The Impact of Windows on Home Design

When choosing your window style, you can either select the design you like best or match the windows to the architectural style of your home to create a more harmonious aesthetic.

Before diving into which windows go with which home style, let's review the different window designs you can choose from:

• Casement and Awning: Casement windows have a side hinge and open outwards with a crank. Awning windows have a top hinge and swing open from the bottom. Both are good options if you want maximum air flow and light.

• Double-Hung: This design offers a classic window style with a top and bottom sash, so you can choose to slide the window down from the top or up from the bottom.

• Picture and Polygon: A picture or polygon-style window is designed to fit the unique shapes of your home, offering a wider, picturesque view. These windows are fixed, meaning they do not operate. You can frame a picture window using various window styles, such as casement or double-hung windows.

• Slider: Also called a sliding window, gliders are simple, contemporary windows with a sash that you can open and close by easily sliding it left or right.

• Bay and Bow: Bay and bow windows are a classic option often seen in older home styles but can be installed in contemporary homes as well. A bay window is an arrangement of three windows that extend from the house at varying angles. A bow window is also made of multiple windows, but instead of extending at angles, bow windows provide a more gentle curved shape.

• Round Top: A round top window is an arched, half-moon window that can be added to the top of other window styles, doors, or can be a stand-alone unit.

Any of these window styles can be added to your home, no matter the architectural style. Choosing the perfect window for your space is about creating an aesthetic that is pleasing to you.

That said, if you want to honor the architectural style of your Georgian home, here's how to choose the windows that will complement it best.

Colonial Revival

Colonial-style homes have influences from many different cultures, including the French, Dutch, Spanish, and New England. Double-hung and single-hung windows are most often found in this style of home.

Craftsman

American classic, craftsman-style homes swept across the country in the early twentieth century and have remained popular. These types of homes are often seen with a combination of window styles, including double-hung, casement, and awning units, often characterized by larger lite patterns.

Contemporary

Contemporary homes vary in style, but most often feature simpler, clean lines. As such, these homes tend to include simple window styles, such as awning windows, large picture windows, casements, and sliders.

Ranch

Ranch and split-level style homes became popular post-World War II as suburban areas expanded to accommodate growing families. These style homes often feature larger window designs such as picture and bay windows as well as multiple double-hung windows placed side-by-side.

Mid-Century Modern

Mid-century modern homes are the perfect combination of modern and vintage design aesthetics. Like contemporary homes, mid-century modern homes feature more clean lines and showcase awning windows and gliders. However, casement windows and picture windows also suit the style of mid-century modern homes.

Another important function of new windows is their ability to help you create a more sustainable home. The right window designs should be about balancing comfort, style, and energy efficiency.

Energy-efficient windows can enhance room comfort with special window coatings that reflect heat, so you stay cool in the summer and warmer in the winter. This means you get more ambient and natural light without the heat that transfers through older windows.

Energy-Efficient Windows and Environmental Impact

Energy-efficient windows can help protect the environment by minimizing heat transfer and reducing energy consumption. By allowing less heat into your home, you'll be able to maintain more consistent temperatures indoors, which means using your HVAC system less. As a result, you will consume less energy, produce fewer carbon emissions, and your energy bills will be lower.

Choosing the Right Energy-Efficient Windows

Not all replacement windows are alike. If you want to choose windows that are the most energy-efficient (**SEO Toolbox? Photo) , you'll want to look for certain materials and design features.

Our top criteria to look for include:

• Fiberglass frames

• Double-pane glass

• A low U-factor for all climates

• Low-E coatings

• A Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) with a lower number to help block out solar heat

So, which replacement windows are most energy efficient? (SEO Toolbox? Update photo)To ensure you are getting the best, look for windows that are ENERGY STAR certified in your region.

At North Georgia Replacement Windows, we install Infinity from Marvin windows because they are submitted for testing and verification to achieve energy certification with ENERGY STAR and the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC).

If you have the privilege of living in a beautiful historic home, you might want to be mindful when dealing with your windows to ensure you are preserving the character of your home.

It's not uncommon for historical homeowners to want to preserve the original features of their homes by choosing to restore the existing windows as opposed to replacing them. In some cases, a window restoration may be possible if the issues with the original windows are minor.

Balancing Charm With Modern Functionality

It is possible to replace the windows of historic homes while still maintaining historical accuracy. Also, by choosing to replace the windows, you can find a happy medium between modern convenience and traditional style. Plus, one of the benefits of Infinity from Marvin fiberglass windows is that they were designed to look like a traditional wood window, which lends itself well to preserving older aesthetics.

Upgrading your windows might also be necessary for efficiency and safety. Restoring old windows might make them look like new again, but it won't fix issues such as a lack of durability, difficulty opening, draftiness, and even rotting.

With new windows, you can match the original window features in terms of size, appearance, and operation while gaining contemporary features such as energy efficiency, double-pane glass, and fiberglass frames to improve performance and durability significantly.

Many homeowners enjoy balancing the old with the new when it comes to historic homes with modern features. Take the modern farmhouse trend, for example. Homeowners are purchasing traditional farmhouse-style homes and giving them a unique upgrade by painting them white and installing modern windows in bold colors like black or bronze.

To protect your windows, we've put together a helpful list of window cleaning tips to help them last:

• When cleaning fiberglass windows, using non-abrasive cloths and warm soap and water is best to avoid damaging the windows

• Do not clean window glass when in direct sunlight, as this can leave streaks behind

• Only use approved cleaning solutions on your windows

• Soaking your windows with clean water can help loosen dirt and debris

• Never use scrapers or razor blades on your windows

• Make sure to remove all cleaning solution from the frames, sealants, and gaskets

• Do not use solvents, paint thinners, or other harsh chemicals on your windows