Bay Windows, Arched Windows & Skylights in Maryland Homes – Which Window Treatments Actually Work?

Maryland houses are chock full of personality. Whether it’s the Colonials of Bethesda, the Victorian row houses of Silver Spring or the newer construction town homes that blanket Rockville, Clarksburg and Germantown, they all have one thing in common: architectural windows, which are a marvel to view but are a nightmare to frame.

Front yard with bay windows extending out. Arched Transoms over doorways and over bedroom windows. Staircases with skylights letting light into the hallways. All of these elements bring a lot of visual interest, natural light and a new window treatment problem to any Maryland home – one that normal blinds and shades just didn’t anticipate.

Ever measured an arched window, looked at a skylight or struggled to figure out how to cover a bay window without it appearing as three crudely put together windows? Then this guide is for you. We’re going to discuss the specific window treatments available for each architectural window type, as well as those to stay away from, and why the right window treatment, when it’s installed properly, can make a world of difference in the unpredictable climate of Maryland.

Why Architectural Windows Are Different – And Why It Matters in Maryland

It is important to recognize why these windows are dealt with in a different way altogether before getting into any solutions.

Standard rectangular windows, which have parallel sides and a uniform depth, are intended to fit off-the-shelf blinds and shades, which also have tolerances. But architectural windows do not follow any of those rules. They’re round, bent, shaped, or in places (ceilings, stairwells, above doors) where mounting is not a standard way.

In Maryland, this is more relevant than in many markets, because of two reasons:

Climate performance. Maryland is a climate crossroads – it’s hot, humid and humidified by the Chesapeake Bay, and it’s cold, cold and cold enough to cause window problems. Heat gain is a significant contributor during the summer and heat loss during the winter, with the bay windows having larger glass areas. In summer, skylights let in a lot of direct sunlight, while in winter they are shown as a good heat loss through the glass. Making the right window treatments choice isn’t merely a choice of style and design; it’s a quantifiable energy efficiency decision.

Home value and architecture. Maryland’s housing stock is older and has a lot of character, but not as much as many suburbs. Pre-war and mid-century houses are built all over Montgomery County, Prince George’s County, and Northern Virginia with arched windows and transoms. They’re one of the quickest ways to sabotage a room’s design and a home’s resale appeal if not treated the right way – or left bare.

Bay Windows: Light, Privacy, and the Corner Problem

Probably the biggest window problem in Maryland houses is the bay window. The issue is not the windows, it’s the corners. Two panes that meet at an angle have gaps, awkward overlaps or simply don’t fit the non-rectangular shape.

What Actually Works for Bay Windows

Cellular Shades – The Top Recommendation

Custom cellular (honeycomb) shades designed for every separate window piece in the bay are always the most versatile option for Maryland bay windows. Here are the reasons why they work so well:

No cutting and no measuring, each shade is built exactly to fit inside its pane. The combination of the honeycomb cells insulating each pane one at a time is significant in a bay window where the additional glass surface area can exert a significant load on the HVAC system during both the summer and winter months. Being able to open and close bay window cellular shades in a typical Maryland Colonial can make a significant impact on the living room or bedroom’s thermal efficiency – and your utility bills.

Top down bottom up cellular shades are especially useful on bay windows that are facing the street or a neighboring property. The top of each pane can be lowered to obscure an outside view and the lower half remains open to allow light to pass.

Plantation Shutters – The Premium, Permanent Choice

Bay windows with plantation shutters make a statement. Shutters are constructed panel by panel to accommodate each specific pane, even the angled return sections, making it the most effective treatment for geometry of a bay window. They’re designed to blend into the architecture and look like it’s built-in, and that’s a look you want in a Maryland home you will be selling.

Plantation shutters for a bay window are one of the best window treatments to invest in for Bethesda, Potomac and Chevy Chase homeowners who are looking for high-quality finishes and expect their homes to be worth as much as they can.

What to Avoid on Bay Windows

Do not use a single long curtain rod to close the window grouping together unless you intend to partition off the grouping completely. This way the architectural appearance of the bay is removed, it prevents light from passing through all three panes at once and creates the impression of a flat surface rather than a recessed bay. It is a mistake that’s difficult to undo without leaving a hole in the wall.

Arched Windows and Transom Windows: Curves Are the Enemy of Standard Blinds

Arched and transom windows are the most misunderstood architectural challenge, if the bay window is the most common. Maryland homeowners often make one of two mistakes: they leave it entirely barren (no privacy or energy efficiency) or they attempt to install a flat rectangular blind that crosses the curve (sitting awkwardly and incompletely).

Neither approach is necessary. Here’s what actually works.

Dedicated Arch Treatments – The Right Solution

Movable Arch Shades

Made to the specific curve of your window, purpose-built arch shades are custom-fabricated. While flat blinds can be adapted to an arch window, movable arch shades are cut to the curve of the window opening, mount securely in the arch frame and are designed to be raised and lowered (or pivoted) to regulate light and privacy.

BuyHomeBlinds stocks a variety of movable arch shades that are the perfect choice for the arched windows that are frequently found in the older homes of Maryland – whether the half-round arch found in Federal style homes throughout Montgomery County or the elliptical arch commonly found in suburban homes built in the 1980s and 1990s across Fairfax County and Howard County.

Fabric Fan Shades for Fixed Arches

A fabric fan shade custom sewn to the arch profile will add a touch of elegance and create a finished look to the window over a door that is purely decorative – the arch is set in place and fan control is not the reason for the use of the fan shade.

Shutters on the Rectangular Section, Left Arch Bare

Many Maryland houses feature a semi-circular window over a rectangular window below. The easiest and cleanest solution is to use plantation shutters or cellular shades (for all the light control you’ll ever need) on the rectangular space and then just leave the arch space alone or treat it differently with a fabric fan. The concern for solving the problem of the arch is dropped, and the arch becomes a decorative element framing the light.

What to Avoid on Arched Windows

Do not allow a rectangular blind to drape over an arched window. The bare space is a problem because it is not a treatment at all, and the lack of uniformity means that the beauty of the arch is marred. So if you aren’t sure if you need a moving treatment or a decorative one, this is the sort of judgment call we make every day in our in-home consultation.

Skylights: The Hardest Window to Treat – And the Most Worth Getting Right

Skylights are one of the three types of windows that this guide addresses, and they are the most technically challenging window treatment to deal with – and have the highest upside if configured properly.

Maryland skylights have a distinct issue: near-direct sunshine falls on skylights with high intensity and long duration throughout the summer months from late Spring to early Fall. If not treated correctly, one skylight can increase a room’s temperature by several degrees, cause intense glare on screens and furniture, and cause UV fading of flooring and upholstery. During the winter the same skylight is a major source of heat loss – glass is a poor insulator and a bare skylight lets heat escape through the ceiling.

What Actually Works for Skylights

Motorized Cellular Shades – The Gold Standard

The best option on all the performance parameters is motorized cellular shades that are made for skylights. The cellular structure provides insulation in both directions (summer heat gain and winter heat loss). Here, the motorized lift is not a luxury, but a necessity. By definition, Skylights are unreachable. Using a manual cord system is cumbersome, if not impossible. Realistic daily adjustment is made possible with motorized operation by remote control, Smartphone App or smart home voice command (Alexa, Google Home, Apple HomeKit).

Blackout Skylight Shades for Bedrooms and Nurseries

Blackout fabric for a motorized skylight shade set over a bedroom, as is often done in the master suites in Maryland and in upstairs nurseries, offers the same total darkness as blackout blinds on vertical windows. If this has ever happened at 5:30 AM in June to anyone who has been inside their bedroom window and watched the sunrise, you know how important this is!

Solar Shades for Living Areas and Hallways

In a bright open living room, kitchen or open hallway, a solar shade made of an open weave fabric will still preserve the openness and brightness of the space, while keeping glare out and minimizing UV rays. Openings of 3–5% allow solar fabric to shade most of the direct glare while leaving views of the outside, particularly sky, intact.

Proper Installation Is Non-Negotiable for Skylights

This is so important to note: most homeowners never install skylights themselves. The brackets must fit into the skylight frame properly and the shade must be pulled tight and not billow or sag, and motorized shades must be wired or battery configured properly. Fitting a shade on a skylight incorrectly causes functional issues (the shade will not stay up or the shade will not close) and safety issues (hardware over the head that is not secured). We have the manufacturer’s knowledge and the required ladder equipment, mounting hardware, and professionals on staff to regularly install skylight treatments in Maryland, DC, and Northern Virginia.

Choosing the Right Treatment: A Quick Decision Guide for Maryland Homeowners