13 ft wide bay window

Bay windows can range in shape and size from a small 6 foot wide space up to 20 feet wide. This particular bay was 13.5 feet wide. There were two 90 degree bends and 6 individual window frames and 3 different width.

We also had to deal with 5 5/8" ceiling crown molding. 
There was a false tray ceiling that appeared to be a channel type of structure (metal strapping not wood beams).  We planned to use ceiling mount.
Another issue we had to overcome was the freight elevator height was 8 ft and diagonally it was 11.5 ft.  Installation was on the 10th floor so stairs weren't an option.
The client wanted to separate the alcove seating area in this bedroom from the sleeping area with a large drapery.
We decided to use silk and that decision really made a stunning impact on the room.
On the six individual frames we used a cornice on each one in order to highlight them as well as cover up the rollers on the shades that had no valances on them.

 

Dealing with obstacles & crown molding 

A couple of things to consider with crown molding:
1) If you desire a ceiling mount on the track and you want it to be wall to wall or "bracket to bracket" the crown molding will impact your overall width
2) If you plan to install a valance or cornice from the ceiling, your crown molding will also "interfere" with your valance installation as well.


Your accurate measurements will be key to ensuring your workroom has the proper calculations to fabricate your drapery and valance.
When measuring for a ceiling installation of this width, it is always best to take at least 6 ceiling to floor measurements across the width of your planned track placement. The heights can vary as much as an 1" to 1 1/2".
We ended up with a very stunning result on this one as the photos reveal.

Here is a before photo for reference:

First let's talk about the crown molding and how we managed to go around it with our cornice type valance.
The valance shown below in fabrication, had to be cut out on the ends to accommodate the crown molding.  With the use of high school math we figured out the angles and the amount to cut.

The cornice with a crown molding cut out

You use a speed square tool and a tape measure to take the measurements. See wiki-how for directions on using a speed square or go to You tube
There are two measurements you need (height & width):
1) height = Distance from the ceiling to the bottom of the crown molding
2) width = Distance from the wall to the edge of the crown molding on the ceiling
These two numbers are used to come up with the angle used to cut off the end of the cornice so it will fit into the corner and bypass your crown molding.

The cornice had to be split into two pieces and reassembled on site due to the client's freight elevator being less than the finished width of the cornice. We fabricated it as one piece and then cut a piece out for later placement at the job site.  The valance was folded in half and wrapped for transport. Then upon arrival at installation site, we used a couple of metal plates and pre-drilled the piece of wood and re joined it together.  On the back side, we stapled a piece of lining over the metal plates to make it look finished.



Below are a couple of close ups of the cornices we used in the 6 individual windows in the bay window.  There are two each of the 3 different sizes. 

 

Note that the larger the width the wider the accent fabric on the ends.

We had to have the ceiling track fabricated in two pieces as well. It was reassembled on site.
The track is from Kirsch and it was purchased from Williamson Supply Company in Houston.
The track has been very reliable and performs well in heavy drapery (over 60 lbs) every time I've used it.

 Here is the KS track from Kirsch.com ceiling mounted with the heavy duty splicer.

Ceiling mounted Kirsch KS track

 The drapery weight was well over 50 lbs due to the four layers of treatment. The four layers consisted of the face fabric (silk), 10oz per yard interlining, black sateen and 3 pass Australian blackout lining.  The Kirsch KS track with heavy duty ball bearing glides handles this with no problem.

 



Close up of the roman shade on patio door

 

View showing the drapery closed

The sides of the drapery were under a bit of tension and puckering resulted. Adjustments were made on this a few weeks later and the following pics were result.

 

2 sections 12 inches each were placed on either side to lessen any puckering or tension on the drapery

To ensure the best blackout near the crown molding we installed these "wings" of blackout near the sides onto the back of the track and secured them to the wall with cup hooks.

 

Close up of the blackout "wings"

 

 

Two sided drapery panels

What are two-sided drapery panels anyway? I think it's a thing in the south mainly, but I was educated by my client. She wanted to have a drapery that had colored face fabrics on both sides. This allowed you to see a beautiful fabric from the outside of the home as well as from the inside. The two fabrics she selected for this design are shown below.


Two sided drapery panel fabrics

The two sided drapery weighed quite a bit (over 50 lbs) due to the layering of interlining and black sateen plus the two fabrics. The black sateen plus interlining did two things:
1) Prevented light from shining through the fabric and showing every pinhole and flaw
2) Added body, fullness and hand to the overall drapery making it hang beautifully
Due to the weight of the drapery, a strong drapery rod was needed.
We used the Kirsch's Wrought Iron Collection shown in the photo below:

 The drapery would be installed in a breakfast nook on a bay window with 2 angles, so we added an elbows to accommodate the bend.

 

4 Bend Bay with casement windows and low overhead room can be a challenge

Bay windows, especially bays with more than 2 angles can pose a challenge when designing window treatments.  Another issue that can add a challenge is the addition of a tray ceiling with a bay.  This bay also had casement windows with transoms. This client wanted blackout draperies installed.  Also, note the low amount of space above each of the windows as well as the narrow width of the first level of the tray ceiling (less than 1 1/2"). 
To resolve the issues with this window, we decided to install the hardware onto the second level of the tray ceiling.
1) To add height to the room we bring the header of the drapery up above the window
2) Assist with blackout--less light can leak in with the additional drapery heading height above the window top edge.
3) To allow the treatment to be mounted out away from the wall/window for easy travel across the hardware track (the first level of the tray was only 1 1/2" width and the second level tray was 3" wide)

"Before" custom made drapery was added.  Note the small space above each window and the tray ceiling and 4 bends.

"After" we installed the custom drapery it really added warmth to the room as well as height.


We chose a low profile sleek drapery rod from Brimar Inc that allowed very little light to leak out at the top of this treatment.  This rod has a 3/32" gap between the bracket, rod and ceiling. The rod has high quality ball bearing slides that move the drapery across the rod.  Small children in the home as well as multiple bends did not make use of cords optimum for this family.  Instead we used 48" wands attached behind each of the 4 panels.

Photo showing the drapery completely closed demonstrating the sleek look of the hardware installed on the second level of the tray ceiling ledge.

 This photo demonstrates the way the drapery is installed -- very sleek on the second level of the tray ceiling.

 





This photo demonstrates two of the  four bends of the bay and how the corners of the drapery heading needed to be modified and custom fit to the tray ceiling ledges for a complete blackout effect!

Also in this install were 2 roman shades on another window. I will post them later.

The clients were very happy with the results and say they sleep so much better now! 

 

More Cornice Boxes

For some applications where clean classic lines are wanted, a fabric covered cornice is the perfect solution. Use a cornice when you just want to frame a window and bring attention to the outside views or to the shape of the window.
This can be done by making the cornice the same shape as the window. Cornices bring color and accent to any room without adding a lot of fluff.
Some of the challenges with this window grouping:
The height of the vaulted area coming up to a peak in the alcove above the arched window
The cabinets on one side were close to where the cornices would be and could cause interference.
The two side wall spaces were different sizes on each of the side windows

"Before" adding cornice boxes to the windows they didn't pop.

"After" adding cornices to this window, it really brought attention to the shape.

To deal with the challenges mentioned above:
We chose to make this cornice into 3 pieces and joined them together on site.
We made a template of the arch and made the center piece tall enough to add depth to the space, but short enough to fit into the alcove peak.
We made the two side pieces different widths to make up for the difference in the wall spaces being uneven.  The amount of difference is very small and barely visible. This prevented the cornices from interfering with opening and closing the cabinets as well.

This cornice box was added to the transom window above a slider that is adjacent to the other group of windows in this kitchen.
Also, this group of cornice boxes coordinates with the drapery panels and trillion shaped cornices in the family room that is open to this kitchen.

Odd shaped window grouping window treatment ideas

Odd shaped window grouping drapery ideas & trillion shaped cornice boxes

What are trillion shaped cornice boxes anyway?  They are three dimensional window treatments made out of a wood base with a covering of padding and fabric. The shape can vary from triangle, square, octagonal or some variation of these shapes.

Sometimes your windows aren't easy to work with, such as this grouping shown below in the picture.

Things that can pose challenges when trying to design window treatments:
1) Very limited space between windows or adjacent walls
2) Differing heights of windows
3) Arched top window
4) Vaulted ceiling
5) Windows located near or at corners
To see more designs by A Creative Touch Draperies & Interiors, go to this website.
A client had a request for a grouping of arch shaped windows as seen in the picture below. They wanted something with drama, but without obstructing the beautiful golf course views.

 

Here is the "before" picture of the windows we were working with.

Technical notes:

-Notice the arched shape at the top of the center window
-The height of center 3 window grouping is about 9 ft. 
-The height of the side window is less than 9 ft.
-The vaulted/slanted ceiling coming down into the corner of the window group 

"After" picture of the design we came up with for this group of windows.

Items to note:

-There are three different maximum heights  for the trillion boxes

-Panels do not open/close which leaves the views unobstructed as the client wanted

-The arched shape repeated in the tops of each window cornice box brings an element of interest and accents the architecture

I had so much fun creating this window grouping design. In the 8 years I've worked in this industry, this by far is one of my favorite designs.