Including bay windows or bow windows in a window renovation plan adds flair and style. These large window additions not only bring in more natural light, they enhance the living space without expanding its footprint. Replacing a flat wall housing one window with a bay of windows creates a dramatic, lasting impact. The windows become the focal point of the room.
Bay windows and bow windows add more than just panes of glass. Done right, they expand living space – turning a kitchen wall into a breakfast nook, dining room into a display area for fine china or a bathroom into a relaxing location for a designer bathtub.
When Bay Windows Become Bow Windows
In many cases, homeowners discuss bay and bow designs as if they are the same thing. They are not. Here’s the difference:
- Bay Windows – designed with three windows in a group. One large window in the center with two smaller windows, one on each side of the big one. This style of windows has sharp angles between the small walls holding each window.
- Bow Windows – have a curved appearance and use 4 or 5 individual windows. They give the outside of the house a rounded look.
The flat wall look of a three-window bay gives the home a more modern, contemporary look while the curved structure of multiple window units in a bow works well for Victorian and Tudor architectural styles.
Bay Windows, a Wise Choice When Space is Limited
A window renovation project not only increases energy efficiency with new windows, it adds style and when considering multi-window installations in bays or bows, the windows add useable space – both in real terms and in perception. While not all bay or bow window installations increase floor space, they expand the room outward enough to project a larger space and create additional useable space in the process. Both window styles provide the illusion that a narrow room is more spacious without increasing floor space at all. Opening up a wall with a bay or bow configuration gives the room a completely new ambiance both inside and outside.
Curb appeal is a major concern for all homeowners. The addition of these multiple frame window options changes the outward appearance, giving character to an otherwise flat wall – often creating an impressive look in a subdivision where sameness has become the rule.
Bay Windows, Bow Windows Not Without Challenges
While installing high-efficiency windows as part of a bay or bow window project has very little down side, there are some challenges. But the major challenges are for interior designers – standard window treatments seldom consider curves or angles when it comes to curtain rods. For most, this is a challenge accepted with pleasure since the new windows provide so much positive return. And, because these multi-faceted window creations are becoming more and more popular – both in new construction and as window renovation options – curtain rod makers are applying their technology to the challenge, too.
Contact A Pro For Remodeling Options
A knowledgeable source of whole home renovation and replacement window options, Sims Exteriors & Remodeling serves greater Dane County, including Middleton, Waunakee, Fitchburg, Oregon Verona, McFarland, Stoughton, Cottage Grove, Sun Prairie and Deforest.
Contact Sims Exteriors and Remodeling at 608-825-4500, or email us for assistance in selecting bay windows or bow windows for your window renovation project in Madison WI.
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