See how to furnish a bay window or merely enjoy the view more, in both casual and formal settings
Elizabeth Miller
With a
background in preservation and architecture, Boston-based interior
designer Liz Miller combines classic style with a focus on function,
providing timeless solutions for her clients. A mother of two, she's
always on the lookout for family-friendly solutions that can make your
house a home. Visit her at ermillerdesign.com
The bay window is a blessing and a curse. If you have one, you might
not know what to do with it. If you don’t have one, you dream of all
the things you could do with it.
No matter which group you fall into, these ideas for either utilizing a bay window or adding one can help.
No matter which group you fall into, these ideas for either utilizing a bay window or adding one can help.
Bay windows — or bow windows, as
they are called when they’re more rounded, as on this building — date
back to medieval times. In those days a small bump-out was often used as a chapel or altar.
Roots of Style: Does Your House Have a Medieval Heritage?
Roots of Style: Does Your House Have a Medieval Heritage?
They caught on in Britain in
Victorian-style architecture and were adopted into American buildings in
the late 1800s, where they proved popular on the West Coast. A bay
window is probably one of the first things you think of when you picture
a house in San Francisco.
The added floor space and light
make bay windows an attractive home feature. But figuring out how to get
the most out of one can be a challenge. One of the most common uses is
with a window seat. Here an antique table in front of the seat provides a
place for a game, but the height hinders its use for dining.
More about adding a bay window to your home
More about adding a bay window to your home
A built-in banquette is your best
option when using a bay window for dining. Be sure to choose a
pedestal-style table, make sure the height is right and leave plenty of
legroom underneath.
This is a snug curved arrangement, but it works well.
This is a snug curved arrangement, but it works well.
When installing a banquette
inside a bay window, consider not only the height of the seat and room
for legs, but also the height of the back cushions. In this home a shelf
behind the back cushion provides a transition to the windowsill.
If you want a casual look and
your bay window is located on the ground level (and you don’t have
children), install the banquette just below the sill and toss on some
pillows.
It’s a good idea to cover the seat cushion with a washable slipcover made from indoor-outdoor fabric, since dirt is an inevitable by-product of bringing the outside in.
It’s a good idea to cover the seat cushion with a washable slipcover made from indoor-outdoor fabric, since dirt is an inevitable by-product of bringing the outside in.
Or go with a high windowsill, to provide back support without the need for a built-in upholstered back.
If you’re adding a bay window and
want to make it a spot for eating, consider raising the windowsills so
they’re right above table height, then build a dining counter directly
into the bay.
Built-in desks are a beautiful
way to use a bay window too. Again, make sure your windowsills are at
the proper height for the desktop, and it’s ideal if you don’t have any
baseboard heaters in the way. Keep an eye on the sunlight to make sure
the glare isn’t too strong on your computer monitor; window treatments
can regulate the light, but if they’re closed all day, it could defeat
the purpose of sitting in the bay.
A bay window is also the perfect
place to showcase a freestanding desk, especially a vintage or unique
piece. Here wood blinds help moderate the light and still allow a view
to the outside.
Maybe you have a tall,
freestanding radiator in your bay window. In this home, the owners
accepted that fact and used a single chair and window treatments to
define the space but still make it feel like part of the room.
If you can accommodate a
floor-to-ceiling bay window, you won’t regret it, given the amount of
light and perceived space it can create. Just keep in mind what you’ll
be looking at and who might be looking in at you if you’re in a more populated area.
Learn more about this kitchen bump-out
Learn more about this kitchen bump-out
In a more suburban or rural
setting, a floor-to-ceiling bay window with no window treatments can
push a space right into the backyard, with no interruption even near
ground level. The gloss finish on this floor highlights the effect,
while the transom breaks up the height of the bays.
On a smaller scale, consider a
transitional-style bay bumped out onto the patio, again linking the
activity of the outside space to the inside space.
In the dining room, a bay window is a natural fit for a bar cart or a console outfitted as a bar.
With no other furniture to distract, this dining table comfortably mimics the shape of the bay window, so it looks as if the table and window could fit together like puzzle pieces.
You’re typically limited as to
the size of furniture you can fit within a bay window. However, a love
seat can provide plenty of seating when paired with other pieces of
furniture.
Consider creating a “faux”
bay window by building out the walls on either side of a conventional
window. Insert bookcases into the sides of the bay, and use the space
below the seat for drawer or cabinet storage.
Storage that opens from the
top is smart for families with little ones that they want to keep away
from pullout drawers or cabinets, but the seat cushion will have to be
removed for someone to get to the storage underneath. Storage accessed
from the top also benefits those of us who tend to lose things at the
backs of cabinets.
In a kids’ room, use curtains to make a nook special.
Minimalists can make a bay window the focal point with bare glass and sconces on either side.
In bathrooms, tubs are typically
built into bay windows, much like window seats. For a different take on
the idea, use a freestanding tub and let the space around it work to
highlight the depth of the room. Wood blinds keep the focus on the view
beyond the windows here. (Conventional shades would have blocked the top
of the view, and curtains would have attracted undue attention to the
height of the counter.)
Whether a bay window is on the
facade of a home, tucked into a snug corner, or an element that pulls a
backyard in, it’s an architectural feature that can transform nearly any
room.
More:
Micro-Additions: When You Just Want a Little More Room
The Bay Window Goes Modern
More:
Micro-Additions: When You Just Want a Little More Room
The Bay Window Goes Modern
Ideabook updated on April 8, 2014.
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I wanted a built-in window seat in our bedroom, my husband didn't, he kept saying to him they look old fashioned. We agreed on this spare sofa we had; luckily it fitted there quite well.
Along the faux-bay window lines, another option in a bedroom is to put closets on either side and a raft of drawers beneath the window.
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I've considered a bow window for our sunroom when we renovate it this year. I don't know if I'll do it or not.
Love the photo of the bay window with a "desk" built in so when you sit at the table/desk, you look out at the glorious view of trees. I want a bay windoW!!! and NEVER ANY DRAPES ON IT....TOO BEAUTIFUL THE WAY IT IS.