Arched Window Blinds and Treatments

One of the most common types of specialty windows, arches add architectural detail and interest to a home. They come in many different sizes and configurations, including traditional, elongated, quarter-round, half-moon, half-circle, eyebrow and Gothic styles. For all their character, though, arched windows can also present challenges when it comes to privacy and light control.

Hunter Douglas offers a broad range of custom arched window blinds, shades and shutters that enhance privacy and provide light control, making it easy to complete the look of your room, whatever your décor.

Which Window Treatment Is Right for Your Arched Window?

The right treatment for an arched window, whether blinds, shades, shutters or drapery, depends on whether you need to open and close it, and on how much light, privacy and insulation you want. Start with the need, then look at the treatment that answers it.

Many arched windows sit above a standard rectangular window. You can cover the arch and the window below with matching treatments, or leave the arch open and cover only the lower window for privacy.

Cellular Shades for Arched Windows

Cellular shades are one of the most popular treatments for covering arches, but many cellular options for arched windows are stationary. To get the most out of your window treatments, opt for an adjustable style.

Duette^® Honeycomb Shades are made in arched shapes, including Gothic arches, half-circles and half-moons, and some arch styles can be raised and lowered like a standard shade. They come in light-filtering and room-darkening fabrics, so you can soften the light from a sunny arch or darken one in a bedroom.

The honeycomb cells trap air at the window, which improves energy efficiency in rooms where a large arch lets heat in or out. That makes cellular shades a practical choice for tall arched windows in great rooms and stairwells.

Shutters for Arched Windows

Shutters are a classic, durable solution for arched windows in everything from a coastal home to a traditional colonial. Available in natural hardwood or composite, shutters for arches can follow the shape of the window for a sunburst effect—or they can run horizontally to complement other shutters in your room. Open and close the louvres for as much or as little light control as you want.

Shutters for arches can follow the shape of the window for a sunburst effect, or they can run horizontally to complement other shutters in the room. Open and close the louvers for as much or as little light control as you want.

Hunter Douglas makes arched shutters in three materials. Heritance^® Wood Shutters are crafted from natural hardwood for a warm, traditional look. NewStyle^® Composite Shutters have the look of painted wood with a composite build that resists warping. Palm Beach^™ Polysatin^™ Shutters stand up to heat and humidity, which makes them a good fit for kitchens and bathrooms.

For an arch above a rectangular window, the arched shutter can stay fixed in place while the panels below open, so the arch keeps its shape while you adjust light and privacy lower down. Shutters also suit arched windows on a street-facing wall, because the louvers can be angled for privacy without closing the room off from daylight.

Blinds for Arched Windows

Many people say "blinds" for any window covering, but true blinds, with horizontal slats you tilt to adjust light, are also made for arches. Hunter Douglas makes wood blinds in arched shapes, including Gothic arches, half-circles and half-moons.

Parkland^® Wood Blinds are crafted from real hardwood for a warm, natural look that suits traditional rooms. EverWood^® Faux Wood Blinds have the look of painted or stained wood and hold up well in kitchens, bathrooms and other humid rooms.

Like arched shutters, an arched blind usually stays fixed in place, with the slats set to the angle you choose, while a standard blind on the window below raises and lowers. Matching the slat size and finish across both keeps the window looking like one treatment.

Drapery for Arched Windows

You may not think of drapery as an arched window treatment, but it's an elegant solution for this specialty shape. It works particularly well in rooms with high ceilings, where drapery hung above the arch adds height to the whole wall. Simply hang the drapery rod above the arch. When the drapery is open you keep the full view of the arch, and when it is closed you have privacy and light control.

You could also elevate your view by layering window treatments. Combine drapery with arched Duette shades to add another design element to your room, with the shade handling light and insulation and the drapery framing the window. Choose a sheer drapery fabric to soften the light while keeping the arch in view, or a lined fabric for more privacy.

Sheer Shades for Arched Windows

If you're looking for a window treatment to simply cover an arched window, rather than one you open and close, you might consider sheer shades.

Silhouette^® Window Shadings are made in arched shapes, including Gothic arches, half-circles and half-moons. Their soft fabric vanes sit between two sheer layers and diffuse the daylight coming through the arch, and the sheer fabric filters UV rays to help protect floors and furnishings. Because an arched sheer shade stays in place, it works best on arches above eye level, where you want softened light rather than a view.

Other Specialty Window Shapes

Arched windows often share a home with other specialty shapes, and each shape has its own set of options. Round and oval windows can be covered with shades cut to follow the curve, much like an arch, and they raise the same questions about light and privacy. Angled windows, common under sloped ceilings and in great rooms, need treatments that follow the line of the slope rather than a simple curve. Planning treatments for every specialty window at the same time keeps the look consistent from room to room.

Get Expert Help with Arched Windows

Arched windows are custom by nature, and no two arches are exactly alike. The width, height and curve of the arch all affect which treatments will fit and whether they can open and close. As with all specialty shapes, consult your local Hunter Douglas specialist when deciding which product will work best for your arched windows. A specialist can measure the arch, show you samples in your own light and recommend the right treatment for each room. They can also advise on whether an inside or outside mount suits the window frame.