We often see bay windows in dining rooms, living rooms, and bedrooms, but not so much in the kitchen. Bay windows have been around for a long time, originating in the mansions from the English Renaissance period. While initially a mere ornamental feature that helps maximize daylight, it has been transformed to become more functional because of the additional space it gives.
Bay windows in the kitchens are often smaller, but they do provide an additional nook/shelf that you can use for display or storage and is simply a nice feature to have to make your design look brighter. They are frequently used in kitchens with a more traditional design style.
The French-style bay window pictured above matches the existing cabinetry and finishes in the space. The opening is a little above the sink, making it a great area to use as a plant display shelf. See more types of windows here.
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Kitchen With Bay Window Designs
Windows are always a welcome feature in any kitchen. It improves the space’s ambiance, making it easier to see and work in the kitchen during the day, saving you electricity costs.
Window Over Sink
The most common application of kitchen bay windows is above the counter in front of the sink area. It helps provide natural illumination and provides a space for a small shelf on its nook, which is really handy for placing plants or drying cooking items.
This kitchen window over the sink matches the style and color of the others in the house. These windows have integral blinds, so the shutters are sandwiched between two glass panels, giving you a dust-free shade when the sun gets too strong.
This is a wood-framed small bay window placed behind the kitchen sink. The sill was finished with white granite to protect it from moisture exposure for a more durable surface.
What’s unique about this bay window is that instead of a design that protrudes out of a straight wall, this one follows the unique shape of the walls. This results in a similarly shaped counter right below the glass panes. This uses a white wood-framed casem*nt-type style that matches the Neo-Classic look of the kitchen.
Window Seat
For some, the most attractive part of bay windows is the additional space it gives you for a small sitting area. This can also be applied to bay windows, provided that you have enough wall space for its opening.
A cozy window seat is a nice place to read or relax and soak in the sunlight. If you don’t have enough space for a design with seat, you can always go for a smaller design appropriate for your kitchen size.
The best use of bay windows is making use of the additional space for seating. These large French Style panes are installed with a built-in bench to take advantage of the additional floor space. It has removable seat cushions and decorative pillows to complete the look.
Aside from built-in seating, you can also use the space underneath the built-in bench as storage space. This lovely bay window seating area in this kitchen installed drawers to maximize the space in the area.
If you’re not a fan of the idea of putting cushions in the kitchen, how about adding a matching granite top on the bay window seat/bench area? The smooth surface is durable enough to be used as a seat, and at the same time, it can also be used as an additional countertop surface. You won’t have to worry about moisture or stains with an easy-to-maintain granite top.
Window Treatments
Remember that if your kitchen is west-facing and you don’t have trees or any source of shade, the afternoon sun could be a little too strong. In addition, you may have a need for privacy. In these cases, consider installing window treatments in your kitchen.
Any treatments made for bay windows would work – curtains, shutters, and blinds – as long as they are sized appropriately. A few of the best ones to use are:
- Roller shades
- Cellular shades
- Wood shades
- Valances
- Plantation shutters
- Cafe curtains
- Roman shades
- Wood blinds
Dining Nook
This inviting dining nook with large glass panes looks out onto the home’s garden. A large picture design offers plenty of natural light and helps brighten the interior design.
For this rustic Mediterranean kitchen-dining area, a small breakfast/dining nook was placed by the bay windows. The viewing area’s space was used for a built-in banquette to maximize space.
This French-style glass panes match the existing arched doors and windows in the house. This is placed on a wall with a nice view, so you have better indoor lighting and relaxing outdoor views.
The expansive viewing area in this kitchen’s dining nook gives the space a different dimension. The concave walls would be perfect for round table set-ups or banquette dining layouts.
Garden Window
This is a very unique/contemporary garden window design. While typical bay windows only have three sides, this garden style has four – 2 on the sides, one in the center, and another one at the top. A bracket-type glass shelf was also installed in the design, making it a functional small space.
This modern kitchen uses the same style of windows as the previous one. This particular design is wider than usual and has frosted coating on the topmost glass panel to control the light coming in.
Window Cost
The cost of a bay window will depend on the material, size, and installation costs in your area. They cost more than ordinary windows and are typically around $1200 to $3500. The cost of the installation alone typically runs from $300 to $600.
Bay windows are available in many different materials, such as metal, wood, and vinyl, just like normal windows. If you have other existing windows on the floor plan, it is best to choose a style or color that matches the others, or the overall architectural style of the house so that it blends in.
This bay window is made from a powder-coated beige metal frame that matches the color palette of the kitchen. The window sill is at level with the countertop, making it an “extension” of the counter surface.
For more ideas check out our gallery of kitchen pass through windows here.
