if so desired. Its angular walls make it a default showstopper calling for perfect-fit window dressings such as custom roman shades that highlight its shapely features and angled silhouettes. Besides, the easy operability and infinite design potential of fabric roman shades make them just the right bit of practicality and charm.
If this smart combination of ‘chic, sleek, and easy-to-operate’ bay window roman shades interests you, this blog is for you. Whether your bay is your living room’s conversation area, your kitchen’s breakfast nook or your bedroom’s view-capturing lens, its aesthetic potential and functional requirements should be equally addressed. With that goal, our stylists present top ideas and tips below to achieve this goal when dressing up your bay with roman shades. Come along!
Made-to-Measure Roman Shades: A Wholesome Treatment for Bay Windows
Image by Lauren Nelson Design
Easily the proudest feature of any room, the bay window exudes a sense of grandeur with its imposing dimensions. At the same time, its unusual shape that profoundly connects the indoors to the outdoors offers a whimsical touch and an effortless focal point. Dressing the bay in a way that this grandeur and whimsy are further elevated is the goal but accomplishing this admirable feat is not without its own set of challenges -
ANGULAR STRUCTURE: Finding a window dressing that highlights the specialty shape of the bay without blowing the bills through the roof can be a challenge. Drapery will require specialty hardware which can be too expensive and difficult to source too.
INBUILT SEATING AND RADIATORS: If there is an inbuilt seating, storage unit or radiator underneath, you cannot opt for the grandeur of sweeping drapes, thereby posing a challenge to meet your aesthetic vision and emphasize the height of the room.
NON-STANDARD SIZE: Bay windows do not typically conform to the standard size norm. Hence, it is hard to find readymade treatments that fit perfectly, calling for made-to-measure window treatments that can be heavier on your pockets.
But, because you are at The White Window Blinds, you can worry less. Roman shades are functionally adept as they stack up and stay out of the way of radiators, inbuilt seating, floating furniture, and also your rambunctious toddlers and pets. They also let you stretch your imagination to the endless horizon as - through fabric - you can bring in any color or pattern of your choice, offering immense scope for personalization and decorative touches. And the best part is that this wholesome package does not cost you a fortune when shopping at The White Window.
Elegance with Functionality: The Perfect Set of Bay Window Roman Shades
Image by Sean Litchfield
If we’ve convinced you that made-to-measure roman shades are an apt choice for your bay, it is time to define your goal and chalk out the path to get there. The scope for personalization being very vast with bay window roman shades, you will assuredly be able to attain your aesthetic aspirations and functional requirements optimally. Finding the apt fabric that meets your desired visual appeal will be a cakewalk considering that the infinite world of roman shade fabrics is thrown open for you with its countless hues, patterns and finishes. You can further customize the shades to meet the specific functional requirements of the room. So, define the agenda and start considering how you can achieve it. You will find these insights from our window shade experts helpful along the way -
Pick the Right Fabric
Image by Rustic White Interiors
One of the key considerations to be made when dressing the bay is to ensure that the fabric can further accentuate the window’s grandeur. Since roman shades lend you the same creative potential as drapery, make maximum use of the opportunity to introduce colors and patterns to make them the ultimate wow factor of your design. Keep these tips in mind when choosing the fabric -
PALETTE AND PATTERN CONSIDERATIONS: Pick the palette and pattern thoughtfully as it will endorse your decor style and contribute to making your bay window look more imposing or demure. Secondly, if you have an inbuilt window seating arrangement or any other furniture pieces in the bay’s nook, make sure that your roman shades complement the colors and patterns that these other elements feature to set a cohesive scene.
Talking of the palette, by picking plain roman shades in the same shade as the walls, you will be able to make the entire bay stand together as one unit, accentuating its grandeur. On the other hand, by introducing a striking contrast, you can make the bay look more compelling. Make sure that the colors tie in with the overall palette of the room besides furthering your specific aesthetic goal regarding the bay window.
If you choose a patterned roman shades, ensure that it rhymes with your decor style and the mood of the room. Note that tone-on-tone renditions and medium-scaled patterns will make a subtle impact while stark contrasts and large-size prints will make your bay an eye-magnet. With a wise choice of patterns, such as stripes or climbing vines, you even make the bay look taller or wider, as per your intention.
OPACITY LEVEL: Bay windows bring in more daylight, however, depending on the needs of the room, the desired level of light control will vary. While a living room may benefit from diffused sunlight throughout the day, a bedroom will need more insulation and privacy. Accordingly, you must decide the desired opacity level of your window shades and choose from among sheer, semi-sheer, non-sheer and blackout fabrics.
LINING MATTERS: Alongside the face fabric, take a moment to think of the lining too. The lining protects the shade from sun damage and enhances its longevity. Depending on the level of privacy and light control you are looking for, choose between privacy lining and blackout lining; sheers and semi-sheers being notable exceptions of course. For further information on lining options, check out our blog post on Lining Options for Roman Shades.
Select the Most Suitable Fold Style
Image by Revolution Furniture Corp
The next consideration to be made is regarding the fold style of the shade, which will impact both its aesthetic appeal and functional ease. So, make the decision based on your decor style and the level of operation you anticipate.
At The White Window, we offer roman shades in three different fold styles, each with a unique combination of visual appeal and style of operation. Explore our Roman Shades Style Guide for detailed descriptions of each of them.
The plain fold roman shades and flat fold roman shades feature straight bottom hems. These styles make clean, even folds when they are operated, making them the perfect choice for modern homes that prefer sleek and clean finishes to decorative details. They are also the right fit for windows where you expect frequent operation, as the folds are set neatly with the support of the slats used in their construction.
The scalloped-bottom European relaxed shades, on the other hand, have more of a decorative leaning and look best in homes that are brimming with embellishments and whimsical details. Given the ‘unstructured’ nature of these shades, the folds often need to be dressed/set manually, and therefore, they are best used primarily as stationary shades serving an aesthetic role.
Pick the Apt Mounting Position
Image by No.12 Studio
Another decision that perplexes clients when dressing up their bay window is where to mount the roman shade - inside the recess of the window or outside. While it is largely left to your taste, architectural features must have their say.
If your windows have ornate trims, inside-mounting the shades will serve to show them off. Further, if there is no wall space between the windows, the headrails will not come into friction for keeping their own space at the angled corners. On the other hand, if you are looking for a seamless coverage whereby the entire bay can look like a single window unit rather than separate windows with separate shades, consider outside mounting.
Both positions have attractive bonuses to offer; you can pick the one that is most tempting for your specific bay window scenario. Note that the method of measuring for the shade will vary based on the mounting position you select. So, if you wish to dig deeper into this topic, please read our blog on Inside Mount Roman Shades Vs Outside Mount Roman Shades.
Decide on the Number of Shades
Image by Grant K. Gibson
Consider the number of shades required to cover the bay. This will largely depend on your preferences, but a few practical considerations need to be made. The two most popular options are:
ONE SHADE FOR EACH WINDOW FRAME: You can order as many roman shades as the number of window panes using this approach. By doing so, each shade will fit each pane and offer a sleek visual appeal. It lends more flexibility for operation as you can keep a pane open for use while keeping the others shut when so desired. This approach is ideal for an over-wide bank of windows where one large shade on the entire wall may prove too heavy and limiting to the shade’s versatility and functionality.
ONE SHADE FOR EACH ANGLED WALL OF THE BAY: The second approach is to dress the entire set of window panes on each wall with a single roman shade. This is a great idea when you want to create a unified appeal and offer a sense of continuity rather than introduce visual breaks between panes. This is the ideal way to go when the bay walls are relatively narrow. And, it is best avoided for over-wide windows/walls as the shades will tend to get heavier and clumsier to operate.
Consider Layering with Drapes
Image by Studio Duggan
While roman shades can do a great job as standalone treatments, pairing them with drapes can make the bay look more dressy. This is especially recommended if you wish to make your bay the focal point of the room. While roman shades can take care of the functional aspect, the ‘framing’ drapes can offer an aesthetic enhancement by accentuating the height of the room and the grandeur of the bay.
For bay windows that have intervals, drapes can be used to cover the wall space between the windows. Depending on whether you want to assign them a decorative or functional role, you can opt for full-coverage panels or narrow stationary panels. Or, you can use drapes to frame the entire bay, and depending on your preference, you can keep them narrow decorative panels or full-coverage panels.
Layering roman shades with drapes offers a fantastic opportunity to enhance the aesthetic appeal as well as the functionality of the bay. You can pair solids with patterns or choose two complementing colors for a more dynamic look. Similarly, you can pair sheers with non-sheers to facilitate more versatile control over incoming light and privacy enhancement.
In Closing
Image by Elza B. Design
Bay windows are the proud moments of architecture that add a head-turner feature on the external facade as well as the interiors of your home. Celebrate them with roman shades that serve as a visual treat while fulfilling their assigned duties of light control, privacy and insulation. Browse our collection of 3000+ stunning fabrics from which you can surely find the piece of ecstasy that will complete your bay’s look in style. From resplendent silks to plush velvets, lazy linens to summery cottons, you have every possible way to decorate your bay at your fingertips. So, enjoy your time shopping at The White Window!