dormer decision

[dug]

OK so I finally got my post and pier foundation finished for my 20 by 30 1 and a half story. It only took 2 years- 23 months of procrastination and a month of work! Now I get to think about all the design decisions I have procrastinated. I am going to build a loft over half the length and leave the other half open (cathedral ceiling). I really want a dormer on the loft side (which will be a bedroom) but prefer the look of 2 gable dormers. This would put one dormer floating up in the cathedral ceiling. Might be kind of nice for light and solar gain (it's south facing) but it be no fun to keep clean, and also a heat leak in the winter. Has anyone done one like this? Would it look dumb? Help! 

[John Raabe]

A dormer floating in the middle of a cathedral will add some nice light and ventilation for the main room.

You will have to think about access to it. If you can, get it to fit between the rafter-tie timber supports. That would give you a 4' wide dormer. That would likely look and work the best.

A somewhat less expensive option to a dormer would be a large venting skylight. That might not work as well in hot climates (more overhead summer light) or heavy snow areas.

[dug]

Thanks for the advice, I think that's what I will do. Thought about skylight too, but like the double dormers for aesthetic reasons- from the outside view anyway.

[Don_P]

I've done one "floating" dormer, looked good outside and to me looked pretty odd inside. We've just finished one that had a set of spiral stairs in the floating dormer up to a catwalk that accessed lofts on either end, one a bedroom with a dormer, the other a small reading nook just beyond the dormer and stairs. It looks fine but access to the window is poor. I can just reach the casement crank and we drilled and put a stick on the lock lever.

[dug]

Hey Don P- you wouldn't happen to have a photo of that from the inside would you? I have searched this site and not found any examples. Just trying to visualize it. Thanks!

[Don_P]

Dug,
Sorry, I just looked through the pics I had, no shots of it from inside. I guess my bias was affecting my picture taking. Sept '98, no grey in my beard 

[Beavers]

Not exactly what you were looking for, but here is photo of one of my dormers looking up from the floor.  It's only a 12x16 so it's kinda hard to get a wide angle photo of stuff inside.  If you can picture the dormer without the loft floor it might help?    BTW- The dormer in the photo is 4' wide, and the walls are 10' tall if that helps.