Fans of non-standard solutions and original interiors will certainly rejoice in the presence of such an element as a bay window in their apartment.
Kitchen with bay window
It is called an architectural solution in which a protrusion is created on a building. It looks interesting from the outside, forming some nice-looking bulges and complex shapes, and inside it adds at least a minimum of additional space. The sizes and shapes of bay windows can be different: they can be very spacious or very small; semicircular, triangular, rectangular or more complex shapes, and you need to be able to beat this non-standard move in the interior. Bay windows look unusual in spacious living rooms, in bedrooms, in children's rooms, but most often in our country they plan to design a kitchen with a bay window, combining it with the living room or dining room, or simply adding useful space to the smallest kitchen.
The main functions of a bay window in a room are the penetration of a maximum of light into the room and the creation of additional space, and, of course, its decorative component also plays an important role.
The choice of what kind of kitchen with a bay window will be depends on the size of the room and the bay window itself. So, you can consider the option of dividing the bay window and the main part of the room using arches, incomplete partitions or translucent screens so as not to impede the penetration of light, or the option of combining the bay window with the rest of the kitchen. The first option is suitable for large bay windows, where you can create an independent cozy seating area or study, however, while reducing the space of the kitchen itself, and the second option is for small ledges that are fully involved in creating a single interior.
Features of kitchen design with a bay window
The main principles that should be followed when creating a kitchen design with a bay window are as follows:
- the space near the windows, regardless of their size (in the entire height of the wall or standard options), does not need to be cluttered, otherwise it interferes with the penetration of light into the room and visually reduces the space,
- the design of the kitchen with a bay window provides for pastel shades, light colors, which will additionally fill the room with air and light.
These principles do not mean that a kitchen with a bay window cannot be bright. It is quite appropriate to use bright details and accessories in the interior, since there can be a lot of such details in the kitchen: pillows on chairs, a tablecloth, potholders, dishes, etc. By the way, to add brightness, you can choose interesting curtains for the kitchen with a bay window, for example, bright plain or with a floral pattern. The main thing is that they are in harmony with the rest of the interior and emphasize the beauty of the non-standard layout, being in direct interaction with the bay window part of the space.
Having a space of a non-standard layout, you can create a completely different kitchen design with a bay window. You need to choose the appropriate option based on the needs of the homeowners. Someone constantly throws parties, so it is advisable to enlarge the dining-living room area, install a bar counter or a soft area for guests. Others do not have enough space to sit in silence and work, so the excess space in the kitchen is set aside for him. Some housewives want to cook and see a beautiful landscape outside the window, for which the working area of the kitchen is located in the immediate vicinity of the bay window or right in it. Let's consider the main options for using a bay window in the kitchen in more detail.
The main option, when a kitchen with a bay window is made out, is the location in the protruding part of the working area. True, this option is provided only for a bay window, in which the windows are of standard height. It should be noted right away that standard kitchen sets will not fit into the kitchen design with a bay window, so you have to make a custom-made kitchen.
A single tabletop can be installed here, turning into a window sill. The most popular option for this layout is to place the sink in front of the window. It is impractical to install a stove here, since the window will constantly fog up, and it will be extremely problematic to install the hood.
Another issue to be addressed when planning is battery installation. A battery is almost always installed under the window in the bay window, but many decide to dismantle it, citing the fact that the kitchen itself is the warmest room in the house. This is not always correct, because through large windows and heat loss can be significant. If it is possible to install furniture so as not to remove the battery, it is better to leave it. If this is not possible, you need to attend to the consideration of other options for heating the room.
Another option, suitable for fairly spacious kitchens, is to place the dining or living area in the bay window. Most often, a table and seating are installed directly in it. Moreover, you can create a kind of romantic corner with two chairs next to the table, as well as an option with a large table for 6-8 people. Another way to equip this area is that a bench or a couch with soft pillows is located directly on the windowsill along the perimeter of the bay window, a table and chairs are placed next to it. Such a kitchen with a bay window offers a maximum of places for guests, as well as a soft seating area for the owners themselves. To use the space with benefit, you can build in drawers or shelves for storage in the shop itself under the windowsill.
The highlight here is the choice of the dining table. It should, if possible, repeat the shape of the bay window, for example, for a semicircular bay window, an oval or round table is chosen, for a triangular or rectangular ledge - a square or rectangular table. It is better to highlight the ceiling above the dining area also along the contour of the table, which will allow you to zone the room without using additional funds.
For a relatively large bay window, you can come up with an option with placing a working corner here or just a secluded resting place. Of course, the easiest way is to fence it off with curtains, but when choosing curtains for a kitchen with a bay window, you should remember about the need for natural light to penetrate into the rest of the room. To fence off the bay window, you can put small shelves equal to the height of a standard window sill, even if the windows in the bay window are made to the full height of the wall. On such shelves, on the one hand, you can store dishes or some kitchen stuff, and on the other hand, you can store discs, books, papers and other things for work.
If the kitchen is combined with the living room, as is often the case in studio apartments, a small podium can be installed in the bay window. This is usually used in apartments where bay windows are round. So, on this peculiar stage at parties, you can arrange performances, hold children's contests, you can easily put a Christmas tree here for the new year, and the rest of the time you can use this space as a green area or a home greenhouse.
If the kitchen with a bay window is so large that it is permissible to deprive it of additional space, then you can borrow some options for using the bay window from various ideas for arranging balconies and loggias: put a rocking chair, decorate a winter garden, make a children's corner, etc. At the same time, it does not even matter that the bay window is located in the kitchen, but simply to design a separate room. At the same time, you need to think over the lighting option in the kitchen itself, because often the bay window here is the main conductor of natural light.
There should not be any special decorative elements and accessories in the kitchen itself, because here the decorative functions are performed directly by household items: potholders, kitchen apron, furniture fronts, magnets or inscriptions on the refrigerator, etc. Combining the kitchen with the dining room or living room, you need to decorate mainly the living area itself.
Dark curtains in the kitchen with a bay window photo
Another option is to use tulle or other translucent curtains. For some interiors, it is better to choose curtains up to the middle of the window. So, when designing a kind of scene, it is better to use French curtains or spectacular draperies, which will emphasize the solemnity of the atmosphere.
You can also choose blinds or roman blinds for the kitchen with a bay window, they easily protect from the scorching sun and are easy to use. They usually close each part of the window in the bay window separately.
In principle, you can leave a window in a bay window without curtains, because most often its appearance is worthy of being put on public display. Having shown imagination and a sense of style, you can successfully beat the bay window in the kitchen.
Comfort for your home!
