Bay window ideas start with one simple fact: a bay adds floor space, light from three sides and a deep sill, and each of those can be put to work. This guide has 12 practical bay window ideas for the lounge, bedroom, kitchen and dining room, plus ideas for the outside of the house and the details that make a bay work every day in a South African home.
If you are planning a new bay or replacing an old one, see our guide to aluminium bay windows for the types, sizes and what they cost. Every bay we supply is made from our standard windows joined with angled corner posts, made in 3 to 7 working days in Laser Park, Roodepoort.
In this guide
Bay window ideas for the living room
1. A window seat
The classic bay window idea. Build a seat across the bay at about 450 mm high and 450 to 600 mm deep, add a firm cushion, and the bay becomes the favourite spot in the house. In a canted bay the seat follows the three faces; in a box bay it is a simple rectangle.
2. A storage seat
Put drawers or lift-up lids under the seat and the bay stores blankets, toys or board games out of sight. Drawers are easier to reach than lids when the cushion is in place.
3. A reading nook
Add a narrow shelf at one end, a wall light and a few cushions, and the bay becomes a reading corner with daylight from three sides. A fixed centre window keeps the view clear, while top hung side windows let in a breeze on summer evenings.
Bay window ideas for the kitchen
4. A herb sill over the sink
A small box bay over the kitchen sink gives a sunny, deep sill for herbs and a little more room to lean in. Choose a top hung window for the centre or sides so you can open it above the tap without a sash in the way.
5. A breakfast nook
In a larger kitchen, set a small table into the bay with a bench along the window wall. It turns spare floor space into the best seat for morning coffee.
Bay window ideas for the dining room
6. The table in the light
Place the end of the dining table into a wide canted bay. The bay frames the garden behind the table and brings daylight to the whole room. Keep the side windows openable for fresh air during long lunches.
7. A home office
A bay is a natural place for a desk: the view is in front of you, light comes from the side, and the desk does not block a walkway. Use Solarshield laminated glass in a bay that faces west to cut the afternoon glare on a screen.
Bay window ideas for the bedroom
8. A plant bay
A wide sill on three sides is ideal for pot plants. Laminated safety glass, standard in every Coetz™ window, is the sensible choice where pots and watering cans sit close to the glass.
9. A dressing table
Set a dressing table into the bay for natural daylight on the mirror, the best light for getting ready. Obscure glass in the side windows keeps the room private.
Bay window ideas for the outside of the house
10. Black or Charcoal frames
A bay is a feature of the front of the house, so the frame colour matters. Black and Charcoal frames give a crisp modern outline; White and Bronze suit traditional and farmhouse styles. All five of our colours cost the same, so choose on looks alone.
11. Obscure side lights for privacy
Where a bay faces the street or a neighbour, glaze the side windows with obscure laminated glass and keep the centre clear. You get light and a view straight ahead without being on show from the side.
12. A neat roof or canopy
The roof over a bay finishes it outside. A small pitched roof in the same tiles as the house, or a flat canopy with a neat fascia, makes the bay look part of the original design. Your builder forms the roof before the windows go in, because the roof, not the window frames, carries the load above.
Bay window ideas for small homes
A bay does not have to be large to make a difference. A small box bay of about 1 200 mm across and 600 mm deep adds a usable sill and a feeling of space to a compact bedroom or kitchen, without taking up floor area inside the original wall line. In a narrow room, a shallow canted bay with 600 mm side windows projects only about 424 mm, enough for a seat cushion or a row of plants.
In townhouses and estate homes, check the estate’s architectural guidelines before you plan a bay on the front, and keep the frame colour the same as the other windows.
Bay window curtains and blinds
Window treatments are where many bay window ideas fall down. A bay needs either a curtain rail bent or jointed to follow its angles, or a separate blind on each window. Blinds fitted inside each window keep the deep sill clear for a seat or plants; curtains on a shaped rail soften a lounge bay and can close off the whole bay at night.
- Roller or Venetian blinds per window: neat, and each face can be adjusted for the sun.
- Curtains on a shaped rail: a softer look; plan the rail before the ceiling is finished.
- Obscure glass instead: no blinds needed on the side windows at all.
Bay window ideas on a budget
A bay costs less when it is built from standard window sizes and the most affordable frame. Our Casement 28 frame is 15% less than the 30.5 mm Standard frame on top hung and side hung windows, and a fixed centre window costs less than an opening one. For example, two 600 × 1 200 mm top hung side windows in Casement 28 at R1 854 each and a 1 200 × 1 200 mm fixed centre at R1 858 come to R5 566 for the windows, excluding VAT, plus the corner posts, which are quoted with the bay.
Choosing windows to suit your bay window ideas
- Fixed centre, top hung sides: the most common combination. The view stays clear and the sides open for air, even in light rain.
- All top hung: more ventilation for a kitchen or a hot room.
- Side hung sides: the widest opening for a cross-breeze.
- Double glazing: for a bay on a noisy street or a cold, windy side of the house.
Keep all three windows the same height so the heads and sills line up. Our aluminium bay windows guide shows the sizes, and you can price each window online in the online estimator.
Bay window ideas for South African homes
- Face it north for winter sun. A north-facing bay catches low winter sun on three sides and is the warmest seat in the house from May to August.
- Shade a west-facing bay. Afternoon sun through three panes gets hot; choose Solarshield laminated glass or an overhang above the bay.
- Plan for summer storms. Top hung side windows can stay open in a Highveld shower because rain runs off the open sash.
- Rinse near the coast. Salt air settles on frames; rinse aluminium bays with fresh water every few weeks to keep the finish looking new.
Whichever of these bay window ideas you choose, the orientation of the bay decides how it feels to sit in, so plan it with the sun in mind.
Practical tips before you build
- Plan the seat or sill height before ordering, so the windows start just above it.
- Check that top hung side windows can open outward without hitting gutters, downpipes or plants.
- Decide on curtains or blinds early: a bay needs a rail that follows its angles, or a blind for each window.
- If the centre window is fixed, plan how the outside of the glass will be cleaned.
- Keep the bay the same colour as the other windows so the house reads as one design.
Safety glass near seats and low sills is covered by SANS 10400-N, published by the SABS; our 6.38 mm laminated glass is standard in every window.
How to turn these ideas into a bay
Measure each face of the opening and the angles between them (135° for a canted bay or 90° for a box bay), choose the windows for each face, and send the sizes to our team for a fixed quote that includes the corner posts. The bay is made in 3 to 7 working days and delivered as separate windows with the corner posts, ready for your installer to join and fit on site. Read the full guide to aluminium bay windows before you order.
Bay window ideas: frequently asked questions
What can I do with a bay window?
Popular bay window ideas include a window seat with storage, a reading nook, a kitchen herb sill, a breakfast nook, a desk, a dressing table and a plant display.
How high should a bay window seat be?
About 450 mm to the top of the cushion is comfortable for most people, with a seat 450 to 600 mm deep. Your carpenter sets the final sizes.
Which windows are best in a bay?
A fixed centre with top hung side windows is the most popular choice: a clear view in the middle and fresh air at the sides, even in light rain.
What colour frames suit a bay window?
Black and Charcoal suit modern homes; White and Bronze suit traditional ones. All five Coetz™ colours are the same price.
How do I get privacy in a bay window?
Use obscure laminated glass in the side windows and keep the centre clear, or fit blinds to each window.
Do bay windows suit small rooms?
Yes. A small box bay of about 1 200 mm across and 600 mm deep adds a sill and a feeling of space without using floor inside the original wall.
Do you supply aluminium bay windows?
Yes. We make canted (135°) and box (90°) bays from our standard windows with angled corner posts, quoted per bay and made in 3 to 7 working days.
Coetz™, Unit 2, 84 Ridge Road, Laser Park, Johannesburg. Call 010 412 0062, WhatsApp 076 613 4418 or use our contact page.
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