A lofted sleeping space furnished with a king-size bed was made possible when Gray Organschi Architects raised the ceiling in the guest cottage they designed for a couple in Guilford, Connecticut, to create a triangular clerestory window. The move carved out enough headroom to make the second-floor space usable, while still keeping the cottage in compliance with strict local zoning rules for “accessory” buildings. Photo by Mark Mahaney.
Clerestory windows have been around since the time of the ancient Egyptians, and there's a reason for their staying power. By drawing sunlight from high spaces, clerestory windows help bathe a room in natural light, even when angles aren't optimal. Here are some creative uses of this enduring feature.
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