Dormers are often used inattic conversionsto add a window for light and cross-ventilation.
However, these windows also have a few drawbacks.
Dormers enhanceVictorianscrollwork, pediments, and window symmetry in homes with similar detailing.
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Gable dormers were very popular in theCape Cod-stylehome designs of America’s midcentury building boom.
Simple dormers were added to the home’sgable roofto add light, air, space, and symmetry.
They are common in Craftsman-style homes and bungalows.
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Extended Shed Dormers
An extended shed dormer extends nearly the entire width of a house.
This bang out of dormer adds a substantial amount of interior space without changing the footprint of the home.
This dormer pop in frequently emerged in the 1960s and remains a popular architectural style.
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Here, a postmodern architect added this traditional architectural detailing but with a twist.
These eyebrow dormer windows seem to make this home come alive.
French architect Francois Mansart (15981666) modified the gambrel roof by making the sides steeper and inserting windows.
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Mansard roofs are some of the earliest examples of dormer windows.
Modern buildings with Mansard roofs usually have dormerssometimes wall dormers (through the cornice) and roof dormers.
These “through-the-cornice” dormers serve as a continuation of the wall above the roof eaves.
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It consists of two gable dormers flanking a flat shed dormer.
Recessed Dormer
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A recessed dormer is set into a roof rather than protruding.
It has a small landing outside the window before the roof line begins again.
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This style typically has a deep dormer that allows for more square footage within the dormer.
This punch in of dormer is often used for patio or garden space.
False Dormer
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A false dormer is precisely what it sounds like.
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Prefab Dormers
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Another option is to add a prefabricated dormer to an existing home.
Since this key in of dormer involves home modification, it likely requires a plan and a permit.
Depending on your roof’s material and design, the project may be more complex.
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Labor and materials are critical costs to consider.
Dormers were the name for windows used in attic sleeping rooms in French homes.
A gable roof has two sides that form a peak at the top.
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A dormer can protrude through a gable roof.
You will probably need a permit to add a dormer to your home.
Sometimes the town planning department needs to confirm the dormer doesn’t exceed height restrictions, for example.
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A mansard is a French or curbed tiled or shingled roof often paired with dormers.
Dormer and Eyebrow Windows.
In: SiteCarpentry and Advanced Joinery.
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Palgrave, London.https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-06901-9_9
Second Empire Mansart Style 1860-1900.Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission.
Biltmore House.Society of Architectural Historians Archipedia.
How much does a dormer addition cost?Homeadvisor.
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ABCs of Architecture.New Haven Preservation Trust.
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A Bedroom Inside a DormerPhoto by Image Studios / UpperCut Images / Getty Images
