How to dress a bay window

Inspiration

BY Lisa Cooper

Published: 08 July 2022 Updated: 07 November 2024

Inspiration
Tags: Shutters, Blinds

Bay windows can be a charming focal point in a room, but they can be tricky when it comes to finding the right solution for them. We look at a range of different options available. There's no one solution that's perfect for all the different styles so lets take a deeper look at the choices.

Cream lounge with bay window dressed in white birch cafe style shutters, closed with louvres open, silver grey sofa and large footstool as table, wooden side table and dark wood apothecary cabinet.

Before you can pinpoint the right solution, you need to be sure which type of bay window your room has, and there's basically three different styles - bay, box or bow.

Classic-style bedroom with bay window with patterned glass to top dressed in mid grey solid shutters, open, white walls, mid-grey painted skirting and bay window moulding, dark wood floor, bed on left with white bedding and grey faux fur throw, sage green armoir on left.

This is what most people probably think of when considering bay window designs - window configurations that feature three individual window units gently curving in an arc and usually the middle window is slightly larger than the two on either side but sometimes all three window are the same shape and size. Natural light tends to fill the space equally from each window. When the windows are full length to the floor you benefit from more space, and if the windows are not floor length it's worth considering some sort of fitted seating either with or without a storage area which not only enhances the shape but also offers the perfect place to sit and admire the panoramic views a bay window can give. Solid shutters are a great option here, where you’ve space to fold them out of the way and really open up the space.

White classic-style bedroom with bay window dressed in white shutters, louvres bed on left with white bedding and dusky pink throw, white upholstered chair in bay window with pale ochre upholstered footstool, and chandelier.

Visually there's very little difference between bay and bow windows- they both create a visual curve outside of the regular space, and usually have the same size and shape of windows across the complete design. But the fundamental difference lies in the number of individual window configurations - bow windows have four, five or sometimes even six windows. There's more visual difference to the outside appearance than the inside, as bow windows often have decorative fixings, particularly when installed on upper levels. Bespoke shutters allow for the different configurations while creating a united look.

Close up of corner of living room with bay windows, dressed in pale beige pleated blinds at varying heights, brown cord sofa in window recess.

A box bay window is, as the name indicates, shaped like a box, generally a rectangular one. With flat sides, a flat front, and some sort of roof, this is an extremely common style of bay window often found in more modern properties. If the sides of the box bay window are angled instead of flat, it may also be called a canted window. Just as with bow bay windows, it brings more light into the room and dependant on the design can offer extra space too. If you need a slimline look in your box window then Pleated blinds or Roller blinds are the perfect choice.

Modern dining room with bay window dressed in three navy blue velvet Roman blinds, oval glass table, metallic gold chairs with blue upholstery, metallic gold side table with blue glassware.

Sometimes a bay window features a little of everything, like this dining room, with its box and curve shape. This is where you really need a bespoke solution that addresses all the challenges. And sometimes the simplest solution is the best, just as it is here with a traditional Roman blind. Offering so many benefits, from thermal linings to smart electric control, one of the main draws of them is the huge range of colours and fabrics they’re available in. With this dining area, you can see how the wide jamb between the panes is actually emphasised by the stark darker lines of the Hemingford Midnight blind and the blue-grey fabric co-ordinates with the furniture, artwork and accessories, really helping to pull the room together.

Contemporary kitchen with banquette seating under bay windows dressed in soft pink Duette® blinds drawn halfway, co-ordinating cushions on blue seating, kitchen counters in soft grey with white top.

Whether one style of window design is more energy efficient than another is more to do with the glazing options used than necessarily actual window designs, but at the end of the day, using quality glass in your new bay window can offer outstanding energy efficiency simply because there are more panes of glass being used. And so, the converse is true – you can lose more heat at a bay window due to the multiple panes. Combat this with Duette® blinds with their thermal properties, or even solid shutters if you prefer a more classic look.