Bay Window Curtains & Drapes: Top Ideas & Styling Tips

Bay windows are like natural prisms of your home—capturing light from different angles and scattering it generously across the room. They don’t just frame the view; they transform it into a living mural, wrapping you in a sculpted embrace of light and landscape. What’s not to love about a bay?—you might say—until it’s time to drape one! The sharp angles, the avalanche of light, and the sheer grandiosity of the architecture—it’s enough to leave anyone in knots. 

However, with insightful design, bay window curtains do more than dress the panes; they celebrate the bay’s distinct architectural charm by playing along with its geometry. In this blog, we’ve rounded up the top tips—from fabric choices to header styles and hardware alternatives—everything you need to know to choose custom curtains that elevate a bay window without overpowering the scene. So, let’s dive right in.

How to Drape a Bay Window: Curtain Ideas for Tricky Angles

The creative scope of curtains goes beyond palette, pattern and texture. Their flowy silhouette and customizable dimensions open a world of possibilities for dressing bay windows. No wonder there are umpteen ways of draping the bay, and the following are a few top client favorites:

FRAMING STATIONARY PANELS ON BOTH ENDS: In this setup, decorative curtain panels are mounted on both ends of the bay, serving purely as decorative accents, not functional coverings. The panels are fixed fabric window frames, not expected to be moved or operated. This arrangement is perfectly suited for bays already fitted with perfect-fit window dressings like roman shades to serve the functional role, or where built-in window seating would interrupt the drapery’s drop to the floor, or where the goal is to introduce a touch of elegance without the need for light control or privacy. 

FULL COVERAGE OPERATIONAL CURTAINS: Curtains cover the entire bay - tracing its angles - and can be stacked back to clear off the windows. This can be achieved by installing straight poles/tracks on each wall or affixing a single specialty pole/track that bends at the angles.

MULTIPLE PANELS AT INTERVALS: For a bay that features wall columns between the windows, curtains are installed at intervals to forge a continuous visual connection and highlight the window’s angled contours. If you wish to hang stationary decorative-only panels, install short poles covering only the wall columns between the windows. For fully functional drapes, choose between a single angled pole and multiple, shorter straight poles. 

FULL COVERAGE CURTAINS AT THE FRONT OF THE BAY: The drapes in this setting are hung on the front of the bay, veiling the entire bay unit. This arrangement does not highlight the bay’s beautiful angles, but does perform a theatrical feat. With curtains drawn shut, you have a regular, squarish room, and when pulled aside, the room expands and gets flushed with light. It’s best for those who like slow reveals and grand transformations, besides the relief of avoiding pricey angled hardware.

Bay Window Curtains: Tips to Frame the View & Flaunt the Curve

Whether you use your bay window curtains as decorative elements or functional treatments to tame incoming light, they can shift the entire mood of the room, depending on how they are styled. The length, headers and hardware - all work together to either soften the architecture or dramatize it. To make the right design decisions that enable your bay window to make its aesthetic statement, here are our styling tips:

Behind the Scenes: Choose Hardware that Shapes the Look

The drapery story is never quite complete without an honorary mention of the supporting cast. But, in the case of bay windows, the hardware’s role is even more prominent, thanks to the sharp angles they are expected to trace flawlessly. 

Ceiling-mounted tracks keep the curtains flush with the ceiling, accentuating the bay’s height and offering a crisp finish fitting for minimalist interiors. Poles, on the other hand, add a decorative flair with their color, lustre, and sculptural finials—small details that bring a classical touch. 

Both poles and tracks can be custom-made to bend with precision at the angles, letting the drapes embrace the bay seamlessly, and binding it together as one visual unit. The other approach is to use separate, individual straight rods or tracks, dressing each window/wall separately.

Besides aesthetic preferences, your budget will also have a say in the choice of hardware. Specialty hardware is pricier, but those who are keen on maintaining a visual and operational continuity across the bay will likely have to stretch their budget. And where budget trumps aesthetic preference, regular hardware becomes the default choice. 

Keeping both budget and preferences in mind, weigh these hardware alternatives well before you make your choice: 

• Bay window poles/tracks are specially designed with curved elbow joints to trace the shape of the bay with tailored precision. 

• Straight poles/tracks are affixed, one on each wall, or a single one joining the two ends of the bay.

• Tension rods, mounted within each window frame, offer a minimalistic appeal. However, they shrink the window’s capacity to draw light in as the curtains stack within the window frame. They may also get dislodged when tugged, so always choose sturdy ones that are designed for heavy load-bearing, or reserve them for lightweight curtains.

Tailored Drops: Choose the Right Length for your Curtains

The most suitable length for bay window curtains would depend on two factors: the bay’s layout and the driving aesthetic. Correct judgment of length is necessary to set the tone of the room and to maximize the practical ease of using this space.

For bay windows with built-in window seating or radiators underneath, floor-length curtains are typically not an option. Curtains that float above the radiator or lightly touch the bench seat are the way to go in casual spaces. In more formal spaces, however, we recommend taking a more tailored and layered approach—dress each window with a roman shade and frame the bay with narrow floor-sweeping drapes.

Bay windows without built-in features are imposing focal points in their own right and deserve floor-to-ceiling drapery that speaks to their grandiloquence. Where frequent operation is expected, go for the ‘float’ or ‘graze’ drop points where curtains gently hover over the floor or lightly touch it. Where the goal is purely aesthetic, think puddled drapes - a classical aesthetic statement of unapologetic extravaganza. To learn more about each drop point in detail, refer to our blog on How Long Should My Curtains Be?

Crowning Beauty: Choose a Heading Style that Marries Style with Function

The design of your drapery’s header impacts three aspects of curtains: their aesthetic, hardware compatibility and smoothness of operation. Sewn offers more than a dozen heading styles, so you can pick your most preferred combination of appeal and functionality. Refer to our detailed Drapery Headings Style Guide and evaluate each one on these three criteria before you pick one for your bay:

HARDWARE CONSIDERATIONS: Some heading styles go exclusively on tracks, others go only on poles, and then, some are versatile. If your bay window is already furnished with hardware, be cautious to select a header that is compatible with it.

OPERATION: Heading styles that incorporate rings/pins/grommets glide smoothly on the pole, whereas those that feature fabric pockets and loops need some tugging to glide along. Depending on whether your curtains are envisioned to stay primarily stationary or be frequently operational, choose the heading style that offers your desired level of operational ease.

AESTHETIC: Heading styles with pre-sewn pleats, such as the pinch pleats and ripplefolds, have an architectural appeal that suits tailored formal interiors. Casual spaces need a touch of lived-in beauty delivered better by hand-gathered styles such as flat panel tops, tab tops, and grommet tops. Cottage-y interiors, especially breakfast nooks and reading lounges, look charming in the ruffled headers of frilled rod pockets and pencil pleat curtains. 

Shop Bay Window Curtains & Drapes at Sewn

Bay windows may come with their share of challenges, but the right curtains can make them the crown jewel of your space. Whether you want a romantic corner bathed in sunlight or a dramatic display of luxury, the bay is just the right place for you to peak your aesthetic. Sewn makes it easy for you to nail the desired look with its extensive collection of luscious silks and velvets, homely cottons and linens, and ravishing sheers that filter the golden light. So, start exploring today, and have fun styling your bay with our custom curtains and drapes.