Bay window: what is this architectural element and its role in the exterior of the building

In modern architecture, a large number of original and unusual forms and decorations are presented, which not only help to distinguish the building from other buildings, but also make the interior more functional. One of such decorative elements is a bay window: what kind of object it is, and what its distinctive advantages are described in detail in this article.

A bay window is a protruding glazed volumetric part of a building, adjacent to the outer wall and going beyond its plane

Bay window: what is it

In the description of living quarters, you can often find such a term as bay window. What it is, a large number of people do not know. This architectural element is often confused with a balcony or loggia. Therefore, in order to clarify, you should understand what a bay window is. This architectural element is a protruding glazed volumetric part of the building, adjacent to its outer wall extending beyond its plane. At the same time, the bay window, being part of the room, expands its internal space, adding functionality to the room.

The general style of roofs and bay windows creates a harmonious architectural ensemble

The bay window has a number of undeniable advantages:

• thanks to the original glazed ledge, a relief and unusual facade of the building is created;
• a kind of niche allows you to increase the free space inside the room;
• good insolation is provided, due to which the room appears more spacious and bright, while reducing the cost of artificial lighting and heating.

Despite the significant advantages, the presence of a bay window has its drawbacks. The arrangement of such a complex element will require significant financial investments. In addition, the bay window must be properly insulated and insulated to exclude the possibility of significant heat loss from the room at night and during the cold season.

Large windows in the bay window give a feeling of lightness and airiness of both the interior and the exterior

Useful advice! In order for the architectural element to favorably distinguish the building against the background of other buildings, the bay window roof must be made in harmony with the roof of the house, forming a general style.

Bay window options in the house: photo of cottages

Depending on the shape of the structure, bay window elements can be presented in the form:

• triangle;
• square;
• semicircle;
• rectangle;
• trapezoid;
• polyhedron.

Depending on the height of the structure and location in space, the shielding structures can be:

• one-story ground ones, adjacent to one of the walls of the first floor, while relying on their own foundation;

House with an elegant glass bay window

• single-storey outriggers, which are represented by small suspended structures that rest on wooden beams or cantilever stone slabs;

• multi-storey above ground, reaching the height of the house and attached to the load-bearing walls or leaning on a separate strong foundation;
• multi-storey outriggers, which are presented by multi-level hinged structures that protrude above the main cornice of the building, securely fastened with stones or massive cantilever beams.

Types of bay window ledges

By the shape of the bay window, an architectural element can be attributed to one of several types of construction. Depending on this, the bay window ledge can be a classic or semi-bay window.

Houses with bay windows always look stylish and interesting

Most often in modern architecture you can find a classic bay window, which can be made in the form of a semicircle or polygon. The main feature of such buildings is the presence of at least three sides in the structure, which are not connected at a right angle, but less or more than 90 degrees.

Due to the fact that during the construction of a classic bay window the standard shape of the outer wall is significantly modified, the construction of an architectural element will be expensive, which is associated with the use of a large number of building materials.

Rectangular, square and triangular structures fall under the half-window category. Depending on the layout of the room, the elements can be angular, inscribed in a corner or wall-mounted. Photos of options for projects of one-story houses with a bay window clearly confirm this.

Installation of bay windows is possible at any stage of building a house

Today, in country houses you can often find a bay window, which is not a full-fledged bay window. This structure is not located over the entire height of the room, but is represented only by a small glazed ledge on the wall plane. This is an ordinary window, consisting of several frames, which are attached to each other at a certain angle. The main advantage of the bay window is that it can be installed at any stage of building a house.

Many residents of modern apartments, wishing to expand the usable area of ​​the premises, are remaking the classic balcony into a bay window. To do this, it is necessary to remove most of the wall that separates the balcony from the interior, and the balcony door. The entire external protruding part must be fully glazed. The bay window balcony is designed according to the bay window principle. For this, special support pipes are used.

Wooden house with bay window

To give a wooden house a more interesting and original look, you can supplement it with a bay window element, the design of which is better thought out at the design stage.

Bay window structures can be constructed from a wide variety of building materials

Useful advice! To create a bay window ledge, it is recommended to use the services of a qualified carpenter, who will follow the correct technology for forming a bay window in the house.

If you plan to build a wooden house from a bar with a bay window, it is necessary to design a foundation for it in advance. It must be firmly supported, just like under the structural elements of the building. In this case, it is better to give preference to a concrete strip base. You can also use a pile foundation. The choice will depend on the type of soil of the area and the financial capacity of the developers.

The main point in the construction of a bay window structure in a wooden house is the observance of a special technology for joining the timber. The logs must be connected without residue by cutting the ends of the timber in a special way.Products are fastened to each other using a special bay window corner. The most time-consuming stage in the construction of a bay window is the process of cutting the tree at the right angle so that a system of spikes and grooves is formed, thanks to which the entire structure is assembled.

For the construction of a country house with a bay window, you can use a natural timber

Projects of houses with bay windows

Today there are a large number of projects of houses with bay windows. Photos of one-story and two-story buildings show various options for the embodiment of this architectural element in the facade of the building. Such buildings look not only stylish, solemn and impressive, but also make it possible to make the interior design of the premises unique and unusual. Thanks to this architectural element, it is possible to obtain a semblance of a medieval palace, shrouded in secrets and mysteries of history.

A fairly large number of projects of houses with a bay window are presented on specialized sites on the Internet. The photos clearly show how well it combines with other architectural elements of the facade.

The project of the first floor of a two-story house with bay windows and a garage

Among the most popular is the project of a two-story house with a bay window and a balcony. The ledge starts from the very foundation on the outside on the first floor and smoothly passes to the balcony of the second floor, which follows the contours of the bay window. In this case, the balcony can be simply fenced, covered or glazed.

If you want to get a unique structure, then you should pay attention to the projects of houses with two bay windows, which are mainly equipped with the kitchen and living room. This design solution will be appropriate for the construction of large massive houses. Here you should pay special attention to the calculations and work out in detail all the stages of construction, because it is quite difficult to fit such elements into the overall structure of the building so that the house is safe to use in the future.

Typical project of a one-story house with a bay window

Useful advice! To prevent the house from looking too cluttered with architectural elements, bay windows should be placed at different heights.

For a two-story house, bay windows can be positioned to the entire height of the building, or one is located on one floor, and the second along the entire height of the house.

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In the past few decades, this architectural element has become not only the hallmark of a private house. A bay window can be found in modern multi-storey new buildings P-44T. A distinctive feature of such apartments is a convenient layout and an expanded kitchen area, since the bay window is created in the kitchen. The element is trapezoidal here. Photos of various kitchen design options with a P-44T bay window clearly show how you can skillfully use the additional free space.

The rectangular shape of the bay window helps to highlight the sophistication and architectural style of the house

Among the newfangled trends, one can single out new buildings with a bay window, which use Londri's exclusive design solution. In an apartment, this special place can be presented in two versions, as a separate small room, and a niche hidden behind sliding doors. Such a room is intended for the installation of a washing, dryer and engineering communications, which are hidden from prying eyes.

House with bay window and attic

A good option for a small plot is the implementation of a house project with a bay window and an attic. In this case, even in a small compact area, you can get a comfortable and functional home.In such projects of two-story houses, the location of the bay window is traditionally provided for on the ground floor or in the attic, which is very often reserved for the bedroom.

Modern two-storey house with bay window and attic

This interesting combination of architectural elements allows you to increase the usable area and interior space in the house. However, this does not require an increase in the building footprint. Arrangement of the attic involves the construction of a two-level building, which saves on construction, and the presence of a bay window expands the overall space inside the building.

In addition to the functional component, such a combination gives the overall building respectability and uniqueness. In addition, it will allow to largely compensate for heat loss, most of which is diverted to wide viewing windows.

Using a bay window in the kitchen allows you to increase the usable floor space

However, this duo has its drawbacks. In the first place is the problem of clearing the roof from snow, which creates an additional load on the supporting structures of the building. Also, the construction of a house with an attic and a bay window according to a standard design will require significant financial costs. And for its implementation it will be necessary to attract highly qualified specialists.

Design options for rooms with a bay window

The design of free space in a niche depends on the purpose of the room. When designing a kitchen with a bay window in a free corner, you can place a work area or create a comfortable place for eating by placing a dining table here for a traditional family meal.

The round or polygonal shape of the bay window provides many options for creating a cozy interior

Useful advice! For a square bay window, a rectangular table will look harmonious, for a trapezoidal one - an oval one, for a semicircular one - a round one.

If the bay window is located in the bedroom or living room, then in this place you can equip a work area with a small table for a laptop, books or for hand-made activities. This layout is convenient because in the daytime the working area will be sufficiently illuminated by natural light, and for evening work you can install spot lighting in the mini-office, elegant floor lamp or a powerful desk lamp.

If the bay window is located in a children's room, its space can be used as a play area with shelves and baskets for toys. You can create an imitation of a kitchen area for girls or a workshop for boys. If schoolchildren live in the room, then it would be advisable to equip a workplace that is sufficiently well lit in the daytime.

A bay window in a children's room can carry not only a decorative, but also a functional load

If an unattractive panorama opens from the window, then you can turn your back to the window and organize the working area in the form of a round table top along the diameter of the bay window. Here you can also equip a relaxation area by installing a small sofa in the bay window, which is ideal for receiving guests.

Useful advice! It is advisable to use a wide windowsill, in the lower part of which you can place roomy cabinets for office equipment or papers.

In the bedroom in the bay window, you can place a mini gym, equip a recreation area, create a kind of winter garden, or put a roomy chest of drawers with a large dressing table in a wooden frame, thus creating a beauty area.

Horizontal lines in the design of bay windows allow you to visually expand the space

Living room design with bay window

When designing a room with a bay window in a niche, you can arrange a place for a comfortable rest, receiving guests and drinking tea. Here you can set a small cozy sofa or a compact coffee table with a pair of soft comfortable chairs. This place will be convenient for evening gatherings or friendly tea parties.In the bay window, you can equip a place for a mini dance floor or put a home theater. Inspirational photos of living rooms with a bay window will help to recreate the peaceful, warm atmosphere in the living room.

The bay window niche is the brightest place in the room, so a small home greenhouse can be located here. Among the plants, you can put small statues and indoor fountain... Such an extraordinary solution will fill the room with serenity and tranquility. Photos of the design of the living room with a bay window clearly demonstrate the various design options for the room.

Bay window easily becomes the favorite place in the whole house

With the help of plasterboard structures, the free space turns into a comfortable couch with a small library under it. You can separate the space in the niche from the total area of ​​the room by hanging blackout curtains for the bay window in the living room, or create an additional decorative structure in the form of an interior partition.

In a niche, you can organize a workplace by equipping a mini-cabinet. There you can arrange a wide table with a computer or organize a work surface for doing needlework. When decorating the interior of the bay window, it is important to use a characteristic textile decor.

Bay window niche is a great option for organizing a workplace

If a beautiful panorama of nature opens from the windows of the bay window, you should not drape them with heavy dark curtains. For a bay window in the living room, the photos clearly display the design options for the room, it is better to choose an airy transparent tullewhich will give free access to natural light. To regulate the intensity of sunlight penetration into a room with a bay window, a good option is to use different types of blinds. To make the atmosphere cozy and comfortable, so that it is conducive to peace and relaxation, you can use textile decor in the form of soft curtains, lambrequins and brushes.

Helpful advice! When choosing curtains, you should avoid products with rich colors and ornate patterns, which will noticeably weigh down the overall design.

The maximum possible absence of walls in the bay window and large windows give a feeling of freedom

A bay window is an unusual architectural element that can be presented in the most extraordinary way. It not only decorates the facade of the building, as the photos of one-story houses with a bay window prove, distinguishing it noticeably from the background of other buildings, but also helps to expand the functionality of the interior where the niche is located.