Comfortable lounge area with blanket and soft pillows near window in room. Photo 123RF

What to do with the bay window? Bay windows can be “space eaters”. When not properly designed and optimised, bay windows could prove to be a complete waste of precious real estate space – especially if bay windows lined all along your home’s perimeters!

The bay window problem is much more common that you’d think right here in Singapore! A condominium unit at Arc@Draycott was caught in this situation. The condo unit’s bay windows took up 7.5% of the apartment’s total floor area! (Click here to jump to the Arc@Draycott section of this article.)

As the bay window is the often the brightest spot of a room, you should try to site the desk or bed there. Depending on the room’s proportions and layout, you can either place the bed on top of the wide window ledge, or build out a desktop that sits on top of the ledge.

The trick is to custom-build and carpentry everything. If you are stacking your bed frame over the bay window is, the mattress can sit on a platform that extends out from the bay window ledge, with the extension thus creating a useful cupboard below the bed.

If you are making use of the bay window to house a study table, customise the desk such that it extends outwards beyond the edge of the bay window to ensure enough legroom while you sit at the desk. You can do without desk legs, so the space will be more open and feel less congested.

The bespoke study table, which is cantilevered over the window ledge, moves along its length. A cutout at one corner of the TV feature wall gives it an asymmetrical look.

Bay Window Study Table

The bespoke bay window study table designed by interior design firm Substance Living is cantilevered over the window ledge, and moves along the window length. A cutout at one corner of the TV feature wall gives it an asymmetrical look.

The study features some of the couple’s mementoes and a wide window seat that doubles as a daybed with throw cushions.

This above pictured bay window study desk features some of the homeowner couple’s mementoes. A wide bay window seat that doubles as a daybed with throw cushions. Interior design by Fuse Concept.

Back to top

Resting one end of the study table on the bay window ledge maximises the floor area in the girl's room.

Resting one end of the study table on the bay window ledge maximises the floor area in the girl’s kids bedroom.

Interior design by Profzile

Homeowner and avid photographer, Raymond, integrated a study table over his bay window ledge.

Interior design by Dreammetal
Homeowner and avid shutterbug, Raymond, dressed up the wall side of the shelf in his home office with an art piece featuring vintage cameras. This draws the eye from that “blocky” surface and leads it into the room.
A curved bookshelf breaks the boxiness of the room and gives the space a sense of movement. The study can be closed off completely despite the open weave of the steel mesh as there is a layer of glass sandwiched in between.

The bay window ledge was raised with glass panels to create a bay window study table.

Interior design by Museum Homes

The bay window ledge was extended to create an adjacent study table in this condominium unit at Chestervale.

Interior design by The Orange Cube
The bay window ledge was extended to create an adjacent study table in this condominium unit at Chestervale. Interior design by The Orange Cube.
A cabinet that hangs from the ceiling uses the vertical volume of the study for storage space. The side shelves make it easy to retrieve books.

This bay window with storage shelves was extended with an adjacent study table.

Interior design by Project File

A bay window study desk is paired with full-height cabinets with display shelves.

Interior design by Mong Design Studio
A silk carpet from The Orientalist adds a soft touch to the study's nearly full-height cabinetry.
The home office houses a spacious but discreet wardrobe hidden behind tinted black sliding glass panels, which are a contemporary take on the industrial look. Interior design by JQ Ong/ The Association.

The bay window study table houses a spacious but discreet wardrobe hidden behind tinted black sliding glass panels.

Interior design by JQ Ong/ The Association
Frame your bedroom's bay window up with wall partitions to emphasise its depth and create a bolder interior design statement.

Bay Window Partition Frame

While bay windows are often seen as an undesirable feature that eats up precious floor space, all it needs is a little creativity to turn it into a striking element. Frame the bay window up to emphasise its depth and create a bolder design statement.

Back to top

Cushions turn the bay window in the living room into a comfortable perch. Interior design by Metaphor Studio

Cushions turn the bay window settee in the living room into a comfortable perch.

Interior design by Metaphor Studio

The bay window settee in the study room allows for a relaxation corner and enhances the American loft-style interior design feel.

Interior design by Space Matters
The bay window in the study allows for a relaxation corner and enhances the American loft feel.
Create an extra cosy nook by placing your bed frame over the bay window ledge, up against the window.

Make bedtime extra cosy by placing your bed frame over the bay window ledge.

Transform the bay window ledge into a customised display shelf for your collectibles, travel memorabilia, and trinkets.

Transform the bay window ledge into a customised display shelf for your collectibles, travel memorabilia, and trinkets.
Uneven cabinet storage cabinets at bay window area of this condominium unit at The Calrose. Interior design by Story Of Us.

Bay Window Cabinets

Uneven cabinet storage cabinets at bay window area of this condominium unit at The Calrose. Interior design by Story Of Us.

Back to top

A pink bay window bed with storage cabinets in an apartment at The Interlace condominium.

A pink bay window bed with storage cabinets in an apartment at The Interlace condominium.
Create a comfortable reading nook by extending the bay window, creating extra seats and a settee.

Create a comfortable reading nook by extending the bay window, creating extra seats and a settee.

To fully maximise the recessed bay window area, build a sliding display or bookshelf above the bay window.

To fully maximise the recessed bay window area, build a sliding display or bookshelf above the bay window.
The interior designer at KZ Designs suggested a green theme for the guestroom as it’s a fresh yet relaxing colour.

The interior designer suggested a green theme for the guest room with a cosy bay window bed.

Interior design by KZ Designs
The colour scheme of this room was inspired by some of the most famous fashion brands, The room was designed in mind of brands such as Louis Vuitton and Chanel. (Total Renovation costs: $150,000)

Bay Window Vanity

The colour scheme of this master bedroom was inspired by some of the most famous fashion brands, The bedroom was designed in mind of luxury fashion brands such as Louis Vuitton and Chanel. Total renovation cost $150,000.

Back to top

Create a simple bay window settee sofa with back rest to make lounging at the bay window more ergonomic.

Create a simple bay window settee sofa with back rest to make lounging at the bay window more ergonomic.

Building a sink and vanity counter over the edge of the bay window will save you extra space in the bathroom.

Building a sink and vanity counter over the edge of the bay window will save you extra space in the bathroom.
Instead of camouflaging or blending the bay window into the wall, it could be refreshing to highlight it by cladding the bay window seats with fun, vibrant materials and colours for a kid's bedroom.

It could be refreshing to highlight the bay window seats with fun, vibrant materials and colours for a kid’s bedroom.

A customised bay window sofa in grey fabrics with a wooden frame paired with white window blinds.

A customised bay window sofa in grey fabrics with a wooden frame paired with white window blinds.
Homeowner, Gina, works from home, sharing the study with her husband’s instruments. The ceiling in a dove grey echoes the concrete wall.

Homeowner, Gina, works from home, sharing this bay window study desk with her husband’s guitars.

Interior design by Whiz Concepts

Wood flooring, display shelves and elements help soften this glass-walled study room with a bay window desk.

Interior design by Free Space Intent
6465-free-space-intent-photo-2-6
The bay window was turned into a desk where the husband can work at night without disturbing his spouse. Coffee hues, from espresso-dark wood furniture to cafe au lait walls, tie the look together.

The bay window was turned into a desk where the husband can work at night without disturbing his spouse.

Interior design by Benjeemen Heng ID

Back to top

This condo unit within Bedok Reservoir's condominium, Waterfront Waves, has three rooms with built-in bay windows by interior designers at Space Factor.

Bay Window Condo Design

This condo within Waterfront Waves condominium at Bedok Reservoir has three rooms with built-in bay windows. Instead of letting the platform area go to waste, the designers at Space Factor came up with three unique space-efficient solutions that will make you re-think the potential of bay windows.

Pictured above, additional built-in storage is created by installing an open back shelf and slim drawers on the platform. Keeping the carpentry slim also allows more natural light to pass through.

Instead of taking up floor space to erect a conventional study desk, install your work desk atop the bay window platform like this condo unit in Waterfront Waves, designed by Space Factor.

Instead of taking up floor space to erect a conventional study desk, install it atop the bay window platform. With this, you’re also able to enjoy the view outside while studying or reading too.

In this condo unit with bay windows at Waterfront Waves in Bedok, the interior designers at Space Factor took advantage of the natural light streaming in by customising a vanity and study table at one end of the bay window.

In the same condo unit with bay windows at Waterfront Waves in Bedok, the interior designers at Space Factor took advantage of the natural light streaming in by customising a vanity and study table at one end of the bay window.

Back to top

bay window, condominium, save space

Condo Bay Window Design (Arc@Draycott)

This condominium unit at Arc@Draycott had bay windows that took up 7.5% of the apartment’s total floor area! Without hacking them away, the interior designers at EHKA reclaimed the bay window space for the homeowners by cleverly building over the bay windows.

Above pictured, in the living room, a custom-made sofa sits partly on the bay window space.

bay window, condominium, save space

In the dining room (above pictured), the bay window ledge was used as a dining bench.

bay window, condominium, save space

In the master bedroom (pictured above), the bay window ledge was transformed into a daybed sofa with cushioned settee, along with a mini coffee side table with storage.

bay window, condominium, save space

In the kid’s bedroom (pictured above), a wooden shelf with book display was built over the bay window, creating extra storage space for the children’s toys and decoration.

In this condominium unit at Arc@Draycott, the bay window space was transformed into a work study table desk.

In this condominium unit at Arc@Draycott, the bay window space was transformed into a work study table desk.

Back to top

A laminate bench takes up the footprint of the old balcony and provides extra seating when visitors drop by.
A laminate bench along the bay window takes up the footprint of the old balcony and provides extra seating when visitors drop by. Interior design by W2DA

Best Bay Window Material

There is a range of materials you can use to surface your
bay window seat, but solid surfacing is not recommended. As that area is right by the window, and gets lots of sunlight and heat, wood or stone are better choices.

Do not use solid surface

“As solid surfacing is made of polyester (or even acrylic), it
 is prone to discolouration over time when under direct sunlight, especially if the top is white.

Quartz, Granite, Stones are best

We would advise clients to use stones such as quartz or granite. If there is a budget constraint, try a laminated plank instead. In terms of pricing, laminates are the least expensive, followed by solid surfacing, quartz, and then granite,” says interior design firm Space Factor’s creative director, Dolly Teo.

Back to top