South facing bay windows - advice, please!

[tiptop]

I want to change the 3 piece suite in the living room. The sofa back is really faded due to the sun but because it fits it so nicely into the bay window bit, I'd like to put the replacement sofa in the same position. I don't want the new sofa ruined by the sun, though. I was hoping to get a leather suite in a half price sale, but perhaps this will be even more susceptible to sun damage. What shall I do? The tv point and fireplace dictate the way the furniture is arranged. Should I change the curtains and lose the bay window area as a neighbour (west facing) has done? She has effectively "squared off" the room using the curtains. I do have vertical blinds in the room but you have to be at home (and remember) to turn them to protect the furniture. I need a clever ideas person to organise me! Any advice much appreciated. Thanks!

how about those nice wooden shutters that are just on the bottom half of the window. You can leave those closed and still get loads of light from the top half?

TracyK - Thanks for your post. Yes, that's a possibility, although we've got all of the front windows of the house matching with vertical blinds and we're very visible from the road, so it's all got to tie in iykwim! I wondered if it's possible to get a tinted peel off and stick on thing for the bottom 2 panes of the sash style windows. That's probably another of my daft ideas!

tiptop, if you're contemplating sticking something on the lower sashes, how about spraying them instead? you can buy some special spray paint from diy stores which gives an silvery etched glass effect -- we did it on a large glass panel on the front door. you get some light (maybe too much, though, for you?) and total privacy.

when it's being applied you need to seal off the window from the next of the room to stop it getting everywhere use plastic drapes etc and wear facemask, but it's cheap and looks pretty good. you have to be careful to apply it evenly though.

(btw my dh is not much of a Changing Rooms type, he's an architect who thinks LLB is the devil's spawn, but this meets with his exacting standards)

Could you just keep a throw over the back of the sofa during the day?

Either that or replace all of them with the shutters - my friend has them and they look really good.
Or maybe you could get the bottom panes of glass replaced with uv coated stuff £??
The only peel off stuff I've seen has patterns on eg clouds etc - but have a surf you may be able to get just uv coated stuff.

my carpet and curtains have faded by my patio doors, but I love the sun beaming in - it lifts my mood, so I won't shut it out.

Life is for living and if furniture fades, so what?

Thank you all for your posts! I'm going to print off this thread and have a chat with dh this evening. Thanks again!