Basking In the Sun: 9 Awesome Bay Window Ideas

Basking In the Sun: 9 Awesome Bay Window Ideas

May 8, 2019
By:
Martin Whitmore, President of US Window & Door
bay window ideas

There is a section in your house that stands out, but you have no idea how to use it to its full potential. That area is the humble bay window, the window nook with a lot of potential.

Are you looking for some bay window ideas that will make your house a little more like a home?

Look no further, we have the fun ideas to get you started.

Fun and Effective Bay Window Ideas

Whether you are designing an addition to the home or trying to make use of an unplanned one, getting the most out of a bay window area can be tricky.

Below are some of the top ideas that make a bay window area work.

1. Rich Colors That Pop

With big tall windows and a noted indent in the room design, bay windows already stand out on their own.

If you wish to turn that idea up to its full potential, you can push the bay window eye-catching with bright and rich colors.

Any color that can both suits the rest of the room yet stand out in beautiful contrast will be a solid starting point. To get colors that will stand out, find an appropriate guide.

Get vibrant curtains and fill the space with an eye-catching piece of furniture or a small shelf of notable nick-nacks. Make your bay window the center of the room!

2. Subdued Colors That Calm

For the complete opposite effect, look towards subdued and simple colors to let the bay window be a compliment to your room instead of the main show.

You can use soft off-whites and simple earthy colors to keep something simple, yet as a working part of the whole.

Grey may seem drab, but a tasteful touch of grey curtains or furnishings can keep a bay window from drawing the eye away from the rest of the room. Great for rooms with furnishings you want to show off.

3. The Pet Home

For animal lovers, a bay window area can be a great opportunity for a bit of a private space for the animals in your life.

Carving out a comfortable nook in a windowsill seat can give a dog, cat, or whatever a quiet place to snooze while you enjoy your living room.

You can add on to this by putting in a spot for food, water, or even storage of animal tools to play with.

A bay window area with an animal in mind can soon become a focal point for your animal companion.

4. The Positives of Negative Space

Negative space, despite its name, has a lot of positives when it comes to home design.

Negative space is the space that is between any objects. The room that fits between your art and furniture. Using this in your bay window designs can be key no matter what function it serves.

A long and flat sitting area can make the entire section feel bigger and more inviting.

An open space between bookshelves can bring out the organized feel to the room.

There is a lot of little detail in the nothing between each item you use.

5. A Storage Spot

A bay window can also be a neat and tidy way to hide away a few things meant for storage.

That is not to say that you should pile up a bunch of stuffed boxes in your bay window area. That looks tacky and blocks the window!

What you can do though is have little drawers and spaces that can fit all sorts of objects. Store them in a way that looks pleasing or draws conversation, such as a mini bookshelf.

Many bay window seats come with built-in drawers for this very purpose. If you do not have one, or cannot find out that suits the style of your home, they can be a simple Do-It-Yourself project to bring a custom feel to your house.

6. Dining Space with an Outdoor Feel

Ever wanted a beautiful patio to serve as a dining room for that wonderful outdoor view? If your home doesn’t have one, you can make one!

A bay window is often big enough for an intimate dining setting facing the big replacement windows looking outside.

A nice decorative table for one can give a cozy semblance of dining on a beautiful patio, without the need for an expensive house addition.

While most bay windows won’t have the space for anything more than a single meal setting, with a bit of creativity, you can fit a two-person seating arrangement. This will give you a beautiful view to go with a nice romantic evening together.

7. Bay Windows Cooking

Having a big open bay window right in front of your cooking space can be a great way to make cooking more interesting and pleasant.

Natural light can go a long way to improving any space. This applies to any room.

Cooking, while it can be fun for many, is sometimes a chore. Getting some pleasant natural light and a nice view can do wonders for making every meal a wonderful part of the day.

8. A Gathering Over Tea

Bay windows are often viewed as a quiet or sensible area. You can lounge in them, gaze into the outdoor areas, and read a book in peace.

Bay windows can also be a perfect area for a social gathering as well.

With a small coffee table and some comfy chairs, the natural light and pleasant view can make any conversation that more relaxed and delightful.

The bay window is out of the way, due to its indented design, to give even the smallest of small talk an air of privacy without the need to seclude yourself from everyone else.

9. A Focus on the View

Sometimes all you need after a busy day is a calm place to relax and enjoy a pleasant view.

A bay window gives you an opportunity to have a lounging area with a superb glance at the outdoor world, without worrying about the heat, humidity, or weather.

A lot of what makes this idea works is house position and the kind of view you have to work with.

A well-manicured lawn or garden can be a great asset for making your bay window view spectacular. A tree that is right in the way of the window is a lot less so. Cultivating the right view will take a bit more than home design.

Take the idea even further with sliding glass doors, to allow you to step away from viewing and step into nature with ease.

Home Satisfaction

These bay window ideas are a great start to home design renovations. There are a lot of details to manage when doing any home project, but knowing what you want in the end can be a massive help.

Are you ready to take the step and start getting the most out of your windows? Check out our selection of grant Milgard Windows for the best in the business!