Three Dormer attic windows, reflection in the evening sun, two windows lit up and one in the shade. UPVC cladding white against.
Dormers the name comes from the French word dormir, meaning ‘to sleep’, have become a classic window style because they are just so useful. A dormer is a perfect way to achieve headroom where it might otherwise be difficult. To architects they provide an ideal means of creating ‘rooms in the roof’, especially in houses – new or old – that do not extend to two full storeys. A dormer is a vertical window with a roof of its own, positioned, at least in part, within the slope of the roof. In many ways, the ‘easiest’ place in which to position a dormer that is, the situation in which you are least likely to get it wrong is in a traditional cottage. Whatever the style of house, however, dormers inevitably look better if their ridges are kept well down from the main ridge. It is best to place them slightly lower than halfway down the roof. If they threaten to get close to the ridge, then the usual practice is to flatten their roofs. Dormer windows contribute greatly to this variety, along with chimneys, wall-head gables, gable skews, turrets etc. Although most dormer windows fall within a certain few standard types, their size and detailing vary enormously, from the plain to the highly ornamented. Some dormers were conceived and constructed as part of the original building design, but many have been added at a later date to allow better use of attic space. In earlier years, whether by design or by accident, these dormers were usually accommodated without greatly upsetting the balance of the roof. Recently however, dormers have been created with the maximisation of floor space being the paramount consideration. Little attention has generally been given to form, and the balance and visual interest previously achieved, is often absent. This loss is detrimental not only to the building itself, but to the urban scene in general.
Size: 5184px × 3456px
Location: Lincolnshire.
Photo credit: © Steve Welsh / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
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