No pix but I'm taking mine out. I felt that it was too 1980s style, although I'm sure there's a way to do it so as not to look dated. Crawling around/over/into the sink to get to the countertop to clean it was a big pain (the tile countertop just continued into the "floor" of the window). Even though it was west facing, plants never grew there. I just had a valance/topper for a window treatment, but privacy was not an issue. Sorry to be negative, and I'm sure yours will look much better.

I had a garden window in my last kitchen. We built our house and our builder tried talking us into boxing out the window instead. I wish I'd listened to him. It was expensive, drafty and hard to clean besides being, as the last poster mentioned, 1980's looking.

Another vote for difficult to reach hard to clean and not great for growing plants. We installed one in our last house and even though I'm an avid gardener who had flourescent plant lights in my basement for starting seedlings in the winter the greenhouse window ending up only holding decorative objects.

Sorry to join the negative chorus, but I don't like mine, either. It's in a south-facing wall, and we nicknamed it the "window of death" because it seems to concentrate the heat and kills everything but the toughest desert succulents. (I had envisioned an indoor herb garden.) It's also hard to clean, and has recently started to leak. Can's wait to take it out.

Mine is gone with the remodel too. It came with the house so it wasn't my choice to begin with. I did have succulants growing (mine is west facing)and I kept cut flowers there during summer months. My counter was tiled and the tile just continued into the window base. Another problem with my particular window was that it was brown aluminum to match the other windows and we've replaced all those with white vinyl so it had to go to. I replaced it with a larger picture window that I love.

We had one in our last house.

On the negative side, I would have much rather had a pass-through window with a nice ledge on the patio side. I found the garden window to be very difficult to clean the window and the counters. If anything got shoved back there, it was nearly impossible to get to. The top part of the window was always spotted and grimy looking from dust, morning dew and rain spots.

On the plus side, I did like the nice view from the window, since I could see into the yard from three different vantage points, and I liked all of the light that poured into the kitchen from that window.

It never occurred to me that it was too "1980s," but then I have removed vent hoods to put in OTR microwaves because I like them (they're big, they're off the counter, they don't take up cabinet space, they're convenient to the cooking area, I don't have any problem reaching stuff inside them), and I like U shaped peninsulas, too.

Tip toeing carefully in here,

Cuz I LOVE my greenhouse windows! Just put them in last summer- and my plants are thriving- have orchids reblooming and going on and on, never had orchids survive for long before, let alone rebloom!

I live in the Pacific NorthWest, windows face NorthWest, so no glaring sun problems (plus I have tall tall cedars on property line that may shield out burning rays). These are brand new double glazed argon filled vinyl windows, so no draft problems, 16" deep, so can reach bottom shelf OK, need stool to wipe glass shelf.

My only regret is that I didn't have them at counter height- AND the style my window company provided has a stile separating bottom from side. If you order windows, make sure you know exactly what they are going to look like! I chose a top-venting window, figured that would release the heat better. (Just like my real greenhouse!)

We're having our granite redone, so granite sill isn't in yet, and then trim and returns will go on. No drapes/blinds needed!
{{!gwi}}

Here's a pic of our window before the remodel. You can kind of tell it was a junk collector, and I'm hoping to make it look nicer after the remodel with plants or something else of interest.

I might have replaced it if I wanted to spend the money on a new window, but it wasn't a priority, and I have high hopes of making it look better.

What about a bay window? The greenhouse windows aren't my style, either... we had a large picture window which we're swapping for a bay window at counter height - it's going to be wonderful! It was through seeing other's pics on here that we got the idea...

Good luck with your decision and let us know what you decide.

I've seen some pretty counter-height bow windows on this forum, as well.

I forgot to mention one reason that I didn't like it was that at some point I changed out all the windows, EXCEPT that one and a couple of small bathroom windows, from aluminum to vinyl. I couldn't change those 3 without disturbing the tile, which wasn't in the window budget, so for about 8 years the unmatching greenhouse window bugged me. However, if you plan to have your new window match what you already have (or plan to have), obviously you will be ahead of the game. Good luck with your choice!

I had one built for an existing window over my sink in our last home. Prefabs would not fit, so I had a handyman (other than DH) build me one. He used a scrap solid wood door he had around. He had the double window glass made at a local glass shop.

I took the granite up into the window. I did have to bring a kitchen chair over to stand on to clean, but I loved it so much it was not a problem for me. North facing. Morning sun. Violets loved it. This was taken before we moved and I was thinning out plants and these were old and leggy. Plants were healthier when I knew I wasn't moving soon. lol

We took ours out with the remodel. When we first moved in, I thought I would really love it, but it was a small window and was too high up for me to reach the crank to actually open it up or clean without climbing onto the sink and counters. I couldn't really see much out of it either. The cabinet valance was too low and it felt almost claustrophobic. We replaced it with a large triple window. I can reach the cranks and open up the windows (I must have fresh air!), and we actually see out the window now. I don't have very good pictures showing the actual before window. If it had been a larger window or if it had been closer to countertop level, I think I would have liked it more. Our new window has a nice large windowsill, but haven't gotten around to finding the appropriate plants for it yet :)

{{!gwi}}

we had one and to echo what many others said here- it was difficult to clean, plants didn't grow well and was also brown vinyl compared to all the new windows we put in that were white wood. When we renovated I did not choose to put in a greenhouse window- and I am a plant lover and have plants all over the house.

My MIL has a large greenhouse window front of the kitchen sink for many, many years. She and FIL just LOVE it. The window faces north and is wonderful for African Violets. No leaks, not cold in the Ohio winters. She has never fussed about reaching into the space to water the plants or clean the windows. She uses a step ladder. She is 5' tall. Oh, she is 80. A wood valence spans between the cabinets and it is trimmed out in the normal fashion. I looked for a pic, but I don't have one on my computer. It is very attractive.

Oh. I guess I used the wrong term. I should have said "bay window". I'm considering a window that extends behind the sink, with the counter running into the window. But, I think the cleaning issues and possibility of it being a clutter haven still apply, so thanks for your comments! Now to see if I can find more info if I search on "bay window" ...

You have to admit, Morton, this was a great post even if you meant "bay window" and not "garden window"! :-)

We changed out our window for a bay window and I hated it so much we changed it out again for a garden window.
I LOVE my new window. It faces west and the counter runs right back into it.

The reason: The framing in the bay window took up more space than the glass and the new window let in less light than the old.

Yes, I do need to get on a step stool to clean it but I can reach the cranks without the stool to open the side windows.

So, a word of caution...unless your window is at least 6 feet wide, do not go with a bay/bow window.

I thought I would love my garden window....I do, but sometimes I don't.

It was a "must have" in the remodel. Yikes! I never thought about it being an 80's item, but I guess that makes sense. The original idea came to me around that time.

So far, no leaks, but it is definitely a rain and snow catcher. As others have said, it is difficult to reach for opening and cleaning. Yes, plants go there for a final resting place. Sigh.

Would I do it again? Yes, because I think it helped to "open up" my narrow galley kitchen.

We have a 5' wide x 2' deep east-facing garden window that I have a love/hate relationship with. It's all of the above: clutter catcher, hard to clean, brown vinyl! But it's a great place to grow plants from cutting garden and display some of my blown glass collection. Most of all it's not in the budget to replace it. So it's getting painted white like the rest of the trimmings. Does anyone think this is unrealistic? Best way to prep it? Best paint to use that will stick well?

I have a 8 inch alcove for my arch window. It it easy to clean and access everything while still giving me a bump out. It "tricks" the eye into thinking my kitchen is wider than it is. I LOVE it!!

Oh Islander I like that window a lot.

I did a 4x4 garden window where I used to have a 36 inch window, and I loved it. Then we moved and I miss that window. I have to replace the window over the sink, so I'm thinking about bumping a little, maybe an arch....

my BFF (since 3rd grade) put one in and I asked her before I got mine: She said, "if you need perfectly clean always, it might make you crazy, but I don't need that and I love mine". And she got a fair amount of grief when she put it in, in 1979!