Bay windows are a timeless architectural design that fills the room with plenty of illumination and a sense of elegance. They provide a stunning focal point and are an ideal space to create a relaxing reading area in a bedroom or an impressive tub in the bathroom. Bay windows and bay window decorating ideas are also great for customized built-in pieces, like an upholstered banquette or storage bench.
You can go for a bold look and draw attention to the window’s size by adding decorative trim, a contrasting color for the wall, and intriguing panels. Alternatively, choose a more minimalist approach and keep the room simple with minimalist decor.
In terms of window treatments, they vary from floor-to-ceiling curtains that enhance the room’s drama to bamboo-woven blinds that create texture while occupying minimal space. If privacy isn’t a factor, skip the window treatments so that the bay window and views become the main focus.
If you have this gorgeous design feature in your home, look up our top bay window designs to maximize the use of this distinctive feature.
Which Type of Bay Window Do You Have?
A bay window is a combination of three windows arranged in a style that extends from the exterior of a structure. Before deciding on decorating, you must know what kind of bay window you have in your home.
Many kinds of bay windows come with designs matching diverse styles of architecture. They usually have operable and stationary windows, like double-hung and casement windows.
Bay windows are a fantastic option for letting light into your home and creating additional space. Bow windows are similar to bay windows in extending outward from your home.
Bay Windows
The most popular bay window, also known as an angled bay, has three windows. Depending on the location, the windows’ corners meet at angles of 10°, 15°, 30°, or 45°.
The central window is typically stationary, while the side windows open to allow air circulation. Depending on the style of your home, an angled bay window might have grids for an old-fashioned look or an open picture window to make the most of the views.
Bow Windows
Bow windows are an angled arrangement of five or four casement windows set at 30° or 45° to form an arch.
Casement windows generally do not feature grids, making them the perfect option for modern or mid-century homes. However, you can also find bow windows in traditional styles. Bow windows can also come in larger sizes, which give the appearance of a more extensive interior.
Bay Window Decorating Ideas
Bathroom Bay Window
A bathroom bay window can be ideal for installing a striking bathtub. It is filled with natural light and stunning views, making it an attractive backdrop for a clawfoot tub.
Living Room Bay Window
A living room bay window is a beautiful architectural feature that accentuates the interior and lets in the most light. A crisp white trim contrasts nicely with the rich blue-gray paint, and Roman shades provide shade and privacy without distracting from the beautiful bay window design.
Sophisticated Bay Window Dining Nook
The entire bay window breakfast room is chic, from the dramatic color selection to the bold wallpaper and tufted banquette.
The curvaceous form of the banquette accentuates the beautiful window and increases seating around the bistro-style dining table.
Bay Window with Beadboard Detail
A bay window can be transformed into a breakfast nook with a cottage-inspired style and beadboard, creating a delicate pattern and timeless look. To make it appear more elegant and subtle, paint it with the same color and finish as your window beams and trim for an effortless visual transition.
Bay Window Storage Bench
Transform a bay window wall into an elegant storage area with a built-in bench. In small bedroom, the curved bench highlights the architectural features.
Spa-Like Bathroom Bay Window Idea
Transform your bathroom into a spa-like experience by installing a chic bay window, a freestanding bathtub, and a striking chandelier. These design elements, particularly with clean whites and shining polished chrome, make for the perfect combination of elegance and class.
Bay Window with Cozy Window Seat
The bay window in this room features a comfortable chair and an inviting color scheme for maximum hygge-like vibes.
Find inspiration from comfortable corner add a crisp white trim with beige grasscloth wallpaper. A linen window shade, a comfy cushion for the seat, and textured throw pillows create a most-loved spot to unwind.
Bay Window Breakfast Nook
A large window in the kitchen was designed to make a perfect breakfast area. The built-in banquette, featuring elegant picture frame molding details, offers plenty of seating. It also pairs perfectly with the striking blue trim on the door and window and complements the two orange chairs.
Bay Window with Wood Ceiling
Combine the light and elegance of a bay window with the warmth and rustic appeal of a ceiling covered in wood. The stunning bedroom layers both styles beautifully, creating an aesthetically balanced space that oozes warmth and comfort.
Dining Room Bay Window Idea
The dining room bay window provides a chic backdrop to the formal dining space. It’s a great match with intricate crown molding. Its delicate trim details reflect the design of light fixtures, and the window’s transitional style complements the elegant and relaxed farmhouse table, bench, and chairs.
How to Style a Bay Window
Get inspiration from this contemporary dining room; don’t be afraid to place furniture beside an open window. Be mindful of the size and proportions of the furniture relative to the window. Also, choose pieces that don’t obstruct more than half the window’s width.
Game Room Bay Window Seating
A built-in dining area provides plenty of seating space in this beautiful game room. The chicly tufted leather banquette emphasizes the contemporary look of the rectangular bay window. It can be elegantly layered with natural materials, such as the rustic wooden beams on the ceiling and hardwood flooring.
Bay Window Curtains
If you’re selecting window treatments for bedroom windows, choose a variety of curtain panels that stretch to the floor and feature delicate patterns. The curtains add a touch of elegance and enhance the beauty of the sitting area. They can be easily opened and closed and gathered at the ends or corners to frame the window.
Bay Window with Built-in Shelves
Make the most of comfort and function in an oversized bay window reading area with built-in shelves on the opposite sides of your bench. The shelves complement the wooden look of the arch ceiling, door trims, and windows, creating a cohesive feel.
The small hanging sconces above the shelves add character and provide gentle lighting in the reading area when overhead lighting feels too harsh.
Modern Bay Window Idea
Although bay windows often feature classic details and trims, this contemporary bay window is sleek and modernized for a more streamlined style. When decorating the area in front of a large window, consider the window’s size when choosing lighting and furniture to ensure they complement the window’s dimensions and elegance.
Bay Window With Shiplap Walls
Combine a bay window with a shiplap wall for the ultimate modern farmhouse appeal. Add a slight variation with off-white accents. Such as these wooden chairs, and cream-colored paint on the walls above the shiplap for a tone-on-tone design.
Bay Window Breakfast Nook
A white and blue color scheme in the breakfast nook with a bay window makes the dining room light, bright, and airy.
The fringed pillows, the traditional oval table, and the intricate upholstery fabric for chairs contrast with the contemporary, clean windows, highlighting the space’s contemporary style and timeless appeal.
Hang a Bubble Chair
In the London home of designer Sarah Vanrenen, white floors and walls are spruced up with gold, mustard, and pink and gold accents. A suspended bubble seat, created by Eero Aarnio in 1968, allows light to flood through the window bays, creating a relaxing spot to unwind.
Install a Breakfast Nook
Tyler Karu Design and Interiors created a lovely breakfast nook under a row of black-gridded bay windows in a renovated 1790 home in Falmouth, ME. A round table reflects the curvatures of the space, and the high-back Scandi-style chairs echo the trim of the windows.
Install Wrap-Around Curtains
Design by Kate Marker Interiors / Emily Kennedy Photography
Kate Marker Interiors transformed an oversized window bank into a cozy area for conversation, with comfy armchairs around a circular table. Curtains that wrap around in a light check pattern are a perfect match for the neutral color scheme of the space.
Decorate Using Garland
In the Scandinavian-style playroom the play kitchen is placed in a floor-to-ceiling window flooded with light.
Install Patterned Shades
Although it is tempting to remove the blinds from a bay window for fear they would hinder the natural aesthetics of the design. In rooms where light control and privacy are important, installing attractive blinds can add value to the design.
Kate Marker Interiors selected Roman shades with a striking gray-and-white pattern for a warm, cozy look over a large soaking tub in this spacious bathroom.
Choose Natural Blinds
If you want some privacy and light but prefer a low-key style, you can install organic wood blinds, woven blinds, or bamboo blinds. For example, the one in this San Francisco Victorian bedroom is decorated with light woody tones and planters on the floor and in hanging arrangements.
Try Adjustable Half-Shutters
Simple white shutters on the bottom of the bay windows can be a perfect addition to a traditional room. The historic row house living space features warm bones thanks to bay windows and traditional moldings. It also has a warm mixture of antique and vintage furniture and a velvet sofa.
Hang a Hammock
Bay windows are stunning in their own right, and the decorating process of arranging furniture around them requires a lot of finesse. In this imaginative setup, the bay window becomes a sun-soaked space for an indoor hammock, perfect for relaxing, regardless of weather or season.
Install Cellular Shades
This Victorian home, filled with bay windows, is painted in a darker gray to create an accent. White cellular shades are discreetly placed in the lower half of the windows, allowing privacy without blocking sunlight.
Mix Painted and Natural Wood
The large bay windows in the dining room create an atmosphere of grandeur, making a great decorating statement. The room gains warmth and contrast by accenting the white paint on the bay windows with natural wood trim.
Choose Simple White Shades
This large bathroom includes a spacious bathtub to take advantage of the beautiful view through the bay windows. Simple white shades help keep the focus on the outside and can be drawn down at night to create a sense of security.
Add a Bubble Light
The living room features a row of bay windows and an intricate wood frame, providing an area to sit with two chairs from the past. A light fixture hanging in the center of the room adds character without obscuring the sunlight or view.
Contrasts with Dark Wallpaper
Dark walls will allow the bay window to be noticed. In this dining area, a long rectangular table for a large gathering float in the middle of the room, right in front of a huge bay window that lets sunlight flood through and stand out against the pattern of black and grey.
Add Built-In Seating
A U-shaped built-in bar with a bow window hugs its curves and allows room to accommodate a crowd. You can also add seating under the bench for additional functionality.
Anchor the Couch
A warm, cognac-colored leather sofa is set against a huge bay window of about the same width, allowing natural sunlight to flood through for afternoon reading.
Should I place a couch by the bay window?
Yes, you can put the sofa next to the bay window. However, ensure that it’s in proper proportions. The back of the sofa shouldn’t be any higher than the lower part of the window, so it isn’t blocking the view. Generally, it should not be larger than the windows to avoid making them appear out of proportion.
Hang Fixed Panels
Fix semi-opaque shades on the wall that can be shut for privacy without compromising the sunlight. Simple white shades cover the curving bow windows above the bathtub.
Enhance Shades with Trim
Make your white bay window shades more attractive by adding a vibrant edge for an appealing appearance. Blue trims can complement vibrant sofas in shades of blue and green.
Hang Colorful Drapes
Put up a variety of drapes that will contrast with the white trim of bay windows. A bold shade of orange can shine in a light blue-gray bedroom.
Enhance with a Valance
A valance can add the perfect cozy look to the bedroom bay window. Pair a window valance with pattern-based Roman shades to soften the room’s look. A white-and-red pattern with the same colors as the headboard creates an attractively coordinated style.
Layer Curtains
Combine two types of curtains to provide options for controlling light and create an elegant look. Floor-to-ceiling sheers and beige curtains can cover the living room’s huge bow windows, making the conversation space feel warm and inviting.
Add a Curved Bench
Modern bay windows can be complemented with simple white shades and a semi-opaque fabric to create a modern minimalist look, like the one in this New York City living room. A custom-designed curved window bench softens the sleek lines of the room.
Add Some Unexpected Red
Make your window modern by incorporating patterns on your window shades. A white-and-red pattern was chosen for a bold graphic design and paired with vibrant blue armchairs for a comfortable conversation area.
FAQ
Do you want to put your sofa next to the bay window?
Yes, you can place a sofa inside an opening window. The additional space that a bay window provides is ideal for couches, armchairs, or chaise lounge seating, particularly in smaller rooms.
How can bay windows appear nice?
Bay Window Function Ideas:
- Fill it with plants.
- Make a workspace.
- Create a reading nook.
- Build some storage seating.
- Use single curtains for less hassle.
- Use curtains on each panel to match your windows.
- Combine curtains and shutters for the best of both worlds.
- Use Roman blinds for the perfect cover.
How can you update the look of an older bay window?
Great Ideas to Modernize Your Bay Window:
- Apply a fresh coat of paint.
- Add extra seating to your room.
- Create bay window space for various uses.
What type of drapes can you put on bay windows?
Full-scale ceiling-to-floor or even decorative puddled drapes are ideal for bay windows. These drapes can serve as a tool for controlling light and privacy and enhance the space’s aesthetics.
