Angled bay windows started showing up on American houses during the Gothic revival movement in the mid 1800s, and have been a popular architectural feature ever since. Still, there are enough bay windows tacked on to otherwise attractive houses to conclude that many builders and designers treat the bay window as an afterthought. Yet with a few basic rules under our belts, we can design bay windows that are not only functional but that enhance the exterior elevation of the house. From the Inside Out Historically, bays were thought of more as an exterior adornment than an interior feature. But homeowners spend most of their time indoors looking out, so the first step in designing a bay is to make
