Reading the Angles: Tailored Curtains for Sussex Bay Windows

Bay windows are among the most generous features in a Sussex home. They draw light deep into a room, create a natural place for a chair or a table, and give a façade a sense of rhythm. They are also among the least forgiving windows to dress. A bay is not a flat opening with two extra corners; it is a small piece of architecture, and curtains that ignore its geometry will announce the fact through stretched pleats, pale gaps at the returns and fabric that seems to be in conflict with the furniture beneath it.

For homeowners in Midhurst and across Sussex, the answer is rarely a standard pole and a pair of ready-made curtains. It is a made-to-measure approach that begins with the shape of the window, respects the way the room is used, and treats the track, the heading and the fabric as one system. The aim is not merely to cover glass. It is to make the bay feel resolved.

Begin With the Geometry

The first task is to survey the bay properly. A three-sided bay has a central span and two returns, but the angles between them are seldom identical, and the depth of the reveal can vary from one side to the other. Victorian and Edwardian bays often sit within thick masonry, with deep reveals and sash windows set back from the room. Modern oriel windows may be shallower, with broader glazing and less space between the glass and the wall. Corner arrangements can be more awkward still, particularly where two windows meet at an angle or where a bay continues into a side return.

Measurement should therefore follow the run of the bay rather than the width of the opening alone. The position of the curtain track matters as much as the position of the glass: a track set close to the window will save floor space but may interfere with handles, vents or window furniture, while a track brought forward into the room can allow a fuller curtain to stack clear of the glazing. Each decision has a consequence, and the most successful schemes decide those consequences early.

The Track Follows the Room

A bay window is where a bespoke track earns its place. Bendable aluminium tracks can be shaped to the angles of the bay, fixed to the ceiling or to the wall, and specified with returns that allow the curtains to sit neatly at each end. A straight pole may be adequate in a very shallow bay, but in most three-sided arrangements it will either stand away from the window or force the curtains to cut across the corners. The result is often a visible gap at the sides and a heading that looks compressed rather than composed.

The quality of the bend matters. A track that is bent too tightly or without a proper template can cause runners to catch and pleats to bunch. The track should follow the bay smoothly, with enough curve through the corners to let the curtains travel without strain. Where the bay is deep, a ceiling-fixed track can be the more discreet choice, keeping the heading close to the ceiling line and allowing the curtains to fall in a clean vertical plane. Where the ceiling is uneven or the cornice is important, a wall-fixed track may be preferable, provided the brackets are set out to suit the angles.

Fullness, Pleats and the Problem of the Return

Fullness is the point at which many bay window schemes falter. Because a bay has more linear metres than a flat window, it is tempting to reduce the amount of fabric to control cost. The effect is nearly always visible. Pleats become stretched, the spaces between them open up, and the curtains lose the soft vertical rhythm that makes tailored curtains worth having. A generous heading needs enough fabric to form its pleats properly and enough ease to close across the glass without tension.

The returns deserve particular attention. These are the short sections at each end of the bay where the curtain turns back towards the wall. If the track return is too shallow, light will leak at the edges; if the curtain is not wide enough to cover the return, a pale gap will appear when the curtains are drawn. A well-specified bay curtain should close with the leading edges overlapping slightly and the outer edges sitting firmly against the wall or returning cleanly to the track. This is a matter of measurement and making, not guesswork.

Furniture, Radiators and the Question of Length

A bay window often comes with furniture beneath it: a window seat, a low sofa, a desk or a radiator. Curtains that ignore these elements will either crush against them or hang awkwardly around them. In a room where the bay is used for seating, a sill-length curtain may be the more practical choice, particularly if the seat is fixed. In a formal reception room, a floor-length curtain can look more generous, but only if the stack-back is planned so that the fabric does not consume the seating area when open.

Radiators present a separate consideration. A curtain that hangs directly over a heat source may be discoloured over time, and a heavy interlined curtain can trap warmth against the window. The better solution is usually to specify the track position and length so that the curtain clears the radiator or sits beside it, rather than treating the radiator as an afterthought. In some bays, a combination of a short curtain at the sides and a blind or voile across the central glazing can be more workable than a single heavy treatment.

Period Bays, Modern Oriels and Corner Arrangements

Victorian bays in Midhurst and the surrounding villages often have deep reveals, sash windows and a strong horizontal line at the sill. Curtains here can be hung from a track set just inside the room, with returns that follow the masonry and a heading that suits the proportions of the ceiling. Where original shutters remain, the curtain should be planned so that it does not prevent them from folding back.

Modern oriel windows tend to be shallower and more lightly framed. Here, a discreet ceiling-fixed track and a simple heading can be more appropriate than a heavy pole. The emphasis should be on clean lines and unobstructed glass, with fullness kept sufficient but not excessive. Corner arrangements require the most careful thought. Two tracks meeting at an angle can work well if the join is properly planned, but a continuous curved track may be better where the bay is shallow and the curtains need to travel smoothly around the corner. In either case, the aim is to avoid a dead spot where the curtain cannot reach or a cluster of fabric that never quite closes.

Light, Linings and the Finished Line

Bays are vulnerable to light bleed at the edges and at the points where the curtain turns. Linings help, but they cannot compensate for a poor track return or an underfull curtain. Interlined curtains add body and improve the fall, while blackout lining may be appropriate in bedrooms where the bay faces the morning sun. The lining should be specified with the same care as the face fabric, because it affects the weight, the drape and the way the curtain sits against the window.

Finally, installation and dressing complete the work. A tailored curtain should be hung, allowed to settle and dressed by hand so that the pleats fall evenly and the returns sit cleanly. A bay window is a demanding client, but it is also a rewarding one. When the track follows the angle, the fullness is correct and the returns are properly covered, the curtains stop being an obstacle to the architecture and become part of it.