Which Window Treatment Options are Right for my Unique Windows?

A wide window might be positioned to overlook a wonderful water view, an arched window is immediately eye-catching, and a French door creates visual interest. And yet, how do you dress these oddly shaped or positioned windows? Traditional dressings are often either the wrong size, or designed in such a way that they hide your beautiful and odd-shaped windows.

Given that dressing your unique windows can be a challenge, you have several options.

1. Do nothing, and leave your windows bare.
2. Choose an option that isn’t optimized for your special window. 
3. Find a solution that really works for your specific window treatment needs.

We hope that you are interested in finding a specialized solution that can enhance and add value and beauty to your unusual windows. No matter how pointy, or high, or hard-to-reach your window, chances are that someone out there has thought of a solution to dress it.

Here, we examine window treatment solutions for some of the trickiest and hardest to dress windows.

Arched Windows

Do you have an arched window in your living room or entryway? Arched windows are an elegant decorative window style, but they do come with challenges. If your arched window is customized with intricate or stained glass patterning, you may not want to dress it, unless light-blocking is your end-game. However, if your arched window has simple glass panes, adding a window treatment can really make it pop!

Here are some popular solutions for dressing your arched window:

 - An arched window blind (usually made of composite wood) can be opened completely or partially. This solution allows you to block light out when needed and to have an unobstructed view when you want it.

 - Another popular option, more popular in traditional homes than modern, is a sunburst shade, which is constructed of shirred fabric and is most often used on arched windows that pair with a regular shaped window below. The benefits? A light fabric allows light to filter through while preventing glare. The downside? The sunburst solution is stationary (and cannot be motorized), so you lose the flexibility to open the shade and have the full light or view from the window.

 - Pleated shades are another popular solution for arched windows. You can have pleated shades for your arched window designed custom for your specific window, or you can find kits that will suit a range of window sizes. The custom pleated shades will likely cost more but may be a better and tighter fit. Good to know is that pleated shades can be motorized, for added convenience.

 - Think shutters are just for your regular shaped windows? Think again! A shutter for your arched window can be a wonderful solution. Arched shutters are somewhat operable – you can shift the position of the louvres a bit, but your arched window shutters will not open out like a more traditional plantation shutter.

Eyebrow Shaped Windows

If you have an eyebrow shaped window in your home, it likely garners a lot of praise. It may even be one of the features that drew you to your home in the first place! But how to dress it? That’s another story entirely.

(You have a true eyebrow window if it is squared or rectangular on the bottom, and arched at the top. It’s important to note that though an eyebrow window looks similar to an arched window, which we discuss above, most of the treatments that work for an arched window are not designed for an eyebrow window because of the squared edges.)

 - Cellular or honeycomb shades are perhaps the most well-suited options for dressing your eyebrow window. Cellular shades are pliable and, as an added bonus, they are very energy efficient. These shades allow you to open and close them easily, and can even be motorized.

 - Shutters can enhance your eyebrow window as well. Before going this route, you will want to research how much you will be able to open the slats on your shutters. This is a great option in terms of looks, but shutters are not the most functional option for your eyebrow window, especially if it is located up high.

Skylights

Skylights are a favorite feature. They add character and they are unbeatable when it comes to brightening up a room. However, dressing them is a perennial challenge. Not only are they high up and hard to reach, they are often oddly shaped. For all of these reasons, motorized blinds are a very popular solution when it comes to dressing your skylights.

 - Cellular or honeycomb shades are a favorite for skylights as well as for arched windows. Skylights allow a lot of light into your space, which can also mean a lot of heat. The energy efficiency that you’ll find with a cellular shade can have a big impact on not only the comfort of your home, but on your bottom line!

 - Vertical blinds (with a top and bottom track for control) are another popular solution for your skylights. These cannot be motorized, so you will have to consider how you’ll open your blinds, however!

Bay Windows

Bay windows do two do wonderful things for your space: They let in a lot of light and they make your room appear larger. Both of these are wonderful attributes. Less wonderful is finding a window dressing solution that works in triplicate across all of the windows surrounding the main bay window.

 - Place drapery panels at the corner of each bay window to make your space look even bigger. For added privacy without losing all of your light, consider using a filmy or gauzy curtain along with the drapes. Motorize your drapes for added convenience and control over your space.

 - Valances (which can be paired with your draped panels) can add visual interest and break up the long lines of your drapes. This is a great look!

 - Shutters, vertical blinds, honeycomb shades, and solar shades can all be a solution. However, something to keep in mind is that you will need to be very precise in your measurements. Even a centimeter or two off and your blinds or shades can rub together or gap unappealingly.

As you can see, having an oddly shaped window is not a barrier to finding convenient, stylish window treatment systems that work! You just need to do some research and to make sure that you are choosing the right solution for your specific window.

Whether your oddly shaped window is a hexagon, a triangle, an oval, or even somewhere in between, there is a solution out there that will enhance the character and functionality of your home. Happy hunting!