One of the most important things about your home is its curb appeal. After all, one look is all it takes for anyone to determine if your home looks good or not. Of course, the better your curb appeal, the better. There are different things that contribute to your home’s curb appeal and one of them is your windows.
Just like how the eyes influence a person’s looks, your windows affect your home’s appearance. It would have been a lot easier if all windows looked the same, but they don’t and the different window types affect your home’s overall look differently.
For a Modern Touch
Modern-themed homes are all about making your property look unique with a “less is more” approach. Minimalism removes clutter and streamlines the overall look of a home, bringing more focus to the house as a whole instead of just a few intricate details. This is why you’d want windows that have as minimal details as possible. So which windows would work best for modern homes? Your options include:
- Casement windows – Casement windows are also popular with traditional homes but those used in modern houses do away with grilles and muntins to keep glass areas unobstructed and the window’s overall design straightforward.
- Fixed windows – Of all the window types available, fixed windows are the easiest to have because you don’t have components to worry about. All the window has is its glass and frame and those are all it needs to give you dramatic views of the outdoors. It’s possible for fixed windows to come in sizes bigger than the standard because they don’t operate.
- Specialty windows – Another common thing about contemporary home designs is having features that break away from tradition, and nothing says unconventional better than specialty windows. Have windows with irregular shapes or sizes, or use them together with larger windows; they’re bound to give your home that unique, edgy look.
For Those Who Like Tradition
Since there are many traditional home designs, it’s much better to look at how each popular window type works based on their appearance (and where they work best). Sliding windows, for instance, feature very wide frames that allow enough movement for their panels. They highlight horizontal lines, which complements Ranch or Prairie-style homes very well.
Double hung windows, on the other hand, are universally considered a classic because of its timeless design. The window style has been around for decades and yet it’s still in use today. Fitted with grilles or muntins, double hung windows are a popular pick for Cape Cod, Colonial, American Farmhouse or even Victorian home styles.
If modern casement windows have large, singular glass panels, their more traditional counterparts have grilles that divide the glass and provide plenty of detail, which perfectly complement Craftsman bungalow, French eclectic, and Tudor home styles.
Specialty windows are highly customizable so it’s possible for them to feature design elements typical of traditional home styles, particularly historic homes. Many who own historic homes worry about replacing their windows because they don’t want to lose the old-world charm of their property. That doesn’t have to be the case with specialty windows!
Styling Your Home: Other Window Design Tips
- Aside from simply using fixed windows, you can line them up in a modern home to create a wall of glass. Fixed windows are great because they can be customized to be large in size but you can also apply the design tip to other window styles, especially if you’re looking to add ventilation. Either way, having a wall of glass will let in a lot of natural light, brightening up a room and giving it the illusion of space, an effect that can be observed from both inside and outside the home.
- Whatever your home style, be it modern or traditional, uniformity is important so make sure to choose window and trim colors that match the rest of your home. They don’t necessarily have to be the same color but window colors and the color of other components in your home should be able to work together.
- Want the charm of classic wood frame windows but don’t want the rot and other problems associated with it? Get windows with composite frames like Fibrex. Fibrex windows can look and perform like wooden ones but are easy to maintain like vinyl windows.
Curb appeal is all about keeping different parts of your home visually compatible with each other. The better they blend together; the more curb appeal you get! To learn more about matching window replacements to your home, talk to a reputable window expert in your area today.
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Author Bio:
Lance Schepps is the president and general manager of Renewal by Andersen of Los Angeles. Committed to helping clients improve their homes, he believes in the value of helping them make the best window replacement choices. For updates from Lance, check out the company blog!
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