Christine Schwalm Design

I received this question from a reader about how to dress an awkwardly shaped window in her home.  Can you tell me what is the best way to dress a window that is pointed at the top and rectangular down to the sill?  I find that dressing a window is a lot like dressing a person.  No, stay with me on this, it really does make sense. 

You've got the functional aspect of window treatments--does it block light in the morning, keep in the heat during winter, etc.  And then you've got the more decorative issues: Do you want something contemporary and simple or more ornate?  Do you want to to highlight certain details or camouflage them?  Every morning you need to get dressed but you usually consider the weather, the day's activities and making the most of the build you've got. 

Without knowing a few more specifics about your room, it's a little tricky to give you advice but I'll start with this: decide if you like the pointed top or not.  If you do, then you may want to go with something similar to this picture.  Panels hung from a rod that bisects the window at the tallest horizontal point make the pointed top a more featured architectural element.  For a more romantic look, you could swag fabric to follow the shape of the window using rosettes at the peak and corners. 

If you don't like the pointed top, you can use a cornice like the picture above, to conceal the top.  A cornice is better than a valance because it will effectively block the light and create a more convincing illusion. 

Whether you choose to highlight the shape or conceal it is really just a matter of personal preference but either way, let me know what you decide.