Have you ever wondered how to dress a Bay Window? While it’s a delight to have original period features, they can prove to be decorative challenges. Bay windows are grand and easy on the eye, and will open a space far more than a basic window. There’s more glass on show and the design projects across three planes. This lets in so much valuable sunlight and offers expansive views up and down the street – it’s why bay windows have been so popular over the years. But it’s these benefits that also create difficulties for bay windows. Sometimes the sunlight coming in can be too much, and privacy can be a problem because of people being able to look in … from all angles.

The expert advice … dress a bay window with shutters. To start with, installing made-to-measure shutters means each panel is designed to fit each section of the window. The outcome is something customised and beautifully unique for your space. You can adjust each individual panel to let more or less light in, or for privacy reasons. Also, with custom colour options available from so many suppliers, you can style with the perfect shade for your room and furniture.

…And what about a Crittall Window?

The current trend for open-plan living and the industrial style have seen a surge in Crittall Windows. They’re often associated with the Art Deco period of the 1930s, but their history actually stretches back to the Victorian era. Their ongoing popularity proves that exceptional design never goes out of style. The delicate, thin lines of the steel frame have an industrial but very contemporary aura. The real appeal though is how Crittall Windows allow a room to be zoned, and create a sense of continuity between the living and outside areas. If you worry that they look too sterile or cold, then lined curtains can add a splash of colour, softness and privacy when needed. The insulation they also provide can keep the space warmer over winter and reduce the harshness of the frame, while still letting it be the feature you are after. The most important thing to think about when you’re dressing Crittals is to extend the track as far and as wide as it can go so the curtains can be pushed back to maintain the integrity of the Crittal frame. You don’t want to hide it.