Servery Bar / Pass-through Window

Design Idea 1: Large Hinges

One of the things we really wanted to do was to link the outdoor room to the kitchen – like so I can be watching the Canucks beat the Habs and some nice person can pass beer and nacho’s out the window!

I came up with a few designs and bounced them off the window guys …

Design idea 1: put some big heavy hinges on the outside of the window so it open 180deg like a door. Seemed OK except the hinges are a bit pricey, and the window would wipe out anyone standing in the way when it opened.

Design Idea 2: Bi-fold Window

Design idea 2: this idea came from a designer we worked with at the onset of the project. It involves installing a bi-fold window that is flush with the counter, like you might see in a restaurant or something. Great idea, but the only window guy who can do it is the solid wood window dude, and he wants $$$$ (plus the window won’t match any of other windows);

In a similar manner, the vinyl window companies can create a multi-panel window that folds away. TO do this they use a track and panel kit – the same ones they use to make those walls that fold away to open inside to outside in the homes in the architecture mags (here is an example). Would be great but again – costs too much for our budget!

Design Idea 3: Multi-panel Slider

Design idea 3: multi-panel sliding window. This is what we went with. Sliders don’t cost much, and we can open either a complete 4′ section for pass-through, or we can crack open either side for ventilation.

To make it work we needed to move the window out from the posts (because the window can’t slide through the post). Turns out that it looks pretty cool, and extends the counter out into the outdoor room a bit. We will mount the window flush with the counter (so there is no backsplash behind the sink). I think it will be a nice “feature”.

Anyway – we do like the bi-fold option best – but you gotta keep the $$ in mind. It is so easy to get caught up in it and spend spend spend! This slider cost us about $1000 for the window compared to $5000 for the bi-fold unit.

I figure we just upgraded to a Viking range for free!

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