Garden windows are becoming increasingly popular by those with limited space to plant vegetables or herbs in, as they make it possible to enjoy gardening year round. Garden windows are typically placed over a kitchen sink; however, there are actually several unique ways to enjoy them and several areas where they could be useful as well.

What are Garden Windows?

Garden windows somewhat resemble a box, and contain panes of glass on the front, sides, and top to allow plenty of sunlight in. They also have a wider-than-average sill, which causes them to protrude somewhat from the exterior wall of your home. These windows differ from bay or box windows in that they have a rather squared appearance instead of being slightly curved. Their primary purpose is to allow light in so that plants can grow in this space year round.

Accenting Small Spaces

The fact that garden windows contain a top pane of glass means that they let far more light in than traditional windows, and can therefore be used to make very small spaces look bigger. Some small spaces that could benefit from having a garden window installed include:
  • Foyers
  • Utility rooms
  • Mud rooms
  • Home offices
  • Bathrooms
  • Landings at the top or middle of a staircase
  • Porches
Garden windows placed in these areas will visually extend both the length and width of your walls. Depending upon the configuration of your room, it might be better to place more than one window in a given area in order to further increase the amount of space that’s available.

Dining Rooms and Breakfast Nooks

You can create the effect of a sunroom by placing a very tall garden window along one or more walls in your dining room or breakfast nook. Doing so is far less expensive than building a sunroom, yet will allow you to enjoy more of the outdoors.

Bedrooms

Garden windows also provide a bit more privacy than bay windows, so they are good choices for bedrooms. When placed in a bedroom, they could be used to hold houseplants and a tabletop fountain, to help you feel more relaxed. They would also be the perfect spot for a pet bed, making them ideal if you would like to keep your furry friend close at night, but not necessarily have him in the same bed as you.

Living Rooms

If you enjoy seasonal decorating, placing a garden window in your living room will help you avoid the hassle of moving furniture or rearranging accessories to make room for them. Instead, your garden window can act as a shadowbox, holding a miniature Christmas tree, pumpkins, gourds or even spring flowers to help you celebrate the season. In this instance, all you need to do is switch out your decorations to suit the occasion, so you will find keeping your home lively and festive will be much easier.

Outdoor Uses

Garden windows are not always placed indoors, as they also have a number of outdoor uses. One of the more common outdoor uses for garden windows involves placing them along one wall of a tool shed. In this way, the shed can serve multiple purposes, as one end can be used for storage and the other for growing plants in. Even if turning your tool shed into a greenhouse isn’t your primary goal, you can still benefit from adding one in order to increase the amount of light inside the structure.

Garden Window in KitchenUnique garden windows may also be placed in:

  • Garages
  • Barns
  • Workshops
  • Guest cottages
  • Man caves
As you can see, the number of uses for a garden window is nearly unlimited. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box and imagine new ways to enjoy garden windows in your own home.