How to Decorate a Bay Window for Christmas

Bay windows are the ultimate in decorating devices, especially during the holiday season. Anyone can make a window display that looks good and yet is simple and easy. Create a Christmas wonderland in your window and prepare for the compliments.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Small Christmas Tree
• White or Silver Fabric
• Tiny Snowflake Ornaments
• Angel Ornaments
• Icicle Ornaments
• Fishing Line
• Scissors
• Thin Silver Ribbon
• Thumb Tacks
• Several Colors of Acrylic Paint
• Cup of Water
• A Paper Plate
• Paper Towels
• A Few Paintbrushes
• Star for the Tree
• A Couple of Snowman Figurines

1. First of all, clean your windows and the floor in the surrounding area. It is a lot easier to do it now rather than after the bay window is decorated.

2. 
    
   Acrylic Paints

   The type of paint you will be using is called acrylic and is available at most craft stores and also in the craft section at Walmart. Relatively inexpensive, these paints are usable for just about everything you could ever think of. They clean up very easily as well, which is important since you will be painting your windows with them. Pick up a variety of colors. The paints will last for about a year after being opened, so whatever you don't use now can be used for other craft projects in the future. At the minimum, buy white, black, dark green, red, orange, and blue.

3. 
    
   Supplies

   Now, set out all the supplies you'll need for the windows. You’ll want to work quickly once you start using the paint so that it doesn’t dry before you are ready.

4. Now plan a winter scene in your head. This is what you will be painting on the windows. If you are really artistic you can put in a lot of elements such as children sledding, a quaint village, even skiers. If you aren't an artist just plan a few rolling snow-covered hills, a pine tree forest, and a few scattered snowmen.

5. The trick here is to that to decorate the window from the inside you will need to work from the foreground to the background in layers. This is a complicated way of saying you'll need to paint in the face of the snowmen before painting in their bodies. This requires a little forethought but is really simple once you get the hang of it.

6. Next, put a little paint of the paper plate. The plate will act as your palette. What colors you start with will depend on your scene but you might want a little orange for snowmen's carrot noses and some black for their eyes and buttons. Use a fine brush and dip it lightly into the orange paint. Now go to your window and paint a small orange triangle for a carrot nose. Do this for each of the snowmen. Next paint in the eyes, mouths, and buttons. You can also paint in some small scarves and stick arms. If you're adding sledders or anything else to the scene, do the detail work on them now. Always dip the brush into the cup of water and then wipe it on a paper towel before changing colors. Let the window dry. This should take about 10 minutes.

7. After the window is dry do another layer of paint as needed. This may mean adding another color to the scarves to create stripes or adding details to any other characters in your personal winter wonderland. You can also outline the snowmen's body shapes in black so they will stand out better. You could add a few evergreen trees along where the hills will soon be or other design elements. Use your imagination and remember to always work from the front to the back. Let that layer dry.

8. When those details are dry you can fill in the snowmen with white and let that dry too. Finish adding any elements the forest needs as well as any details you think the scene still needs. Let dry before the final coat.

9. Finally, you can finish your winter wonderland scene with some rolling snow-covered hills. Use broad strokes and a gentle flowing motion to paint them on. You can also paint a scattering of snowflakes on the window above the hills and maybe a star or two in the sky. Let your final coat dry while you work on the next step.

10. Tie lengths of fishing line to the top of each icicle ornament. Each length of line should be between 4-7 inches. Varying the lengths with make the scene look a lot better. After doing that, tie small knots in the other end of each length of line. Squeeze the point of a tack through each knot and then push the tack into the wall above the window so that the icicles drape down into the window. You can also do the same thing to add a few angel ornaments in the corners of the window as well.

11. Now, set the small Christmas tree in the center of the window. Drape the white or silver fabric around the base of the tree to hide the bottom of the tree as well as to make it more a part of the snow scene.

12. Decorate the tree with the small snowflake ornaments and then drape the silver ribbon around and around it for a garland. Top the tree with the star and add the snowmen figurines on either side and you're done.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't forget to take a picture of the window when you're done so you can remember your accomplishment.
• If you decorate the window this way every year you can use the photographs to compare your winter wonderlands and figure out more interesting and intriguing scenes to paint.

[AlishaV]

on 4/12/2009 I've been meaning to paint a window and take some pictures of it but I haven't had a chance. I'll try to get to it though. Thanks for the comments!

[tachic]

on 3/26/2009 I would love to see a pic of a bay window decorated- I'm more of a visual person. = ) But of course can't see the vision inside my head which is why my bay window remains boring.

[Kathymcbain]

on 12/28/2008 What a neat idea for decorating a bay window - kids would love to do this!! Although the window might look funny when they were done!

[Punkuns]

on 12/21/2008 What wonderful ideas! I wish I had a bay window to decorate….:(

[Thims]

on 12/12/2008 (*RT Bonus Comment ;-) I've seen those Christmas villages in alot of Bay windows. This would just add to the spirit of the holiday. Good article!