Angled Windows in Vaulted Ceiling

by Gary Gutcher
(Richmond Virginia)

Question

I have a large living area with a vaulted ceiling that looks out on the water through a wall that is largely glass with a large peaked area of trapezoidal, fixed glass.

Below the fixed glass are typical windows but they run nearly from floor to about 8 feet. When we first renovated this area, we installed Bali Diamond Dell 3/8 inch blinds in White #2401. They are only on the lower windows and open down/up and up/down. These existing blinds are 36 in. wide by 60 in. tall.

I now wish to cover the trapezoidal glass above the existing glass and blinds using the same manufacturer, material and color, if possible.

The attached sketch shows that there are 8 glass panes (4 on each side of the peak), but that the smallest panes are too small to be covered, leaving a need for 6 shades, 3 left hand slope and 3 right (as mirror images of the other side).

As I said, they are trapezoidal...almost. The two largest panes in the middle do not have a completely straight upper border. About 1/2 of the way across, the top border becomes horizontal. I believe the most direct treatment is to construct the blinds for those two panes as if they really were flat across.

I have included photos of the windows and a sketch with dimensions.The sketch has the vertical, inside mounting dimensions of each pane. They are all 36 inches wide and panes 4,5,and 6 are mirror images of 1,2,and 3.

Please remember that these are all above ceiling height so that control lines will need to extend about 4 feet below the bottom of the blinds.

An alternative is to construct two triangular blinds, each covering the triangle of space defined by either side...probably exceeding the ability to support its own weight.

I am interested in your thoughts about how to deal with this area. Please give me your suggestions and associated prices if delivered in Richmond, VA.

Answer from The Window Treatment Expert

Hi Gary

You are looking for a solution that will allow your windows to be covered while preserving the view. Right?

We have a special system for trapezoid windows that allows you to open the shade for full view and close it completely leaving no area uncovered.


When opened, the shade stacks on the angled slope of the window.

Click here to see a diagram of how this unique window covering works.

We can also cover the two small corner triangle windows with this same window covering.

The two center windows, however, have the top point of the angle cut off making it a half straight side hexagon.

With this shape window the shade cannot stack on the top therefore we use a top-down bottom compressing window shade for it.

Click here to see a diagram of how the window covering for the half straight side hexagon window works.

Manufacturer, material and color

We use only Hunter Douglas cellular shade fabric for these window coverings so you will have to find a matching fabric from their selection to your existing shades.

Check out www.hunterdouglas.com and choose from the Duette and Applause light filtering fabrics and the Architella room darkening and light filtering fabrics.

Once you give me the fabric number I will give you a price quote for your windows.

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