23+ Cool Bay Windows Ideas to Enhance Your Home's Beauty

BAY WINDOWS IDEAS – When we come into house architectures discussion, we have a lot to talk about. Architectures include the exterior and interior. Form the former; we can begin the chat with entrance doors, main design, color choices, size of the house, windows design, floor and so on.

The latter will talk about guestroom design, bathroom, dining room, rest room and also the decoration of each room. Therefore, we have millions experts which have their own specialty.

Now, we will talk about windows, the function of a window mainly to give light and good air flow to our house. Without window, we need more lamps and also fans to give chance for air to flow freely. When you build an ecofriendly house, you will need more windows and vents to save energy as you need less fan and lamp.

You get both ecofriendly and money saving house. It sounds good, doesn’t it?

As we know, we build windows to let light in and make the house brighter without lamp in day light. But, there are people who built to change the exterior scene of their beloved house, warehouse or whatever building they have. And honestly, they succeed doing it.

The shape of a bay window could be rectangular, arch shaped or even polygonal. If you opt for the last, people tend to call it a bow window. So far, people have been confused about the difference between bay windows and bow windows. In short, bay window is the older term and later has developed as the generic form of bow windows.

You can call it an oriel, or oriel window, especially when the bay widows stick out from wall and held by corbels.

If you want to have both functions we previously mentioned, you can choose bay windows. You will have them in one package. In this occasion we will learn the history, design, application and some other things.

History

It came in the period of English Renaissance. They were used in mansions, applied at the edge of great hall, sometimes behind the dais where the owner of the mansion lived.

It gave them a feel of authority and ability to see the condition outside the house freely. Furthermore, they used curtain to decorate the windows and also as a cover from outside view.

At the present time, you can take a look at the Chicago School. It is a beautiful emerging bay window. The architecture main purpose is getting maximum natural light, but, amazingly, it created a new style of bay windows.

Another good example is Jenney’s Manhattan Building. They perfectly displayed bay windows and also bow windows in one hit.

In medieval up to baroque building era, bay windows which appeared were mostly oriel windows. They were functioned as additional ornament for the building. You can find that they built it as small house chapel, with the windows have an altar and looked like a church architecture especially in gothic period.

In Nuremberg, Germany, they call them Chörlein (Little Apse or Little Choir). If you want to enjoy the example, just go to St. Sebaldus Church. Well, you can use Google images to save your time anyway.

Windows are not only made of brick stone, some of them use wood. This is applied in oriental style windows like Arab Mashrabiya. The design is preventing people to see inside freely, while we can view the outside with no restriction.

In tropical countries, the bay windows are completed with curtain, shield or private screen to give extra function. Compared to bay windows, the ordinary flat windows can’t give wider outside view and unable to give broader impression.

You will easily find them in semis detached, terraced and detached houses. Flats are not exceptions.

Bay windows come from Britain and then spread out to other countries, chiefly in English speaking countries, for examples: USA, Canada and Australia. Liverpool has Oriel Chambers as one of the samples.

In 2012, based on Google Street View photos of thousands cities, a machine powered research stated that bay windows is San Francisco characters of architecture.

For us, family will feel like a deep ocean. They are full of mixed aspects like sadness, happiness.

Sometimes, you feel like in heaven, because watching the beauty of some scenes. You dive in and find some glorious coral reef, jellyfish and unique creatures. Then you meet whale, shark which threaten your life into the edge. As a result, you need to get away to the slow part of the ocean, like a bay.

We are sure that some of you design your home to fulfill that needs. A bay window is a particular glass-sided window in your home that sticks out from the building structure.

From the outside, you will see it as an expansion part, pulled out of the house but still hanging there. It delivers a different dimension from the distance. When you look from the inside, it gives you a design which is close of bay function to the ocean. It is a narrow exit that split from the main house.

You can use it as a temporary escape, when you need a time to stay away from the others for a moment. The short one we meant, like three or five minutes. It provides you a better space than get in to the room.

Function

Well, when you learn about bay windows, you will find that your perception is wrong. At first, people didn’t aim like you do when they built them, like creating a hideaway area from other families. They build them to widen the wall surface, and finally, give more natural light.

Bay windows let the light go in through that wall. You see, when you set up your windows beyond your wall, the light will have a good entrance compared if you set your window in line with the wall. It is the basic function of the bay windows.

A lot of people love this window because it presents wider space, brighter room and give extra decoration for the room.

Treatment

Ok, after some serious talk, let’s go to the next one. If you have bay windows at your house, you may confuse how to treat them properly. And, the fact that it is the first time you have it can make it worse.

You may feel awkward to dress them, but these gorgeous window treatments will make a striking point in any room. You know, bay windows are a magnificent addition, but treating them correctly can be complicated things.

Here’s some simple yet elegant ways to treat them as it should be. No need to worry as they work in any room and space.

Silk

It is the first way people use to improve the appearance of bay windows, and it still works. the silk panel will deliver a contemporary twist when you decide to put on fabric tape for every panels. You can choose another way, although it can be more expensive. Get a silk with two colors, the first you can use for the body. The rest can be applied at the bottom or top.

Drapery

Some designers suggest that the best location for drapery panels is the wall behind the bay window. You have to choose the fabrics cautiously. If you don’t, you will get the view obstructed. Furthermore, the basic principle of panel application is to frame it. Put them on a high to avoid short impression. Use a simple trick to raise the ceiling visually, like setting up the rod a few inches higher. It’s simple but it works.

Contemporary Valance

This is a kind of top treatment for your bay window. For us, a valance is a perfect answer if you want to make an inviting and exposed room. When your building is a formal one, you can use shutters, completed with fabric valance which considering some other items like pillows, on top. Another idea is using the fixed one. It provides extra privacy for you.

Roman Shades

Another option to update the look of your bay windows is applying Roman shades. It delivers elegance and functional aspect in one box. If you want to get a lively and interesting window style, you can opt for the flat one. Your bay windows will never get old.

Hardware

Next, we suggest you to use hinged elbow. It can swivel and let the rod applied continuously. The basic reason is, people are having difficulties to get a perfect fit rod for their bay windows. The different, sometimes customs, layout of bay window make factories lazy to produce small amount of special rod.

The ceiling mount brackets answers your need flawlessly. At first, you need to decide what look you want to obtained. And then you can go for selecting rod based on the style you chose.

Window Seat

It an additional item but you can get an enhanced view when your choice is appropriate. A window seat with some well selected cushions and pillows come in harmony will make a fabulous unity. Remember, synchronize the color and use two colors maximum, otherwise you will get a childish effect.

Combination

You can come up with Roman blinds and curtains. You can apply it for every bay window. Please make sure to hang them over the windows frame. It is important to make sure that you cover the glass completely and leaving no gaps at the end of each blinds.

If you want a plain curtain but matching color, you can opt for blinds contain big floral motifs. It is one of the simple solutions for your things. The curtains have some extra function like giving more privacy, protect from cold weather and add some uniqueness.

Bottom Curtain

It creates an informal effect for the house. Look at the bottom half; you can hang some fabric or even linen there. They will allow light going through the top half yet your privacy is safe. We pick The Natural Curtain Company for light fabric.

Hang a curtain

When we deal with curves and bends, we should be very careful because it may expensive, and importantly, needs a lot of cash. The solution is to separate each pole. At the middle, you can hang two curtains and apply another one to frame the sides. After you finished, you will be amazed on how it looks.

It gives sophisticated appearance and emphasizes your focus on the bay windows. For the choice, we vote for Colefax and Fowler. Remember, to draw your eyes up and build a wider space sense, you need to utilize dark fabric.

Hang a curtain across the front of the bay

You can create a simple and free style bay window, by hanging a thin wire rail across. Apply a light curtain to get the light in without losing your privacy. We suggest IKEA rail.

Panels and curtains

Light diffusion can be created by using light patterned fabric screens. It also creates extra privacy at bay windows. You can put the screens on a sliding rail. Usually it is designed to fit the bay windows curves.

Curtain for each

You only need to draw and fit it on to the rail. A bold designed fabric will be great to deliver an eye-catching frame. Our picks are IKEA and Harlequin.

Finally, our discussion comes to an end. We have been through several serious and less serious topics. Have you decided which bay windows you chose for yours? Well, we advise to design your own bay windows as you are the only person who comprehends your personal preferences and taste.

You can consult with your couple about the color combination and fabric. Two are better than one, right?

You can surf the internet to get astonishing ideas and design. If you are in doubt, you can go for advices from some architects. If you think about the fee, calm down, there is a lot of free advices. Just be patient because the queue is not short. Good luck!