As an Indianapolis homeowner, you may be wondering which type of bay window is right for your Indianapolis Home?
Bay windows offer many benefits to Indianapolis homeowners by opening up your home with natural light (for those three months in the Indianapolis summers you can find it) while providing a practical space for you to use to create a window seat, garden ledge, or multi-use area.
What many Hoosiers don’t realize is that there are several types of bay windows, not just one kind. Explore the different types of bay windows so you can pick the right kind of window to open up your Indianapolis home.
Different Types of Bay Windows
When you’re looking into bay windows in Indianapolis, here are the types of windows you’ll find.
Canted Bay Window
The canted bay window is the classic shape that most Indianapolis homeowners imagine when they think of a bay window. The front pane of the window is flat, parallel to the home exterior, and the sides slant out. Canted bay windows have at least three (and often four) individual windows. Canted bay windows are frequently found on Victorian homes, as building codes changed in the 1890’s so that windows no longer needed to be flush with the home exterior. But, with the classic styles of Indianapolis homes, you might just be the proud owner of these types of windows.
Bay Window Oriel
Oriel is related to the Latin word for porch, and once you know this you’ll always remember what sets a bay window oriel apart. These windows are typically found over the entrance to a building—basically where the porch would be, but they’re not connected to the ground.
These windows lend a Gothic-style appeal, so they may be appropriate for a classic family-style Indianapolis home.
Oriel bay windows are unique among other types of bay windows for almost always being on the second story. If you have a narrow, dark hallway on the second floor, a bay window oriel could open up the sense of space and add much-needed natural light. This is a nice place to put a reading nook by adding custom cushions to the interior of the bay window, and maybe a Hoosier sandwich to snack on while you’re bundled up.
Box Bay Window
Box-style bay windows are popular among homeowners who want to install a bay window but don’t want to mess about with the positioning of the walls.
Box bay windows have a boxy shape: they look like three windowpanes with a small roof overhang. You’ll often see these windows in front of a sink, to let in some natural light while you’re cooking up a country-fried steak. When seen from the home exterior, box bay windows are flat. The effect is as if the home siding were bumped out to accommodate the bay window.
However, these are flexible types of bay windows that can go just about anywhere in your home. Since you won’t need to move the walls, box bay windows are less expensive to install than larger bay windows.
Bow Bay Window
The name of this window suggests the shape. Bow bay windows have curves as gentle as the turns on the tracks of the Indy 500. Bow bay windows consist of four or more casement windows gently curved to create an arch shape.
These tend to be larger than box-style bay windows, which means more space on the interior, and about as much natural light as you’ll find in the Garage Food Hall. You’ll also enjoy a more noticeable footprint from the home’s exterior.
Bow bay windows are great for any purpose that you might use a linear bay window for, so you’ll have quite a few options for your Indianapolis home.
Get a Custom Bay Window
With any of these styles, custom bay windows can match the size of your existing windows or run floor to ceiling for a dramatic visual effect. Talk over your needs with our service team in our Indianapolis showroom to learn more about custom bay windows.
