Ideas for Multiple Windows

This living area enjoys plentiful views with its walls of windows and French doors. To offer privacy without impeding the serene setting, roller shades in a white fabric are mounted high. When not in use, they seem to disappear against the walls.

Playing to country-casual decor in the kitchen, floral Roman shades fit the windows above the sink. These perfect rectangles add just enough interest to break the span of white and stay neatly out of the way during kitchen tasks. The touch of fabric also helps soften the hard surfaces of the kitchen.

Playing off the graphic shapes of the lattice-style chairs, honeycomb-print fabric covers the large picture window while Roman shades in the same fabric suit smaller windows, a solution that brings about cohesion to the different-size windows. Maintaining the light and airy feel, the mostly white drapes are unlined, allowing light to filter through.

Because of the curved bay, each window requires individual treatment. Woven matchstick blinds provide casual coverings perfectly suited to the laid-back vibe in the living area. A seagrass rug adds another layer of natural fibers, tying the window treatment to the room's overall design.

Putting even more attention on the grand architecture, orange-and-white zebra-print Roman shades dress the trio of windows in this study. Choosing custom treatments to fit the different widths of windows (the one in the middle is larger) allowed the designer to use a choice fabric. Above, an arched window needs no dressing; it's high enough that privacy is a nonissue.

Windows fill the corner walls in this bedroom, but instead of draping to the floor, they are cut short to make way for the bank of bookshelves. By resting just above the top of the shelf, the curtains allow room for additional display. For support, two sets of rods hang above each window. The draperies, though short, are made wide enough to easily cover the expanse of each window.

A trio of windows hangs above a built-in banquette in this breakfast area. Because seating is just below the windows, drapes were not an option. Instead, individual valances in matching fabric crown the top of each window. Semitransparent linen shades pull down for privacy. 

Spanning the bank of windows above the kitchen counter, a single horizontal bamboo shade provides an unobtrusive focal point. The long Roman shade’s natural coloring plays off the island’s wood countertop, balancing out colors and materials used in the room. With wide or heavy window treatments, be sure to use support brackets along the window treatment and not just at the ends.

Windows extend to the ceiling in this sunroom. Hung below upper transoms, wide Roman shades unfold to cover the window and offer privacy. Upper windows are left unadorned to maintain a constant vibrancy of natural sunlight. 

A tropical-citrus color scheme adds feminine flair to this bedroom bay. Custom rods, angled to fit the bend in the walls, allow for a continuous look. For complementary tension, Roman shades repeat the draperies' circle pattern on a larger scale, and the colors coordinate with floral patterns on the ottoman and bedding. In a room with multiple windows, treatments take up a lot of visual space; coordinating the dressings to elements already in the room promotes cohesion. 

In this bay window, custom Roman shades were the answer to a streamlined look -- despite bends in the walls. The wide expanse shares a single shade. On side windows, shades are custom-fit to individual windows. To give the entire bay a united look, the designer carefully lined up the folds on the fabric’s diamond pattern.

There’s nothing cozier than a window seat. Dressed in pretty coordinating graphics, the built-ins gains even more charm. Black-and-white fabrics in varying scales of patterns suit pillows, an upholstered cushion, and a trio of Roman shades. Embracing scale and the linear bench seat, the shade fabric is a medium-size diamond pattern bordered by a bolder black stripe.

A sofa finds the perfect home in a bay of windows. Drapery panels hang from grommets on a custom curved-iron rod. Panels soften the expanse and call attention to individual windows. Adding interest, yet maintaining the neutral scheme, the top band of the window treatments is white, and the lower portion is a loose linen weave. 

A curved built-in banquette resides beneath an ocular ceiling detail in this breakfast nook. Pillows and built-ins eliminated the option for full-length draperies, so the designer chose simple Roman shades to offer privacy and to accent the architecture. The pale blue fabric offers a subtle pattern for interest without overpowering the drama of the bay.