Window pro Jay Libby outlines 7 reasons why windows are part of any great architectural design.
Andersen A-Series Casement Windows with Pre-finished White Interiors. A-Series Casement Picture Windows with Prefinished White Interiors. A-Series Transom Windows with Pre-finished White Interiors and Specified Equal Light Grille Pattern.
When it comes to your home’s design, so many details compete for your undivided
attention.
From light fixtures to walkways, siding colors to flooring, unifying the many parts into the vision that started your home design process can feel overwhelming. What many homeowners fail to appreciate, though, is how the windows – the number of them, size, and placement, can make this easier.
Architects and home designers have long appreciated the benefits of well-placed windows in a home plan. Subtle changes to your window strategy can have a direct effect on how attention is directed to the best features of the home. The
Windowcentrics design philosophy employs simple principles to maximize the benefits windows offer and make a noticeable difference in how a home looks and feels.
1. Capture Light Throughout the Day
When utilized correctly, the constantly changing light that flows through windows can transform an interior. With well-thought-out window design, even the simplest shape can be made into an object of visual interest.
2. Channel Fresh Air From Room to Room
Proper ventilation refers to going beyond opening a window or two. Stacked ventilation, for example, utilizes roof windows in combination with wall windows, creating updrafts that funnel warm air outdoors and away from living areas. Interior window openings can help channel fresh air to a home’s more remote locations.
3. Control The View
With the right positioning, spectacular scenery can become the focus of a room, even the focus of a home. A huge picture window or a perfectly aligned group of smaller windows can celebrate a home’s surroundings. The right positioning can focus on the best possible sightline. Even with less than a desirable view, windows high on a wall can breathe light and ventilation into any room.
4. Blur the Line Between Indoors and Out
Walls of windows or patio doors can help connect the interior of a home with the immediate surroundings. A canopy of leaves can dissolve into the roof. A walk-out garden becomes a part of the home itself.
5. Design with Shapes and Combinations
Window combinations can vary to create just the right look, either through recurring patterns or isolated statements that bring a rhythm to a home and help us connect with the space around us.
6. Personalize the details
Use windows and patio doors to complement your home’s architecture. Like a framed canvas, they can express your own artistic taste. Art glass panels can splash color inside, make a powerful statement, or provide privacy to a room. Grille patterns can enhance traditional character or add a contemporary flair. Latches and handles are finishing touches for beautiful window and door design.
7. Understand Architectural Styles
For homeowners, knowing which windows match a particular architectural style is key to achieving the look of their dreams. To that end, this free site connects home styles and the proper windows based on architectural need: Andersen Windows
“Any home design plan that doesn’t include windows is missing out on the perfect opportunity to not only use windows to the home’s maximum benefit, but to do it in such a way that simultaneously compliments the interior and exterior. Using Windocentrics helps you focus on the design details that will give you the home of your dreams.” – Jay Libby
With more than 30 years of experience in product design and design research, Jay Libby is the Creative Services Manager at Andersen Windows.
