What Do You Call an Area Where a Window Juts Out From a House?

Bay Windows

• Bay windows consist of three window units jutting out from a house and often are supported by a cantilevered floor. The center unit is usually a picture window set parallel to the supporting wall, framed on both sides by narrower, angled window units. Box windows are similar to bay windows but resemble their name -- they have three sections, but the two side window units connect to the supporting wall at right angles. Oriels are bay windows that jut out from a second, third or higher floor.

Bow Windows

• Bow windows are a more complex version of a bay window. They also jut out over a cantilevered floor or a foundation slab's cement extension, but they have four, five or more window units that arc in a gradual curve, similar to an archer's bow. Bow windows have more supports between the multiple window units, which can distract from the outside view.

Garden Window

• Garden windows are much smaller than bay and bow windows. These windows have connected panes that jut out from their window frames like miniature greenhouses. They provide light and shelving for tender, sun-loving indoor herbs, succulents and other indoor plants, making them ideal for a winter-bound gardener. Garden windows are common over kitchen sinks, where cooks appreciate the extra sunlight and the steady supply of fresh herbs. Many garden windows even incorporate louvers to control humidity levels.

Dormer Windows

• Dormer windows jut out from the roof of a house, usually illuminating an attic. A gabled dormer is the most common style for a sloped roof, with a simple A-frame roof over the window. Hipped dormers have a small hipped roof and often appear in Queen Anne-style architecture, while shed dormers appear on Craftsman-style houses. The roof of a shed dormer is in line with the roof of the house, making the dormer seem to simply lift out of the roof. Blind dormers have no connection to the rest of the house and are for appearances only.