You have seen them on cute Victorian cottages, traditional colonial homes, and other types of buildings. A dormer is a structure that is built projecting out of the roof of a building. It will usually have wall space for windows and might have a different pitch from the main roof, and/or a roofline that is perpendicular to the main roof. They are eye-catching and can turn a drab building into something quite fabulous. Let us take you through all of the reasons that dormers are so great.
Gain Headspace
Some of our designs, like the Smithaven cottage, have lower wall heights. Other cabins have lofts with just enough room to crouch in some spots. Including a dormer in your design provides extra vertical space. This gives you room to stretch, or at the very least, room to stand in. Tall bookshelves and closets built into a dormer create storage space for clothing, linens, books and other knick-knacks. Here is an example of a finished loft without a dormer, and one with a shed dormer.
Bring in the Sunlight
Lofts usually have shorter walls, meaning the only available space for windows is in the gable end of the building. This usually results in limited natural light coming in. Are you using the loft as a sleeping area? A dormer will provide space for additional windows to remedy a normally darker space.
Add Some Pizazz
A standard, gabled-roof cabin provides a certain charm in its simplicity. But your cabin can get a double-take by adding one or more dormers. With this purpose in mind, the structural form of the dormer differs from the overall roofline, the architectural interest will catch most peoples’ eyes. Depending on the dormer style you add, you can make your building look more traditional or modern too.
Types of Dormers
If you are building a Vermont Cabin we offer two dormer types that work with the building kits when ordered and shipped at the same time.
Doghouse Dormer
- Gable-Roof Style
- One window can be installed in each dormer
- People usually add two or three of these dormers on one or two sides of the cabin.
Shed Dormer
- Shed-Roof Style
- This wider dormer style can host several windows
- Great for creating more usable space in a loft
Other Designs That Utilize Dormers
While we only offer a dormer kit for the Vermont Cabin, we do have a couple designs that feature dormers as part of the overall design. The Smithaven is a micro cottage based off of our Hardware Shed. We lengthened the building and added a shed dormer on one of the bearing walls. Three barn sash windows, with a transom window above, adorn the heightened wall of the dormer. The result is an adorable tiny house with a lot of personality.
Our Dollhouse shed and Xylia cabin both have over-the-door dormers. The door dormers for both of these are visually appealing and functional. Both designs have steeper roof pitches resulting in shorter wall heights. Adding a dormer where the door goes makes it possible for a full-sized adult to walk through the door without bumping their head on the door frame.
The Smithaven is designed with a shed dormer built into it. 
Dollhouse with above the door dormer 
Xylia with above the door dormer
Conclusion
Those who want a building that includes design features that are functional and beautiful might want to pick out a design with a dormer. Additionally, dormers provide more useable space in a loft, where wall heights are usually on the short side. Last but not least, dormers provide a unique, simple style to your cottage. All in all the benefits of dormers are vast and we think they are pretty nifty.
