Five Window Styles to Consider in your Home Renovation
If you’re thinking about renovating your home, paying attention to the windows can be incredibly important, both for the functionality of the space as well as the appeal aesthetically.
With so many options, it's difficult to choose. Some types of windows can provide you with a more traditional feel, others can completely transform a space into a more modern looking home.
Either way, plenty of thought needs to go into it, as changing your windows can be a significant investment as well as being a real focal point to a room.
Over the past few years, certain styles have really come to the fore, particularly those that welcome more natural light into the home. So if you are currently preparing for your big home revamp, here are five window styles to consider.
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1. Sash Windows: Timeless Elegance with Modern Functionality
Sash windows are a hallmark of British architecture and are both elegant and functional with sliding panels. They suit any type of home, bringing a classic charm to even the most modern of buildings.
There are options for double-glazing and draught-proofing, while you can add a bit of colour to the frames to bring life and personality to your home. Importantly, sash window repair does not cost a fortune despite popular belief.
2. Bi-Fold Windows: Seamlessly Connecting Indoor and Outdoor Living
In recent years, indoor-outdoor living has grown hugely in popularity and bi-fold doors and windows are becoming the number one choice to connect the two. The multiple panels fold away to bring interior spaces, commonly the kitchen dining spaces together with patios or balconies.
Perfect for the summer months especially, they add a completely fresh dimension to a home and allow homeowners to make the most of fresh air, as well as transitioning from living to outdoor spaces easier than ever before.
3. Casement Windows: Versatile and Stylish
Casement windows feature hinged panels that open outwards and again are a traditional style, often found on the likes of farmhouses but also many new homes too. They will tend to offer unobstructed views out of them and are really versatile, being able to be tailored for any architectural style.
They’re also available in a range of materials, including timber, uPVC and aluminium.
Such windows usually open up to a 90 degree although older models may be restricted (locked) to 45 degrees. The are secure and can also normally include a locking mechanism. They are also more energy efficient than sash and sliding windows.
Casement windows, however, can be hard to clean from inside your home. Although some window manufacturers construct their windows so that you will be able to squeeze an arm through the hinge space to reach and clean the outside of the window, cleaning is awkward and more difficult with wider windows.
4. Bay Windows: Enhancing Architectural Character
The Brits love a bay window and this classic architectural feature adds a level of charm to a home as well as bringing plenty of natural light into a room, something that’s incredibly important for a home.
They can be a focal point of a room, while they can also be used functionally too, such as a cosy reading nook or a comfortable seating area. They’re a real statement, but it’s also worth noting that they don’t suit every kind of home, and can look a little dated in some instances.
5. Awning windows: Helping with ventilation
Awning windows, as the name suggests, act like an awning when open. In this type of windows, the top is hinged to the building, and the window opens when swung outward.
With awning windows you can usually get unobstructed views as their most popular style comes with a single (or doble or triple) panel of glass framed by (normally thick) border of wood or uPVC material. They are very useful for ventilating a home even when it is raining.
With low vertical height requirements, awning windows can be placed high on walls providing greater privacy and making it more difficult to force entry into a home. Also, when placed high on the wall, they can let rising heat out more efficiently during warm summer months.
But much like casement windows, they're impossible to clean from the inside of the house in upper floors.
Jenny Kakoudakis likes to blog about interiors. She launched award-winning Seasons in Colour in 2014. When she is not chasing criminals out of the financial system (her day job), she gets creative by redecorating her own home.
Download her free bathroom renovation guide here.
