A bay window like this embellishes an exterior elevation and creates an appealing nook on the interior from which to enjoy a stunning view. 

This one-story addition has the look of a beautifully enclosed porch. The cross-braced, half-wall suggests a guard rail, now infilled with vertical boards. The overall assembly has porchiness.

Corbelling beneath the bay softens the transition from the brick wall below to the projecting bay above, known as an oriel. There's something organic about how this oriel bulges out from the plane of the adjacent walls. It offers distinctive personality, bonus space, and a clear view beyond the confines of the primary structure. It's a keeper.

Read more about bays in an article I wrote and illustrated a few years ago for The Journal of Light Construction, available on the JLC website.

by Katie Hutchison for House Enthusiast