Introduction
Not every window is a simple rectangle.
Perth homes include bay windows, corner glazing, arches, narrow sidelights, raked windows, skylights and floor-to-ceiling glass installed close to walls or ceilings.
These features can add enormous architectural interest, but they can also make window furnishing decisions more difficult.
A standard blind may leave exposed glass, collide with a handle or prevent the window from opening properly. In other situations, there may be nowhere obvious to install the brackets or stack the furnishing.
This is where custom planning becomes essential.
For homeowners looking for blinds in Perth, an unusual window should be assessed according to its shape, access, orientation and construction rather than treated as an oversized version of a standard opening.
Begin With the Purpose of the Blind
Before deciding how to cover an unusual window, establish what problem needs to be solved.
The priority may be:
- Privacy
- Glare reduction
- Heat control
- Room darkening
- Protection of furnishings
- Decorative softness
- Easier operation
- Making several different windows look cohesive
Not every unusual window needs to be completely covered.
A high clerestory window may provide excellent natural light without affecting privacy. It may only need a blind if it creates glare or excess heat.
A bay window in a bedroom may need strong room darkening, while the same window in a living room may only require a light-filtering treatment.
Defining the purpose prevents the design becoming unnecessarily complicated.
Bay Windows
Bay windows create depth and often become a focal point in the room.
They can contain three or more individual sections set at angles to one another. The main challenge is fitting the blinds closely without handles, brackets or control mechanisms colliding at the corners.
Possible solutions include individual Roman blinds, roller blinds or Venetians fitted to each section.
Roman blinds can provide a soft and tailored appearance, making them suitable for bedrooms and formal living rooms.
Roller blinds offer a cleaner look but require careful calculation of fabric gaps at each angle.
Venetian blinds provide adjustable light control, although the headrails and controls need enough clearance.
Curtains may also be installed across the complete bay or around its internal shape. The correct approach depends on whether the homeowner wants to emphasise the bay or visually simplify it.
A window seat adds another consideration. The blind should operate without catching on cushions or furniture.
Corner Windows
Corner windows are common in contemporary and architect-designed homes.
They allow light to enter from two directions and can provide expansive views. However, blinds meeting at the corner may leave a gap or overlap awkwardly.
Separate roller blinds can be installed on each face, but the position of the tubes and brackets needs to be planned carefully.
One blind may need to sit slightly in front of the other. This should be arranged so the most important viewing angle remains visually clean.
Curtains can sometimes provide a softer solution, particularly where a curved or continuous track can follow the room.
For a minimal appearance, the installation should be considered early in a renovation or new build. Recesses, bulkheads and concealed tracks are much easier to create before construction is complete.
Arched and Curved Windows
Arched windows are an attractive feature in traditional, Mediterranean and some contemporary homes.
Their upper curve is difficult to cover with a conventional blind.
One option is to leave the curved section uncovered and fit a blind across the rectangular lower portion. This preserves the architectural shape while providing privacy at eye level.
Where complete coverage is required, a specialist fixed or shaped treatment may be necessary.
Curtains installed above and outside the complete opening can also cover the arch. This is often the simplest way to achieve strong room darkening.
The curtain track or rod should be positioned to frame the window attractively when the curtains are open.
The homeowner should decide whether the objective is to display the arch or make the window appear more conventional.
Raked and Angled Windows
Raked windows follow a sloping roofline and are frequently found in homes with vaulted ceilings.
A standard roller blind cannot always cover the angled section because gravity pulls the fabric vertically.
Special tensioned systems may be required to hold the fabric in position.
In some rooms, the most practical solution is to cover only the rectangular portion and leave the upper angle open. This works where privacy is not a concern and the upper glass does not introduce excessive heat.
External shading may be more effective where the angled glass receives strong sun.
The design should also account for access. A blind installed several metres above the floor will usually require motorisation or an extension control.
Skylights and Roof Windows
Skylights bring valuable daylight into hallways, bathrooms and central rooms.
They can also introduce heat and glare because they face the sky and may receive direct sunlight for extended periods.
A skylight blind needs side channels or tension to prevent the fabric hanging away from the glass.
Blockout fabrics are useful in bedrooms and media rooms. Light-filtering fabrics may be more suitable where the objective is simply to soften brightness.
The Australian Government’s Your Home guidance on glazing and shading highlights the importance of considering glass area, orientation and solar exposure.
Because skylights are difficult to reach, motorised control is often practical. Power access, battery maintenance and future servicing should be considered before selecting the system.
Narrow and Tall Windows
Modern homes often contain narrow windows beside front doors, in stairwells or between kitchen cabinets.
A very narrow roller blind may not operate as effectively as a standard-width blind because the hardware occupies a significant proportion of the opening.
Venetian blinds, Roman blinds or a small sheer curtain may be more suitable depending on the location.
For a front-door sidelight, privacy is usually the main concern. A translucent or light-filtering treatment can obscure direct views while preserving daylight.
Tall stairwell windows create an access challenge. Motorisation may be required, but the blind must also be positioned where it can be serviced safely.
Windows Close to Walls or Cabinets
A window positioned directly beside a wall, wardrobe or overhead cabinet may not have enough room for standard brackets.
The blind may also collide with a cupboard door, window handle or tap.
These details should be identified during measuring.
Possible solutions include:
- Face-fitting the blind outside the recess
- Reverse-rolling the fabric
- Moving the blind forward on extension brackets
- Using a different blind type
- Dividing one blind into smaller sections
- Choosing curtains instead
There is no benefit in forcing a preferred product into a space where it cannot operate correctly.
A different window furnishing may produce a cleaner and more reliable result.
Oversized Glass
Large glass openings deserve their own engineering considerations.
The width and weight may exceed the recommended limits for a single blind. Dividing the opening into multiple blinds can improve reliability, but creates gaps between fabrics.
The divisions should align with window or door frames so they look intentional.
Motorisation may make wide blinds easier to use and reduce uneven manual handling.
Fabric choice is also important. Some materials may bow or move in strong airflow across a broad span.
Although Sandy’s Designs has separate guidance about blinds for large windows, unusual oversized glass may also involve corners, rakes, limited fixing points or access constraints. These factors require a more specialised solution than size alone.
Consider How the Window Opens
The blind must not prevent the window from functioning.
Awning, casement, sliding and double-hung windows all move differently.
Check:
- The direction in which the window opens
- The position of handles
- The depth of the reveal
- Whether flyscreens need to be removed
- Whether the blind blocks ventilation
- Whether cords or chains can catch on hardware
In some cases, a face-fitted blind gives the window more room to operate. In others, a recess fit creates the cleanest result.
The installation needs to be planned around everyday use, not only how the blind looks while closed.
When Curtains Are the Better Answer
An unusual window does not always require an unusual blind.
Curtains can sometimes cover a complex opening more simply and attractively.
A curtain installed across a bay, arch or group of differently sized windows can create one continuous visual treatment.
This may also improve room darkening by extending beyond the glass.
Pelmets can conceal tracks, irregular frames or changes in ceiling height while adding a more finished appearance.
The most successful result may combine a blind for close control at the glass with a curtain for softness and broader coverage.
Professional Measuring Matters
Custom window furnishings depend on accurate measurements, but unusual windows involve more than width and height.
The installer may need to assess:
- Angles
- Changes in depth
- Available fixing surfaces
- Window movement
- Stacking space
- Electrical access
- Obstacles
- Whether walls and ceilings are level
Many older and renovated homes are not perfectly square. A difference of only a few millimetres can become visible when several blinds meet at a corner.
Professional measuring allows these issues to be identified before the furnishings are manufactured.
Conclusion
Unusual windows should be treated as architectural features rather than inconveniences. The right window furnishing can preserve their shape and character while adding the privacy, glare control and comfort the room needs.
Bay windows may suit several coordinated blinds. Corner windows require carefully planned meeting points. Arches, raked glass and skylights may need specialist treatments or a creative combination of blinds and curtains. There is rarely a reliable off-the-shelf answer.
Explore custom blinds made for Perth homes, consider Sandy’s curtain and pelmet solutions or request professional measuring advice for a difficult window.