Does anyone have any suggestions for installing curtain rods like the ones shown in the middle picture of the bottom row? I'd like to install something like that in my new apartment, but don't know where to start, never having dealt with a bay window before. Thanks!

Try this: http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/how-to-make-curtain-rods-from-electrical-conduit-apartment-therapy-tutorials-184336

It's how you would be able to navigate the turns for the middle window.

I haven't put any curtains up because my bay windows are straight and there's a window seat. The fact that most of these photos don't have curtains affirms that I don't really need them.

The four bay windows in our smallish (under 1,000 sq.ft.) house are a big part of what sold us on this house. They're awesome. I've loved figuring out the best ways to use them. It helps that they all have fantastic views to the lake and mountains. :)

Downstairs, we've built deep window seats, with storage beneath, into the ones in the living room and dining room. My oldest son told me recently that the window seat in the living room is his favourite place in the whole world. The window seat in the dining room serves as bench seating at the table.

Upstairs, my husband and I custom-built a wide desk into the window in our bedroom, so it serves as a great office nook. (I work from home.) In our sons' room, we've hung a chair swing in their window bay, so they can swing and enjoy the view over the trees. The chair swing is my younger son's favourite place. :)

Bay window is one of my favorite features of a house/apt. It just add extra personality to the house. You can have so much fun with the space!

These all look really nice; but for me the only one that makes sense is the desk. I want to LOOK out my windows! The one with the window seat would also make sense if the seat were comfy - this one looks to me like it's something that would probably go unused.

It's extremely unusual, except on porches, to have seating that faces a window. That makes sense if there are enough people in the sitting area to constitute a conversation group. But for the other 99% of the time, I say turn your chairs or couch around!

* I should have said, on porches, your seating faces outdoors... not the window, LOL!

Great post!

@bmoresites,

I used rod corner connectors from JC Penny to make my Pottery Barn rods fit around my bay windows. I just ordered the size that matched my rods, and used plumbers tape to help keep the connectors securely inside the rods. I used a hack saw too, for some tweaking.

Here are three options from Penny's. I used the first set by Royal Velvet because they were the best visual match to my rods.

http://www.jcpenney.com/dotcom//hardware/royal-velvet-curtain-rod-corner-connector/prod.jump?ppId=19f6cf7&searchTerm=rod+connectors&dimCombo=null&dimComboVal=null&catId=SearchResults

http://www.jcpenney.com/dotcom/hardware/jcp-home%25e2%2584%25a2-wood-corner-connector/prod.jump?ppId=1902d46&catId=cat100260231&subcatId=cat100260213&deptId=dept20000011&N=1001340006&extDim=true&topDim=Categories&topDimvalue=accessories&dimCombo=Categories%7C&dimComboVal=accessories%7C&currentDim=Categories&currentDimVal=accessories

http://www.jcpenney.com/dotcom/hardware/linden-street%25e2%2584%25a2-curtain-rod-corner-connector/prod.jump?ppId=193343b&catId=cat100260231&subcatId=cat100260213&deptId=dept20000011&N=1001340006&Nao=24&pN=2&extDim=true&topDim=Categories&topDimvalue=accessories&dimCombo=Categories%7C&dimComboVal=accessories%7C&currentDim=Categories&currentDimVal=accessories

Tammy - your house sounds lovely. I don't know if I covet the desk or the chair swing more! No wonder it is your son's favorite place

Thanks, HHRI! We love our home. :)

Does anyone know where I could find an ottoman similar to the one in the first photo?

Hi jaimec - here are a few similar ottomans:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B006MPFCTQ

http://www.horchow.com/p/Ellsworth-Collection-Tufted-Ottomans/cprod86030106/

I realized going through the photos that I've never seen a bay window area that goes all the way to the floor in real life. I've only just seen the ones that have a huge window sill below the windows. And it wasn't ever turned into a window seat, so I've always been glad I didn't have bay windows. But, THESE bay window areas are gorgeous! The first one might be my favorite. Maybe just because it was first. :)

One question though: If you had a bay window in your bedroom, why wouldn't you take advantage and get a circular bed?! It's the only time you could really get away with it - "Well, we had to, Mom. This is the best place in the whole room for the bed." Once in a lifetime opportunities shouldn't be passed up. ;)

Thank you!

Nice post! We have a lovely bay window in our rented apartment, which I would like to emphasize more. However we also live in the city, so there are passers by at all hours of the day and night. We have sheers there now, but they stay closed all the time. Is there any way we can enjoy the view and get some privacy at the same time?

bmoresites -- I second urbancricket on the jcpenney rod connectors. I used their rods too and the whole set up looks really good. my side windows are very narrow (17 inches wide) so I bought one pair of panels for the center window and split another pair of panels between the two side windows

Kakerley, I frosted my ground floor bay windows (thin layer of acrylic glaze painted on the glass- it removes with water if I ever change my mind) for privacy.

The bay window is the only real architectural detail in my living area (unless you count a ceiling medallion above an ugly builder grade chandelier). Is there a way to make the bay window the focus of the room without emphasizing that there is no view? I was thinking about framing the window in crown molding but wasn't sure if it would attract even more attention to the frosted panes... opinions?

I have a bay window similar to the window with the blue drapes and I have always been afraid to hang curtains because I thought all the fabric would overwhelm the window but I'm quite taken with that picture. I feel a project coming on.

Hey Yo, Annie-O,
I'm right with you. I just moved into an 1880 Victorian and yep, bay window in the living room. Looks out onto a lovely tree-lined, happy friendly people street. I wouldn't dream of putting anything in the window that would block, hinder, hide or not encourage a view OUT that window. In the pictorial here, in addition to the desk, the window seat, I include the dining room with plants (below window level and used as small accents) as best use of the bays.

I put my leather couch about 2 feet from the bay window, facing into the room. However, it's a traditional roll back, club style couch; I sit at one end at the couch arm every morning facing out toward the street and gorgeous 100 year-old trees, drinking my coffee. I might as well be in Shangri-la.

BTW: are bay windows called that because they were created in San Francisco so folks could look out at the bay? Just saying. : )