A Guide To Bay & Bow Windows
Throughout your home, every room will have a unique focal point. It may be the faux chandelier in a lavishly decorated living room or an old range stove in an eclectic kitchen. Whatever the feature, your eye as well as the eye of everybody else who visits your property will be immediately drawn to that point.
Like any other architectural feature, your windows can serve as both an internal and external focal point – and when it comes to elegant, eye-catching windows, a bay or bow window may come to mind. From new builds to traditional homes, bow and bay windows are a great way of enhancing your property with practical features and timeless style.
With the innate ability to expand your living spaces as well as maximise natural light, both bay and bow windows offer a grand view of your external living spaces and can boost the kerb appeal of your property.
So what’s the difference? And which style of window is best suited for your home? The answer lies in shape, natural light and of course, historical flair.
What is the difference between a bay window and a bow window?
Although often used interchangeably, the terms bay and bow both describe a similar yet innately different style of window.
A bay window is a type of window that protrudes out from the wall of a property. Bay windows can also refer to box windows and other bespoke, more traditional shapes often seen in historic properties. Commonly designed with sharp corners that form a square or half-octagon shape, bay windows were commonly used in Medieval architecture and were initially ornamental. The oldest bay windows in the UK can still be seen today in the private chapels and private alcoves of some of our grandest buildings.
Although bay windows are suitable in traditional and modern homes alike, they are particularly suited to period properties. Often ornate with a plethora of glass, bay windows are great for enhancing the historical look and feel of a home as well as maximising natural light and space.
What is a bow window?
A bow window, also known as a compass window, is essentially a curved bay window. Bow windows maximise natural light, space and style just as bay windows do. However, they often provide a wider view of your external spaces.
Regardless of the age or architectural style of your home, bow windows can give your property a subtle, exquisite appearance evocative of a bygone era. If you’re looking for a touch of elegance without the Victorian-era ambience of a traditional bay, a bow window may be the solution you’re looking for. The curved aperture of a bow window can provide panoramic views of your garden or patio area, which is ideal for properties in particularly scenic parts of the UK such as Somerset and Cornwall.
The bow style is frequently mistaken for bay windows. This is because their size, shape, and general function are very similar to the bay design. The easiest way to differentiate between the two is the shape – a bow window typically has sweeping, curved lines, whereas a bay window is most often engineered in a square design with sharper corners. As a result, bow windows can be wrapped around the curves of your property to create a distinctive tower-like shape that creates an alluring reading nook.
Is a bay window or a bow window better?
Due to a similarity in style and design, it can be difficult choosing between bow and bay windows. A bow window tends to let in more natural light whereas a bay window boasts a distinctly Victorian style that can deliver heightened elegance to modern and traditional properties alike.
At the end of the day, choosing between a bay window or a bow window will come down to your own personal tastes as well as the architectural aesthetic and age of your home. The good news is whatever you decide, modern bay and bow windows are long-lasting, resilient in the face of adverse weather and of course, boast heightened security and energy efficiency – so you won’t have to compromise on modern conveniences when adding a little historical flair to your property.
Choosing new windows at Majestic Designs
During the Victorian era in the eighteenth century, both bay and bow windows became increasingly popular due to the ways in which both styles of window can enhance natural light and maximise space. This trend has continued to this day, with homeowners across the UK opting to install bay and bow windows in their homes.
Majestic Designs have been engineering our range of elegant bay and bow windows for more than 21 years. Our range of windows is engineered in our state-of-the-art factories right here in Cheddar and fitted by our professional, fully-employed teams of FENSA-accredited and MTC-registered lead installers.
At Majestic Designs, we use the latest technology to engineer our range of bay and bow windows from only the highest quality materials. Our range of windows come in a variety of colours, including traditional colours such as Irish Oak and Chartwell Green. If you want to replicate the look of real wood, we can also provide a selection of woodgrain finishes. Available in a variety of styles, your windows will be made to order according to your exact specifications with your home in mind, creating a genuinely distinctive flair that will make your property the talk of the neighbourhood.
Ideal in modern constructions, barn conversions, traditional cottages and older-style residences alike, our uPVC and aluminium products boast an A+14 energy efficiency rating across our selection of windows and doors. Our selection of bay and bow windows are resilient in the face of inclement weather, durable, long-lasting and extremely robust with modern energy-efficient features and heightened security.
If you would like any more information about our range of modern bay and bow windows or are ready to book an at-home consultation, contact Majestic Designs today.
