Boring standard buildings can transform with the participation of extraordinary architectural details. One of them is the bay window — a prominent rounded part of the building, sometimes occupying several floors above the first.
Why Are Bay and Bow Window Types Needed
To ennoble an opening, standard window frames are not suitable — here a special solution is required in the form of alternative profile systems. Properly executed installation of bay and bow windows will open a delightful panoramic view, and decorate the interior and exterior of any house.
The bay window can be integral to the room, increasing the usable area, and sometimes equipped like a balcony — with an entrance door as a separate mini-room.
Such a window design does not always require framing with curtains and cornices, because the frame itself looks very impressive — you just need to install blinds from the bright summer sun. You can find all kinds of blinds that suit different needs at selectblindscanada.ca.
According to the geometry of the wall, the installation can be made in the form of a triangle, polyhedron, trapezoid, or semicircle.
The minimum number of windows in a series is at least two, the number will vary depending on the structural features and design ideas.
The difference between bay and bow windows is in the presence of a jumper between glass in bay structures and its absence in bow ones.
Pros and Cons of Bay Windows
There are several advantages of installing such structures:
- The owner of the apartment receives additional space. Even a couple of square meters is enough to organize a play area for children or a workplace for yourself.
- It becomes possible to zone the premises at a minimal cost. It is enough to use a different floor covering or shade of wallpaper to divide the room into separate “areas.”
- The bay window attracts the eye with an unusual shape, glazing. This can and should be used in the interior design of the living room. The ledge is given the appearance of both a hall for ceremonial receptions and a light, elegant gazebo, especially if there is a beautiful garden outside the glass. There are no restrictions on functionality at all.
- Since the room receives significant amounts of sunlight, there is no need to limit yourself to light wallpaper, even if the apartment is not large. Dark shades will not visually narrow the space.
In fairness, the shortcomings of such constructions should also be noted. They mainly include technical issues. For example, you have to order windows or cornices for curtains according to individual sizes. Complicated repair work, the selection of materials for the design project of a living room with a bay structure. In some cases, you have to decide how to place heating radiators or lay underfloor heating.
Advantages of Bow Windows
Such factors speak in favour of such structures:
- extraordinary appearance of your home;
- ability to focus on the shape of PVC systems in the interior of the house;
- existence of a stump — connections of shutters without a vertical lath (impost);
- the locking mechanism is located on the perimeter of the profile;
- significant tightness of figured window designs;
- impossibility of hacking.
Disadvantages of Bow Structures
There are several factors why such windows are not always a priority:
- the cost of PVC profiles of non-standard forms is higher than rectangular, which is due to the need for more experience from installers, designers, technologists, factory workers;
- it is necessary to make a double-glazed window for figured windows under the order;
- there are limitations in opening variations;
- there is a limit on the maximum parameters of the manufactured window structures;
- curved sections of PVC profile do not have a reinforcing element (not reinforced with metal);
- on a non-standard look of plastic windows, it is impossible to establish the shutter fixing them at opening;
- in window constructions of non-standard forms, there will be no imposts — strengthening elements;
- there is a minimum radius of a bend of a profile (boxes — 350 mm, shutters — 400 mm), and the ordered window designs will be limited in sizes (for example, the arched opening will be not less than 800 mm, etc.).
Bay and bow windows have a significant area for the passage of sunlight into the room, allowing you to fill the room with natural light throughout the day. This has a very good effect on the emotional state of a person, and also allows you to use a variety of solutions to create an original, bright, cozy and comfortable interior.
