Decorating Dilemma

Bay windows can be head scratchers. What treatment styles will dress them attractively, affordably, and functionally? We've come up with some versatile answers that can work in most any situation.

 

Roman shade. Click to enlarge.

For a clean-lined, contemporary style, individual attention is in order. This treatment outfits each window within the bay with its own custom-fitted Roman shade.* Instead of muting the bay's architectural lines, this dressing underscores the window's linear quality.

Choosing shades that are permanently pleated, or hobbled, adds a horizontal element to balance each window's strong vertical nature. What softens the grid is the fabric itself: The gauzy sheer shade features a softly swirling pattern and, when pulled up, the fabric falls into ever-so-slightly draping folds.

*Roman Shade: A fabric treatment that folds up accordion-style from the bottom, this shade has pleats that flatten when raised. A soft Roman shade has soft, overlapping folds when the shade is lowered; a flat Roman shade has no folds when lowered. Roman shades can be mounted inside the window frame, when you want to highlight the architecture, or outside for a tailored look.