Bow Replacement Windows

Bow windows are curved windows, close cousins to bay windows. They first appeared in eighteenth century Britain, crossed the ocean to the United States during the Federal period, and enjoyed renewed popularity in both countries in the 1970s and 1980s. Bow windows provide enormous possibilities for expanding a living area with an elegant, gentle arch that makes your home feel larger and brighter. One of the many advantages these windows have is that they provide added ventilation and light to any room.

Bow windows aren’t installed in line with the wall in which they are contained but consist of window combinations that project out from the wall to provide a more of a panoramic view of the outdoors. Bow windows are designed to create space by projecting beyond the exterior wall of a building and provide a wider view of the yard, garden, or street outside. In the process, the graceful curved design becomes the focal point of your living room or family room.

A bow window typically combines four or more casement windows arranged in a half-circle configuration, which joins together to form an arch and gradually protrude from the wall of a building, creating a gentler curve than a bay window. Bow windows consist of multiple equal lites, which give it an arch-like shape. The lites may be any combination of fixed lites and casement windows. The bow window may have a roof system, head, and seat boards, and/or edge banding. They are often formed of the window glass itself and do not have any structure beneath them. Center windows are generally fixed and the side sashes are typically casement windows. Typically, only the end casements are operable.

Since a bow window is such a focal point from both the exterior and the interior, you should pay special attention to the treatment you use to achieve the effect you desire. Basically, there are two main ways to treat your bow windows. The simplest is to provide individual drop down shades for each window. The colors should be complimentary and consistent to avoid clutter and also match the motif of the room. The location of your bow windows may also heavily influence your window treatment choices. If it is a show window on the ground floor, pick window shades that provide privacy. At the same time, you should consider how these window treatments look from the outside as well. One possibility is to select a customized cloth roller shade with two separate, differently colored fabrics with one harmonizing with the outside while the other complements the inside.

A bow window opens up any room with a view of the outside that creates a more visually pleasing environment. Not only will it make the room seem brighter, it will also add warmth while it gives the illusion of more space, adding an enchanting third dimension to your living area. Inside and out, a bow window can produce a magical effect on your home’s appearance and value.