Advice
How to Dress a Bay Window: Shutters, Blinds or Curtains?
Bay windows are the trickiest windows in the house. Here are the options that work best, from made-to-measure shutters to curtains on a shaped track.
By the Emerald Interiors team 4 min read
A bay window is often the best feature of a room, and the hardest one to dress. There are several sections at different angles, walls are rarely perfectly square, and whatever you choose has to look right from inside and out.
The short answer: plantation shutters made section by section give the neatest, most practical finish. Curtains on a track bent to the shape of the bay give the softest. A blind in each section is the most flexible and usually the most affordable.
Why bays are tricky
Every bay is different. The angles between sections vary, the sections themselves are often different widths, and older bays in particular are rarely square. Off-the-shelf blinds and poles almost never fit properly, which is why bays are one of the best reasons to go made to measure.
It’s also why we always measure bays ourselves: each section is measured individually, so everything lines up.
Roman blinds with contrast banding, made to follow an arched bay.
Option 1: Plantation shutters
Plantation shutters are made panel by panel to fit each section of the bay. They’re our most popular choice for bays, and for good reason.
- Privacy without losing light. Tilt the louvres to let the daylight in and keep the street out.
- Tier-on-tier. Open the top panels for light and keep the bottom ones closed.
- Café style. Shutters on the lower half only, for privacy with lots of light. Ideal for street-facing bays.
- They become part of the room. Shutters suit both period and modern homes and last for many years.
Shutters are priced by area. As a guide, shutters for a single 100 × 150 cm section are about £520, so a three-section bay is a bigger investment. Price your own bay with our price calculator by entering each section.
Option 2: Curtains on a shaped track
Curtains on a track bent to the exact shape of your bay give a soft, finished look and add warmth on winter evenings.
- Pencil pleat works beautifully on curved tracks and is the best-value heading.
- Pinch pleat gives a tailored, classic look that suits bays in period homes.
- Eyelet curtains aren’t suited to bays with tight angles, because they need a straight pole.
Our guide to curtain headings explains the difference.
Curtains framing a bathroom bay, fitted by our team.
Option 3: A blind in each section
Fitting a separate blind to each section gives you the most control, because you can adjust each one on its own.
- Roman blinds give a soft, tailored look, and can be made in the same fabric as your curtains. About £310 for a 100 × 120 cm section.
- Roller blinds are simple and affordable: about £105 for the same section.
- Day & night blinds give privacy by day, with each section adjusted on its own.
- Vertical blinds can run on a bay track, so one blind follows the shape of the whole bay.
A Roman blind in each section of a bay, so every one can be set on its own.
Option 4: Layer them
Many of the best bays combine two. A blind in each section does the work of light and privacy, while dress curtains on a shaped track frame the bay and add warmth. Shutters with dress curtains either side is another favourite: shutters for privacy, curtains to soften the room.
Which is right for your bay?
| If you want… | Choose |
|---|---|
| Privacy in a street-facing bay | Café-style or tier-on-tier shutters |
| The neatest, most lasting finish | Plantation shutters |
| A soft, cosy look and warmth | Curtains on a shaped track |
| Control over each section | A Roman, roller or day & night blind in each |
| The most affordable option | Roller blinds in each section |
| The best of both | Blinds in each section, with dress curtains |
See it in your bay
The best way to choose is to see the options in your own bay, in your own light. We bring samples of shutters, blinds and curtain fabrics to your free home visit, measure every section and give you a clear price. Book a free home visit.
