Custom Arched Window Treatments for a Stylish Home

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The challenge of a special window is to dress it well without overpowering its unique look and shape.  Arched windows present their own set of challenges for decorating, but arched window treatments can make the most of your window’s elegant lines and extra light.  When considering various arched window treatments, think about which aspect of the arch is most important to you.  Is it the dramatic shape, the extra light, or the privacy you would like to preserve?  Do you want to create a dramatic bedroom, or an airy, light kitchen or living room?  Whatever look or feel you’re going for, you can find arched window treatments to accent and complement the room.

One common arched window treatment is the pleated fabric, half-round, arch shade.   These shades are usually stationary and permit diffused light while still affording privacy, keeping heat gain down, and protecting furniture from harsh, direct UV light.  Some pleated half-round shades come in peel-and-stick models that can be affixed without screws, nails or brackets and can be cut to the exact size of your arch.  There is a wide variety of fixed, cellular fabric arch shades to complement upholstery, bed coverings or existing cellular shades.  As long as the height of the arch is exactly half its width, you will have no problem finding a wide variety of pleated or cellular shades ready to hang.  If you want a seriously stylish treatment, consider new motorized, pleated arch shades that fold open from the center and retract into the horizontal bar at the bottom of the arch.

For a more rustic or richer feel, you could also try a fixed wooden treatment.  One such treatment involves slats fixed at a forty-five degree angle to diffuse light and limit the amount of heat that enters your home. These wooden slats could be selected to match a favored piece of furniture, a dining set, cabinets or even hardwood floors.  Wooden blackout arch treatments are another option for more privacy and offer the opportunity to create a dramatic design piece above your window.

If your arched window is not a half-round, or if it comes to more of a point, you might explore custom built treatments.   As an alternative, you might leave the arch itself untreated and use a simple gathered sheer or cafe curtain to give you an option for privacy without distracting from your window’s elegant shape.

The best treatment for arched windows is custom made shutters with operable or fixed louvers, either horizontal or in a Starburst configuration with the louvers radiating out from a center hub.  The shutter panels can be hinged or magnetized into place and removable for glass cleaning.