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I’ve heard people say that curtains are a nightmare to source, and I imagine that bay windows feature in that nightmare. That’s largely because standard ready-made options are limited when it comes to poles and tracks for bay windows. It’s impossible to have a one size fits all approach since bay windows vary in shape and size, and their decorative features such as cornicing and coving need to be considered when it comes to poles and tracks.
The bespoke route opens lots of options, not just in terms of function, but also for style and finish. There are some fantastic companies – the Bradley Collection, Cameron Fuller, Byron & Byron, Mc Kinney & Co, and Silent Gliss among others – that manufacture poles and tracks in the UK, and have addressed the tricksy issues of the curves and angles of bay windows through clever designs. In this post, I discuss a few key bespoke solutions to common issues encountered with bay windows.
Image source: Passing ring and bracket fixed to the ceiling by The Bradley Collection.
One brilliant feature of bespoke poles is the passing ‘C’ rings and passing brackets which allow curtains to pull smoothly across a pole and bay window. Crucially, it means that curtains can operate as a pair (two panels) rather than multiple panels separated by brackets that don’t allow the rings to pass. The bracket designs also allow poles to be fixed to the ceiling or to the wall, supporting the pole to carry the weight of the curtains.
Image source: Bendable track by Cameron Fuller.
Another great feature are the tracks that look like poles which can be bent to fit the shape of the bay on site at the time of installation.
Image source: Metropole by Silent Gliss.
Bay windows are often accompanied by architectural features such as cornicing or coving at the ceiling above the bay window. These need to be considered when thinking about where to fix the curtain pole or track. Fixing is the secret to the installation, and bespoke manufacturers have different bracket designs which allow us to vary the pole’s projection from a wall or ceiling, lift up the pole to avoid the cornicing or coving, deal with sloping ceilings and walls, and tackle scenarios where limited space is available for fixing brackets.
Customisation through the materials (metal or wood, for example), finish (matt, gloss etc.) and decorative finials (the pole and track ends) is also possible when going bespoke. Manufacturers offer a wide range of colours and also allow you to select the colour of your existing wall paint, e.g. by Farrow and Ball, for a blended aesthetic. Technology advances mean that motorised options are also available, which can be particularly helpful to your circumstance, say if travelling abroad or of limited mobility if disabled or elderly.
