Our home features a bay window (on the street side) of our neighborhood. When we moved in the bay window had the retracting sheers and lined drapes...but it was hiding so much of the beauty of the windows. I took down the drapes, sheers, and hardware.

In the daytime the beauty of the windows shines through. I opted to place patterned panels in between the bay windows and the outer edges.I placed these patterned panels all the way up in the underneath area of the bay window. I also have linen sheers (recommend either white or ivory) that are installed on rods directly over the windows themselves. I can pull the sheers all the way to the side and leave the window bare...or leave the sheers over the windows.

I highly recommend neutral sheers (I love the look of linen). Also neutral sheers (because they give the neighborhood a more uniform identity) ...and more street appeal.

The personality is seen inside the home where you can have punches of pattern and color in the panels that stack on the outside and inside areas of the bay window. I have many compliments on this setup and have many who have copied it...very flattering.

It is a more modern look than the look of all the heavy drapery that was there before and took up so much visual space. Because there are places where four panels (not five that I would prefer) ...but it is a bay window ...right? A fifth can be added with a valance(s) on the large middle window...or on all three windows...depending on your preference. A coordinating pattern or color can also be used for the valance(s).