Bay Window Curtains... Help!

[RavenLG]

Ok lovely ladies (and gents) of mumsnet, I need your help. DP and I are currently re-decorating our first purchased home together. While it’s testing the strength of our relationship an utter joy, we can’t work out what to do with our bay window.
DP is building a window seat but we have no idea what curtains etc. would look best.

I love the idea of having traditional shutters and long curtains that go straight across the bay when closed. DP said no as shutters will look wrong with our pvc windows and the curtains will bulk up in the alcove where the TV will be. Could possibly have a curved curtain rail but not sure how practical?

He said short curtains that come to windowsill length they go with the curve of the bay but short curtains make me boak a little if I’m honest.

Voils I’ve always had in damp student houses and they’ve been mouldy within weeks (which probably won’t be an issue here but I can’t get it out my head). We need some privacy as fairly close to street (but have a massive bush in front of window so does give some privacy.

Are Venetian blinds still a thing? And would they look ok in a bay?

I’m so torn!

The room will have feature wallpaper in alcoves, white ceiling and white section above picture rail, dark midnight blue on walls with mustard sofa for reference (sounds hideous when described but we love it.

Hopefully picture of bay is attached (curtains and delightful net were part and parcel of the sale, NOT our style!)
Anyone help?

With that type of window, nets or voiles rather than shutters. I agree with your husband that short curtains just past the windowsill with a curved curtain pole will curve with the bay and look best. If you have the curtains straight across it will appear as if you are losing quite a few feet of the room and it will look a lot smaller.

Personally I do not think there is ever an excuse for short curtains. I agree with you OP - there is something wrong about them! Curtains in a bay should reach the floor IMO.

giardiniera
I’m glad someone is with me on the short curtains front. I know it’s “practical” and cheaper but looks awful imo. I can’t imagine having this beautiful bay and half dressing it lol!

I would go with shutters or blinds to the level of the windowsill and then floor length dress curtains (that you don't draw) at the side of the window.

Threesocks is right - blinds at the windows (I would have white wood venetian blinds, personally), with full length dress curtains at the sides. Dress curtains will give you the look you want, but without the bulk getting in the way of the TV.

If you do want curtains into the bay, get a curved rail, and have them cut to a the length just above the seat, rather than just below the windowsill - while full length curtains are best, mid length are better than short.

Thank you all for the ideas. I wasn't even aware dress curtains were a thing. Off to google and pinterest now! Thank you all for the options!

I'd go for either roller or roman blinds with either no curtains or as someone else suggested full length dress curtains. I think short curtains look awful.

Wooden shutters or blinds could look nice but may block quite a but light.

I like these bay window dressings

We are about to move into a house with a square bay and were thinking about blinds and a full length curtain to draw across. The bay is about 2.4 m wide though so I'm now worried that the curtains will swamp the small room when closed.

So if I bought a pair of 'dress' curtains for the bay am I right in thinking that I could get away with not such a large pair (ie not full width if pole) or would that look too weird? We'd have a full length pair on the other (normal) window or do we get a 'dress' pair for that window as well?

I never knew buying curtains would be so traumatic

Hi, Smile - yes, that's my understanding. You would have a short pole (with v understated finial so it isn't obvious) at either side, then curtains that are full length but not wide enough to actually draw.

For a living room, I'd say wooden blinds are fine and look smart. We have them and they don't block too much light, even in our north facing lounge. However, for a bedroom, I'd prefer a Venetian blind with a black out lining as wooden blinds actually don't block quite enough light for me when I'm trying to sleep.

We have the same set up. We have full length dress curtains on the outside (I hate to see short ones) and I’m saving up for my long awaited shutters! We have PVC windows too and shutters will still look fine if designed appropriately to the window design.

I can’t wait to get them :) classic and so much easier to clean than venetians. I vetoed them years ago they very quickly get GRIM.

See that first photo has a full width pole running the width of the window, but very slim.
Our living room will be north facing. DH was hoping for wooden blinds (I'd like a light colour though). I think I'll hold off ordering until we're in. A quote we had for full length curtains for the living room came in at just under 900. Obviously will need less material now.

I'm off too google dress curtains. I have an unexpected day off as my children have a snow day. MIght as well get a cup of tea and make use of my time

Goodness, I can only think that your bay windows are much grander than mine. Currently on the hunt for curtains for mine and long curtains would look utterly ridiculous, as would dress curtains. We had blinds previously and shutters are out of our budget at the moment but long curtains would make it look like a very small theatre!

I have a bay window and I don't have curtains at all. The last owner had really heavy, full length curtains that drew across rather than round and I couldn't wait to rid of them.

At the moment I have white horizontal blinds but I'm hoping eventually to get shutters. The blinds look ok though, I've had lots of complements on them and someone else on the street even got the same ones.

I don't think that full curtains and a window seat will work together. I like the idea of shutters or Venetian blinds best. But you could also consider blinds or curtains that finish above the seat.

Accidentally didn't post another pic.

RavenLG will the window seat follow the curve of the bay or go straight across? I'm not sure curtains will work with a window seat. Having just blinds or shutters might be a better idea.

Nice pics. But those windows look Nothing like OPs in the original pic. I can't imagine shutters working entirely well and several blinds will be a misery to put up and down. I have some windows with 3 and it's a drag. Venetian are a killer to dust!

The window seat will be going straight across similar to the photo JoJo posted.

Grouse we did come to a similar conclusion this weekend. We started building the unit in the corner (again similar to that photo and got a feel with the current curtains (the sit etc.) I think we're going to decorate and get venetian (white) blinds and then see how it looks without the curtains.