Two-story houses with bay windows: pros and cons, projects and layouts: interior options.

  • 17.06.2019

Modern architects and builders translate into reality a variety of projects of apartment and private houses, which are being built in compliance with all norms and requirements. Recently, such elements of architecture as a bay window and an attic have been popular.

This is due to the fact that buildings equipped with decorative ledges and having an originally designed residential attic look elegant and restrained at the same time. Houses with an attic and a bay window have their own characteristics, which should be considered when developing a project.

An attic is an attic converted into a living space.. The facade of the attic floor is the roof surface (broken, curved or sloping). The building is noticeably revitalizing appearance of the entire building and significantly increases the living space.

The attic can be symmetrical or asymmetrical, have a broken or triangular silhouette, occupy the entire roof of a building or a certain part. The design may protrude beyond the facade. In this case, you should consider creating supports: consoles or columns.

It's important to know: if the roof has a broken shape, then the lower part of the attic is erected at an angle of 65 °, the angle of inclination of the upper part should be about 20 °.

The attic floor is recommended to be built using lightweight materials that will not heavily load the base, for example: wood, plastic, foam concrete. Also, when choosing, it is important to take into account the degree of fire resistance of the building. Attic floors can be fully or partially insulated, it depends on the nuances of the operation of the premises.

Assess the advantage of architectural structures mixed type photos of houses with an attic and a bay window will help.

Bay window description

Learn how to design a living room with a bay window.

How to arrange additional space?

The bay window is the compositional center of any room, so its can always be turned into a cozy and functional corner.

Glazed ledge located in the living room, often made into a recreation area by means of a soft sofa, beautiful curtains and a fluffy rug. Here you can chat with friends and read a book. The ledge in the kitchen is equipped with a dining area with a table and chairs. The territory can be divided by a bar counter.

In the bedroom, a niche is occupied by a sofa or bed. In this case, blackout curtains or blinds should be hung on the windows. Sometimes simulators are installed in the protruding part or create a place for relaxation.

Panoramic windows allow you to create indoors winter Garden. Good lighting and ventilation contributes to the comfortable presence of plants in this area. At the same time, the room itself becomes very cozy and beautiful without any special interior frills.

In the bay area you can arrange a study, a place for needlework, a play area for a child. When arranging a niche, it is important to consider the interior of the entire room. It is undesirable for the differences to be cardinal.

So, a house with a bay window and an attic is a compact and economical type of housing that allows owners to use additional meters of usable space by equipping them as they wish.

Almost every house of an old building is decorated with an original ledge. This ledge is called a bay window. We see him in the photo. The main advantage of bay windows is the ability to let through a large number of sunlight. In addition, in this recess you can place a beautiful winter garden, create an office or arrange a recreation area. Today, projects of houses with a bay window are also very popular. As a rule, the bay window is located in the living room or bedroom, which allows you to expand the space of the rooms and use the space more rationally.


Features of use

It is impossible to say that a project with a bay window has only positive or only negative qualities. These designs have both sides.


Positive properties

  • Expansion of usable area in the house.
  • Plenty of sunlight thanks to multiple windows.
  • Opportunity to survey the excellent view of the city streets.
  • Unique design that enhances the beauty of your home.

A house made of timber with a bay window looks unusually beautiful. In such a building, a special climate is preserved, which creates a homely, cozy atmosphere.


Negative qualities

  • The complexity of the structure increases, compared with a simpler project.
  • The number of corners in the house increases, which leads to a weakening of the rigidity of the structure.
  • A house with a bay window requires additional insulation.

If you want to have a home with a bay window design, you need to be prepared for the fact that it will take a little more effort to achieve comfort than in a typical house.


Need

Perhaps, against the background of all the pros and cons of such a building, the most basic positive property one-story house with a bay window, is that in the cold northern parts the globe, this design allows you to let the maximum amount of sunlight into the room, where you can place a bright and warm area for receiving guests. This option can serve as a replacement for the veranda. This is convenient, because in especially cold countries, building a house with a veranda is an undesirable solution.


Variety of projects

"Double Design"

The project of a two-story house with a bay window in the photo is suitable for those who cannot imagine their life without comfortable rest. The design of the building assumes the presence of a wide balcony along the front part on the second floor. Two exits from the bedrooms lead to the balcony, one of which is equipped with a bay window. Moreover, the protruding structure does not end on the second floor, but smoothly passes to the first floor. Thanks to the presence of volume additions, the house looks soundly and elegantly.


"6*6"

The design of this building stands out against the background of other inexpensive buildings. The project involves an entrance hall, a kitchen, a living room with a bay window and a spacious bedroom on the second floor. As a result, a two-story building made of timber has a total area of ​​36 sq.m, but thanks to the three-dimensional structure, the house looks original and cozy.


Building with a bay window and an attic

A small and financially profitable design is the design of the house, which involves the presence of an attic room and a bay window. And although the construction of such a building requires certain financial investments This combination is very common. Two-story houses with a bay window look beautiful and original, which have a luxurious attic on the top floor. Thanks to this design, the owners of the house have the opportunity to create a spacious, bright office in the attic, and an original winter garden on the ground floor.


When creating the design of houses with a bay window, it must be remembered that this design must be designed as accurately as possible. The slightest mistake can lead to the distortion of walls and ceilings, which will lead to a decrease in the strength of the structure. You also need to know that it is not necessary to build a bay window at the same time as the house. The structure shown in the photo can be attached to the main building at any time.


Types of bay windows

In their appearance, bay windows can be:

  • Corner.
  • Wall.
  • Inscribed in a corner.

Most of the bay windows have the usual geometric shape. However, this does not mean that the structure cannot have an arbitrary shape. Of course, the creation of non-standard projects requires very considerable financial costs from the owners of the house. If you need to create separate room, which will be bright and spacious, it is recommended to give preference to corner views. The corner bay space is perceived as a separate area, not connected to the rest of the housing area. This is an excellent relaxation room.

Bay window (from the German "ledge in the wall", although more clear view gives a different interpretation - “lantern”, because the bay window lit from the inside really strongly resembles it) - this is a glazed ledge on building facade. The facades of houses with bay windows look not only impressive, stylish and solemn, they allow you to add uniqueness and interior design building.

  • thanks to the large glazing, it helps to extend daylight hours in the adjacent room, saving on electricity due to natural light
  • allows for efficient zoning of premises
  • it offers an excellent view of the surrounding area

Project of a house with bay windows: variability of architectural solutions

The bay window itself is the dominant element in the exterior decor of the house, which allows you to turn a simple project into a kind of medieval palace, with its own history, secrets and atmosphere. Meanwhile, the bay window can be quite simply combined with other architectural elements of the facade decoration:

  • with balcony - project two-story house with a bay window on the first floor, which turns into a balcony on the second - one of the most popular in suburban construction. Outside, from the foundation itself, a bay window protrusion begins, which, upon reaching the second floor, smoothly turns into a balcony, exactly following the contours of the bay window. At the same time, the balcony itself can represent a fenced space, be glazed or simply covered.
  • With attic- an option for a small area, when, despite the lack of space, you can get a compact, yet very functional house. At the same time, there may be several options for placing a bay window - both more traditional, for example, on the ground floor, and less rare - in the attic. And since the attic is often taken under the bedroom, this option looks quite organic.
  • two bay windows - this option will allow you to get uniquely unique look building. As a rule, in this case, bay windows are equipped kitchen/dining room and living room. This combination will not look excessive only on fairly large houses. It is desirable that the bay windows be different in height - for example, one - for the entire height of the house, the second - smaller, only one floor. The project of a house with two bay windows will require careful and comprehensive study - to correctly enter two of these rather complex architectural elements, while maintaining the overall structure of the house reliable and safe - the task is very difficult

Depending on the general style of the building, bay windows can be different types and forms:

  • square (rectangular) - the easiest to implement, therefore - the most common. It does not require the construction of complex structures, the project of a one-story house with a bay window will slightly add to the initial cost, but it will significantly add to the exterior of the building. In addition, this version of the bay window is very easy to intelligently fit into the interior of the house. Despite its external simplicity, a square bay window is practical and convenient.
  • round - this option is also called "Venetian", it will look harmonious both in the middle of the wall and instead of one of the corners of the house. At the same time, it immediately becomes the dominant element in the entire architectural ensemble. And so that the Venetian bay window does not turn into a tasteless lurid spot, it will require a competent and balanced design approach - both in the exterior and in the interior.
  • multifaceted - due to complex design looks very interesting. Project country house with a multifaceted bay window can be seen as a compromise between the simple rectangular and the sophistication of round bay windows.

What is the difference between a house with a bay window? What are its advantages and disadvantages?

What are the features of such a structure? Is it possible to make a project at home with both a bay window and an attic? The answers to these questions and photos of houses with a bay window are in this article.

What is a bay window?

It seems that the German word "bay window" has recently entered our language. However, houses with a bay window are not uncommon in the expanses of the former Soviet Union.

A bay window is a ledge from the facade of a building. Almost the entire area of ​​​​its walls is occupied by windows, so the natural lighting of a room with a bay window significantly exceeds the lighting of ordinary rooms.

Main distinctive features rooms with a bay window:

  • panoramic view from the window;
  • increasing the duration of natural light in the room;
  • elegance of construction;
  • increase in usable area.

The history of the structure of bay windows goes deep into the Middle Ages. The original purpose of such a ledge was an overview of the territory adjacent to the structure.

Bay windows were made with narrow loopholes instead of windows in castles and fortresses for the convenience of their defense. The protruding part of the fortress not only provided a large viewing angle, but also allowed firing in different directions.

Epochs are changing, but bay windows still remain an important link in the architecture of many countries of the world. People drew attention to other useful features of such a layout.

The bay window not only provides a panoramic view, but also helps to get more light into the room. Unlike a conventional window opening, light enters bay windows from three sides at once.

This not only increases the level of illumination of the room, but also increases the duration of light exposure.

A room with a bay window located on the south side of the building will be lit from dawn to dusk.

The design of the building, which includes a bay window, departs from the usual rectangular shape.

Thanks to this, the building acquires an exquisite elegant style. A rounded or prismoid ledge gives the house an original and elegant look.

A bay window, unlike a balcony, increases the living space of the room. For this reason, bay windows began to be used frequently in the middle of the last century.

In Russia in those years, many houses with ledges were built. The reason for this was not only the saving of energy resources, but also an increase in living space.


At the end of the twentieth century, projects for economical rapid construction began to be more often approved, and bay windows became less and less used.

The beautiful functional houses were replaced by "Khrushchevs". The uniformity of buildings significantly accelerated their structure.

Often such houses were built from standard reinforced concrete blocks. The maximum number of apartments was located on a small area.

By creating a house project with one or more bay windows, you can not only increase the area and save energy, but also emphasize individuality. Each such house is unusual and beautiful in its own way.

The project can be created with a combination of different architectural styles, which expands the scope for the designer's eye. By making an individual project, you can easily achieve the uniqueness of the structure.

What are bay windows?

Projects of houses with bay windows are very diverse. The layout of modern houses allows you to harmoniously fit into the design different kinds protrusions.

The most commonly used types are:

  • rectangular;
  • semicircular;
  • polygonal;

Due to the ease of implementation, the rectangular or square shape of the protrusions is the most common.

The easiest way to make such a bay window in wooden house, buildings made of brick or concrete blocks. The layout of a rectangular ledge does not require any special knowledge.

Despite the simplicity in design and construction, such ledges are no less practical and functional than other types.

The number of windows in this case depends on the depth of the ledge. If it has the shape of a rectangle with short sides, then there is one wide window along the front wall. There may be no windows on the side walls, or they may be narrow.

Venetian bay window - the so-called ledges of a semicircular or oval shape. Without a doubt, this is the most elegant and stylish option.

Such a ledge can be placed not only in the center of the wall, but also replace one of the corners of the building with it.

Such a design move can transform the entire appearance of the building, make it original and unique.


Round designs the easiest way to fit into a house made of brick or aerated concrete. In buildings made of wood or other materials, such bay windows will also look great, but to achieve the correct shape when used wooden beam quite difficult.

The polygonal shape of the structure allows this type to be used when designing buildings from any materials.

A frame house with a polyhedral bay window looks very interesting. In buildings made of timber, this option is also easily implemented.

The ledge can be made part of not only a country or one-story house. Houses with an attic and a bay window look original.

You can use the protruding structure in the construction of a multi-storey building. Two-storey house with two different bay windows, it looks like a real Gothic castle.

Often this combination is also: a full-fledged bay window on the ground floor with outdoor terrace or balcony on the upper floors.

In a house with an attic, on a platform formed by a ledge, you can arrange a closed greenhouse. A variant with a high open terrace is also possible.

The project of a house with a ledge along the entire plane of one of the walls also looks interesting. In this case, the bay window can form both parts of different rooms, and a separate room with exits to different rooms.

Technically, you can place a ledge on either side of the building, but it will be much more practical to use it if it is facing south. You can use stained glass windows on the second floor of the building.

Interior design features

planning a small country house or capital house with an attic, it is important to remember that any protruding structure complicates construction.

More demanding is the quality of building materials in order to avoid weakening the building frame.

The ledge can also be attached to an already finished building, but it is much better to build from scratch on a common foundation.

In this case, the design will be more reliable. This is especially true for houses with two floors, buildings with an attic, frame buildings of any type.

In the presence of a second floor, the creation of a monolithic interfloor overlap in the ledge area is of particular difficulty.

All these nuances must be taken into account at the design stage, even if it is planned to build a small country house.

From the protruding structure interior rooms only wins.

This gives not only an increase in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe room and additional illumination, but also the original shape of the room. This approach allows you to use any design for decoration.

The protruding design is most convenient to beat in the interior of the following rooms:

  • bedroom;
  • living room;
  • children's;
  • kitchen.

Romantic round bedroom panoramic window, a living room with an open balcony or a nursery on the top floor of the tower - there is where to roam the designer's imagination. The main thing is to decorate the interior with a creative approach.

Design elements such as false columns or decorative arched passages will help make the interior of the room even more unique.

This approach will help not only to stylize the interior, but also to delimit the space of the room.

When designing the second floor in modern style the use of cold shades is recommended.

In combination with an abundance of natural light, this will not only emphasize the individuality of the room, but also give a feeling of the boundlessness of space.

Often, a two-story bay window is glazed to its full height. However, this option is not very convenient for the first floor, since in this case there is a view not only from the house, but also from the outside. Not everyone wants to live in such a "glass" house.

Successful design and construction of your dream home!

However, projects of houses with a bay window are not a task for every architect. You need to have sufficient qualifications and experience to create such projects, since the slightest mistake can lead to the fact that the strength of walls and ceilings will suffer, which means that load bearing capacity the whole house. Contacting qualified specialists who “gave a start in life” to more than one building will help to avoid problems. It can be difficult to distinguish such a firm from a one-day firm, and yet the willingness of its specialists to discuss previous work, their advantages and disadvantages, and, in particular, to present recommendations from previous clients, can tell a lot.

Projects of houses with a bay window can be very diverse: a bay window can be just a small bend in the wall, or it can have the area of ​​\u200b\u200ba whole living room. Its main feature is a large glass area, due to which more daylight enters the house, and an excellent view of the adjacent area opens from the bay window itself. In this regard, the location of this element relative to the cardinal points should be carefully considered. Being on the sunny side, it can cause a number of troubles, while in a room with a lack of lighting, on the contrary, it will eliminate this problem.

In addition, bay windows can be wall-mounted, outdoor, corner, can be placed on one floor of the house or on two at once (if it is planned to build a two-story house). They may have different shape- from a polyhedron and a trapezoid to a semicircle. Projects of houses with a bay window allow for a more rational zoning of the living space, and this is another plus that makes them attractive to customers. When choosing a house with this element, it is better to clearly understand for yourself what function it will perform, whether it will serve for additional lighting or additional space, or maybe just for beauty. So it will be easier to dwell on a specific version of the project documentation.