10 Odd Window Shapes and How Best To Dress Them

Do you have one or more oddly shaped windows in your home? Speciality windows such as bay windows, triangle windows, octagon, half circle, round or arched shapes may look fabulous and add to the interior design and unique look of your home, but what do you do when it comes to window dressings? Sadly, reegular curtains, roller shades, window blinds or vertical blinds just won’t work in the same way that they do for standard windows, causing all sorts of challenges with specific window shapes.

No matter what the shape or size of your window, with a bit of clever thinking you can draw attention and make a feature of a beautiful architectural shape, or use window dressing solutions to hide an unattractive window or vista.

Here are 10 of the most common odd window shape challenges you’re likely to encounter, and some of the best ideas you can use to dress your oddly shaped window.

1. Bay windows

Large and airy Victorian or Edwardian style bay windows are common in homes all over Britain and there are many ways to dress them depending on the size of window and the exact shape of the bay.

To emphasise the grand and expansive shape of the windows, why not hang an arrangement of four curtains, as these will make an interesting change from a single pair, positioned on either side of the bay. While you’re at it, include some made-to-fit, café-style shutters. This will give you a little more privacy and help balance out the extreme height of the windows. Take care with your measurements for custom window coverings, as they need to be accurate, so measure twice just to be sure!

2. Arched windows

Arched windows can be difficult to dress with curtains or blinds. Have you considered replacing the lower glass panes with frosted glass or window film? Window film comes in a range of striking designs and in different degrees of opacity. There’s also a wide range of plain and coloured films available.

3. Arched windows with an angular frame

Individual Roman blinds can work well with this type of window. When raised, the blinds clear the top of the arch and this helps to maximises the light and show off the architectural beauty of the window shape.

Fitting shutters is another way to dress angular-framed arched windows. Rectangular shutters can be very effective as these will follow the decorative architrave around the window rather than following the arch of the window. Shutters also give you greater flexibility – you can control how much or how little light you want to let into your home.

4. Roof skylights

Conservatory ceilings and large roof skylights in a kitchen can be a challenge to dress. Traditional wood-weave blinds work well because they filter the light and can be raised and lowered as you need. They can also withstand the intense heat and light of a glass roof and, unlike linen for example, they don’t fade.

For an upstairs bathroom, you might decide to leave the skylights undressed and open to the sky, so you can watch the stars at night as you luxuriate in the bath.

5. Round windows

Round and circular windows are another type of unusual window that can be tricky to deal with, but with a little creativity, you can transform them into a statement feature. For a large, circular window, in a bathroom, perhaps, a lightweight curtain, hung at ceiling height would be a good choice. The curtain will blend beautifully into the clean whiteness of the bathroom and, when drawn, provide you with complete privacy.

6. Apex windows

It can be hard to know what to do with odd shaped windows like an apex style. One practical solution is to choose curtains that ‘puddle’ on the floor, as they can help to soften the angles of an apex window and create a soft romantic look. An upholstered box pelmet gives a stylish, crisp finish while concealing the curtain rod, headers and tracks.

7. Church windows

If you’re lucky enough to live in a village church that’s been converted into a charming house, you may have grand arched windows that are difficult to dress. One great way to tackle this style of window is to make a bold statement by using eyelet curtains hung on a pole just above door height. It’s a clean, simple and very effective way to deal with the ecclesiastical past.

8. Conservatory walls and windows

Roman blinds, in bold floral designs, can be a perfect solution for a conservatory. Light is filtered rather than blocked, and by using a series of individual blinds, you can adjust the shade throughout the day as the sun moves. Patio doors and french doors too can look stunning with Roman blinds.

For a cleaner look, the unique Perfect Fit system (like these at AQ Blinds) has a range of stylish blinds in a neat frame. Fitted to the window without the need to drill or screw into the existing window frame, the blinds move together with the window when they open and close.

9. Double-height windows

Whether you live in a Scottish castle or similarly proportioned property, you’ll have noticed that everything from ceiling heights to door frames and room sizes is larger than large. Your unique windows are sure to be double-height and some may even be shaped into corner bays.

To complete the grand proportions and scale of double-height windows, soft-flowing curtains with large coordinated pelmets should do the trick for larger windows (pelmets should be about one-fifth of the overall drop of the curtains).

Tiebacks can also be used to help create ‘drape’ and a gorgeous ‘waistline’ effect to the curtains. For maximum effect your tiebacks should be positioned just above head height.

10. Tiny windows

It’s not just large windows that can be tricky, tiny windows can be problematic too!

If you have a circular window the size of a porthole in a bathroom or on an end wall in a small room like a study, why not create a fantastic focal point by framing the window with wooden shutters. This will square off the window and still give you all the privacy you need. Obviously, the window doesn’t have to be round for this trick to work.

Conclusion

With a little thought and attention, odd-shaped windows, unusual windows and specialty shapes, needn’t be a problem. Custom window treatments, such as made-to-measure curtains or custom blinds, can be used to bring a specialty-shaped window to life, plus there are other options, such as window film, plantation shutters and hardwood shutters that can be used to give a new look to oddly-shaped windows.

(Disclosure: Collaborative post)

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