Bay Window Ideas for Singapore Homes, and the Rules to Know First

A bay window is one of those features homeowners either love or wish away. It brings in light and a view, but it also eats floor space and leaves an awkward ledge that tends to collect clutter. The good news is that a bay window can become one of the best spots in the home. The catch is that you usually have to work with it, not remove it.

Why So Many Singapore Homes Have Bay Windows

Bay windows turn up in plenty of HDB flats and in many condos designed before 2009. In condos, the reason was partly regulatory: bay windows were exempt from a development’s gross floor area, so they added space to a unit without using up the plot ratio. URA changed that from 1 January 2009, counting bay windows as floor area for new development applications, and they became much rarer in condos designed after that.

Can You Remove a Bay Window?

In an HDB flat, generally not. HDB’s window works guidelines list replacing bay windows among works that are not allowed, except where a damaged frame has to be replaced. HDB also does not allow reinforced concrete structures or the building’s external facade to be altered, and a bay window usually involves both. If you are considering any change to the ledge, have HDB assess it through your contractor before you design around it.

In a condo, the window and the facade are usually governed by the MCST’s by-laws, which generally restrict changes to the external appearance. Check before you plan anything beyond the interior. Our comparison of HDB and condo renovation rules covers how the two systems differ.

Bay Window Ideas That Work

A reading nook or window seat

The classic use, and the easiest. Fitted cushions on the ledge, a few bolsters and a wall light turn it into the most comfortable seat in the room. Choose performance or outdoor-grade fabric, since the ledge takes direct sun.

Minimalist Zen, at 781 Pasir Ris

At 781 Pasir Ris, an executive flat in a 1995 block, the window bay became a timber bench seat framed by an oval cut-out panel, which turns the view into part of the design.

A study desk

A desk built across the front of the bay, with the ledge as a deep shelf behind it, gives a work spot with the best light in the room. Plan a blind or sheer, because screen glare in the afternoon is the usual complaint.

Storage around the bay

Full-height cabinets on either side of the bay frame the window and make the recess read as intentional rather than leftover. In a bedroom, this is often where the wardrobe wants to go anyway.

A display ledge

In a living room, the ledge can simply be styled: plants, a few ceramics, a lamp. It is the cheapest option and often the best one, as long as it is kept edited.

Building a Platform or Bench: the HDB Rule to Know

Many bay window designs involve building a raised timber platform in front of the window. HDB’s building works guidelines allow a hardwood platform without a permit, with two conditions that matter here: there must be at least 1m between the top of the platform and the window sill, and the space beneath the platform must not be sealed or used for storage.

It is a safety rule, and it rules out many of the platform-and-storage designs seen online. Design within it from the start, and let your contractor confirm the details against your flat.

Window Safety and Maintenance

• Only BCA-approved window contractors listed with HDB may install or replace windows in an HDB flat, and any window replacement needs a permit.
• BCA advises checking windows at least once every six months, and replacing aluminium rivets with stainless steel. Owners can be fined if a window falls from their home.
• For flats handed over from July 2007, window grilles must follow HDB-approved designs.
• Bay windows take direct sun. Solar film, blinds or a sheer curtain protect cushions and timber from fading, and keep the room cooler.

Making the Most of Your Bay Window

The best bay window designs are planned with the rest of the room, not added at the end. For how bay windows fit alongside other layout moves, see our HDB interior design ideas and condo interior design ideas. You can see more of our work on the HDB and condo interior design pages. Get in touch for a free consultation and we will look at what your bay window can become.