It’s easier to decorate a room as unusually and tastefully as possible if the room has a bay window. This protruding part of the apartment not only visually enlarges the room, but also makes any room brighter and more comfortable. It will not be difficult to create a relaxation area in the bay window by installing a comfortable sofa here. Such a ledge will become a real decoration of the living room, bedroom or kitchen.
In the photo: a spacious sofa and a neat tea table are an ideal option for furnishing a room!
Bay window seat
Bay window sofa in oriental style
What is a bay window and why did bay window sofas appear?
The bay window was first made back in the fortresses - it was a protruding part of the building, from which it was easier to observe the enemy and fire at him if necessary. In modern architecture, the bay window has acquired a completely different purpose; it decorates the building outside and inside. Thanks to the ledge, you can create a unique interior design. In the area formed by the bay window, it is very convenient to relax, communicate with guests, relax or read, because there is always a lot of light there. Bay window sofas were invented to fit into this projection.
Advantages and features of bay window sofas
They are designed specifically to fit optimally into the bay window, both in shape and size. A bay window sofa usually has a non-standard shape, so it is bought ready-made or made to order.
Main advantages:
- saving and beneficial use of space;
- harmonious arrangement of furniture in the interior;
- the embodiment of a unique and stylish design;
- such furniture can create a particularly comfortable area.
Placement nuances
Quite often, buyers who have chosen a semicircular model are faced with the problem of harmoniously “fitting” it into the interior of their home. It is clear that the unusual shapes of a radius sofa require a non-standard approach to its placement. In this case, experienced designers give some recommendations that you need to listen to.
In order for a semicircular sofa to fit harmoniously into the overall background, it is desirable that its smooth shape be repeated in the surrounding interior: for example, an oval stretch ceiling will ideally complete the plan. A suitable option would be to include various accessories with rounded shapes into the interior. A chandelier or oval-shaped lamps will only emphasize the elegance of your choice.
Next to such a sofa you can place a coffee table, which also follows the semicircular shape. A semicircular mirror or the same floor carpet will also save the situation; fortunately, the choice of them is now huge on the market. Unfortunately, in a simple square apartment, a semicircular sofa can simply be visually “lost,” but even in this situation, a skilled designer will come to your aid.
An interesting solution would be to divide your premises into certain zones. This could be a recreation area of the same shape - two exclusive semicircular sofas opposite each other, placed by the fireplace or next to a large painting. Streamlined sofas can easily separate the kitchen from the living room.
Oval-shaped furniture arranged in a semicircle will look very harmonious in the kitchen, in a large children's room, in a small apartment - studio and even in the office - it all depends on which type of the above you choose.
Types, design features and shapes of bay window sofas
A bay window sofa can be placed not necessarily in a ledge, but also in the middle of the living room or in any other room, if it is practical and appropriate. Typically, such upholstered furniture follows the shape of a bay window - rectangular, triangular, multifaceted, round. The main thing is that the furniture is combined with the main interior and finishing materials. The shape of the sofa can be emphasized by some decorative elements, for example, vases placed on the sides or paintings on the walls. Poufs or armchairs and pillows will be a practical and beautiful addition.
Curtains in the bay window: choosing a key design element
Not everyone attaches utmost importance to window curtains. But in vain! It is the curtains that complete the stylistic ensemble of the design and create the completeness of the perception of the decor. A nuance - for a bay window in the living room, ordinary curtains that hang on other windows in your house are not suitable. Experienced designers shared the secrets of choosing a frame for a glazed space.
Requirements for curtains for a room with a bay window
Before you make your choice, it is important to understand what bay windows are. These are structures consisting of several elements connected to each other by a special pipe. They can be completely different in height and width, but they have a common quality - excellent throughput. In the daytime, this feature is an advantage, but in the early morning it is rather a disadvantage.
What kind of curtains should be that emphasize the advantages of bay windows and neutralize the disadvantages:
- Corresponding to the general design style. Curtains can be an accent, but too bold experiments will lead to serious mistakes in design;
- Moderately long. Short curtains are definitely not recommended for purchase - they will look strange and inappropriate in the design of a bay window living room;
- Dense and at the same time light. Heavy drapes are only good for certain styles. It is better to choose products made from flowing soft materials.
The color of the curtains should differ at least minimally from the design of the walls. If the tones are identical, the eye will perceive the space as a single whole. It is better to choose curtains that are a slightly darker shade than the paint or wallpaper.
The design of a living room with a bay window allows for the presence of decorative elements in the protrusion area. However, if you have purchased colorful curtains, do not burden the interior with massive objects and a lot of decorations.
Features of the cornice
Ideally, the cornice should match the shape of the bay window. It can be ceiling, wall, open, hidden, solid or composite. If the ledge has a non-standard configuration, cornices with connecting elements will help out. Such models are suitable for placing several pieces of fabric.
Transformation mechanisms and frame
It is also important to choose the right design. A bay window sofa with a sleeping place is most often a folding or pull-out model, with various transformation mechanisms. If a model is selected for installation in a bay window, then the height of the backrest should be optimal so that the furniture does not interfere with the penetration of light.
The bay window sofa is equipped with the same transformation mechanisms as conventional models, but due to the complex structural shape, the choice is not very wide. It is worth highlighting such basic types of transformation as “accordion”, “book”, “dolphin”, “eurobook”, “roll-out”.
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It is worth paying attention to what the frame of the sofa is made of, its mechanisms and fittings. Wood, metal, chipboard, MDF and other materials are used in furniture production. Chipboard may contain formaldehyde, which is harmful to health. MDF is a completely safe material, because wood chips are hot pressed without the use of formaldehyde, and the fraction is smaller. Natural wood is an environmentally friendly material, but furniture made from it is expensive. The disadvantage of natural wood models is that they are bulky and heavy.
Durability also largely depends on the quality of the metal, especially if it is a folding model. Many models are equipped with slats, and the sleeping area is equipped with an orthopedic mattress.
Filler
Synthetic materials are mainly used to fill the seats of kitchen sofas:
molded polyurethane - a safe, wear-resistant material, holds its shape well, service life up to 12 years; foam rubber is the most affordable type of filler, inferior to other materials in terms of durability; synthetic winterizer is a resilient, elastic material that is moisture resistant. Gives the sofa seat a soft feel; holofiber – easily restores its shape, environmentally friendly and moisture-resistant material; latex - the material has the ability to evenly distribute the load, has excellent air permeability, and does not cause allergic reactions; spring block - the filler is made using highly elastic steel
In high-quality fillers, the springs should be located in special cells.
Upholstery material used in bay window sofa models
Who wants to change furniture or its upholstery after a year because the material turned out to be impractical? If you buy upholstered furniture for the kitchen, then choose models with upholstery that is easily wiped off from stains, does not attract dust, and some fabrics even have moisture-repellent properties. It will be completely uncomfortable to sleep on a sofa upholstered in natural or artificial leather. Such models look impressive and respectable, but are more suitable for living rooms, they are convenient to receive guests. For upholstery, materials such as jacquard, tapestry, velor, boucle, chenille, and genuine leather are most often used. All these materials are durable, strong, and stains can be easily removed from them. A sofa upholstered in jacquard will decorate any interior; thanks to the iridescent fabric, the furniture looks elegant. We must not forget that the final cost of the finished product largely depends on the price of the upholstery material. If you want the upholstery to last longer, you can use special covers and capes for upholstered furniture.
Does the specifics of the premises influence the choice?
Upholstered furniture with leather or other abrasion- and stain-resistant upholstery is often purchased for office space or the kitchen. It’s good if the bay window sofa in the kitchen can even be washed, and not just remove stains. In addition, neutral colors are selected for office premises, and brighter furniture is purchased for home. A bay window sofa in the living room can become the main decoration of the room if you combine the colors in the interior correctly. Furniture can stand out in contrast against the background of the rest of the decoration or complement it.
False window with imitation
You can make a sofa in an apartment from a real window sill only if the windows are located low enough. If there is no suitable opening, do not be upset. There is a way out of the situation: you can arrange a recreation area with a false window. It looks as organic as possible if it is located in a niche made of plasterboard. To create a structure, you need to cover the interior space with photo wallpaper or posters, attach a wooden frame, and move it slightly forward, if space allows. Design the slopes, make a wide base, put a mattress and pillows on it - ready. You can create a false window in other ways, see the table for more details.
| Creation method | Advantages | Stages of work |
| 3D imitation | It allows you to get rid of the feeling of a dead space, but it “eats up” the area of the apartment a little. | Choose a location, make a sketch of the window, and transfer it to the wall. You can choose a 3D window simulation. These images are usually printed on self-adhesive film, which is easily transferred to any surface. The top of the drawing should be covered with plexiglass. Attach a wooden frame. Cover it with stain or paint it with enamel. After drying, install the bench and arrange it. |
| Drawing | Such false windows expand the space, create coziness, and allow you to make use of an empty corner. | Instead of hanging a picture, you need to paint it directly on the wall. It is also worth drawing shutters, curtains, curtains. It is better to make a “real” window sill, wide, and install it on supports or columns. |
| Mirror | Allows you to visually expand the space and make it brighter. | Make a frame with a lattice simulating binding. Glue a mirror tile made of plexiglass or polystyrene inside the binding. Mount the structure on the wall. Place a sofa. |
It’s quite easy to make a sofa from a window sill in a nursery, living room or other room. It doesn’t matter whether the house has suitable windows or not. In the interior, a false window looks amazing, especially if it is illuminated.
Bay window sofa design
The appearance of upholstered furniture should match the interior design of the room. For minimalism, sofas in black or white are suitable; the design should be simple and visually weightless. A classic interior is rich and respectable; a bay window sofa with jacquard upholstery will fit well into it. For country furniture, choose furniture with bright upholstery in checkered patterns or other patterns, made from dense natural fabrics. Loft and urban style solutions are also popular today. Fusion is generally a combination of something that, in principle, does not go together, but at the same time looks impressive. Some people will like upholstered furniture with upholstery made in national motifs, for example, Asian or Japanese.
Availability of niches for storage
A bay window sofa usually takes up quite a lot of space; in order to make practical use of the space, many models are equipped with niches for storing things. Therefore, it is worth thinking about whether a design with niches is needed. Because of them, the furniture will be larger and heavier, but having additional storage space is practical and functional.
Free access
The simplest solution is to leave the kitchen bay window free. Here you can put a couple of comfortable chairs and a small coffee table. By hanging translucent curtains on the windows or installing roller or Roman shades or blinds, we achieve the look and functionality that seems more acceptable to you.
You don’t have to clutter up the space... if the space allows
The disadvantage of this solution is obvious - irrational use of the premises. If this is not critical for you, the solution itself is not bad: you can admire the view. In other cases, they try to develop a kitchen design with a bay window so that it is not only beautiful, but also functional.
Finished product or custom order
Bay window sofa for the kitchen: types, selection criteria, interior photos Read more >
If a sofa is purchased specifically for installation in a bay window, then it is most often ordered, because the right size and shape is quite difficult to choose. There are different options; some furniture companies offer to call their designer or measurer. Sometimes the necessary furniture can be ordered even on the Internet by choosing a suitable design and entering the necessary parameters. Manufacturers offer the customer to independently choose the upholstery material, frame, transformation mechanisms, etc. The disadvantage of buying a custom-made sofa is that it will not be made right away, you will have to wait. Sometimes expectations then do not correspond to reality, but the money has already been paid. Upholstered furniture for a living room, bedroom or other room where exact dimensions are not so important is often purchased ready-made.
Cooking area in the bay window
One of the most rational ways to arrange a kitchen with a bay window is to create a work area. Work tables without wall cabinets are installed in the ledge, and gas stoves or other gas equipment cannot be installed here. You can install electrical appliances, but it’s hardly worth it - you can’t hang a hood here, and it’s difficult and expensive to organize the removal of polluted air any other way. So it's a good idea, but difficult to implement.
You can install floor-mounted kitchen cabinets in the bay window in the kitchen
If the layout allows, you can move a table with a sink here, but usually you have to run water and sewer pipes - the risers are located far away. The result is a rather long route, which is also expensive to construct and not very convenient to use: if the pipes become clogged, cleaning them is not the easiest or most enjoyable job.
Kitchen layout with sink in bay window
So, in the ledge in the kitchen there are floor cabinets with a countertop. It's nice to work looking out the window. Without any problems, you can place a mini-fridge or freezer up to a meter high in this area. At this height they fit under the tabletop. Refrigeration equipment of this size is enough for one or two people. This option can be seen in one-room apartments. There is not much room to turn around here and this is perhaps the best kitchen design with a bay window for such a case.
Not a bad solution, but not ideal
There are two disadvantages to organizing a working kitchen area in a bay window. The first is that access to the windows is closed. The main advantage of a bay window is a wider view. When setting up a work area in a kitchen bay window, the view can only be enjoyed while working. Sitting at the other end of the room you won't see much. This is also not bad, but...
The second drawback is the complexity of implementing most ideas, which means additional costs. Even if you just put in furniture, it will have to be made to order. It will not be possible to assemble a modular kitchen - the layout is non-standard, you need corner cabinets with non-standard corners and filling. So it’s only made to order, and that’s a lot of money.
