A window can do much more than let in light and fresh air. A carefully chosen window with fine construction and unique styling can become a focal point in a room and the highlight of a home. While decorating around existing windows with high-quality drapes, windowsill gardens, or clear shelving can help an old opening make a better impression, new window installation can change the character of a room dramatically. It can also provide a good return on the investment.
Bay and Bow Windows are Still Popular
Traditionally, one of the most common ways to turn a wall opening into something special is to install a three-panel bay window. Highly visible from outside the home and often functional as a seating area, a bay window is an architectural enhancement to a home's design. Similarly, a bow window, which curves outward gently, can become a focal point inside by letting in light and expanding the view while making a less noticeable change to the outside of the home.
Sliding Windows Connect With Outdoors
For homes with large backyards, a sliding window can help make the outdoors part of the home. Different from a sliding door, which goes all the way to the floor and provides a way to get in and out of the home, a sliding window can fit into a standard casement window space and is excellent for ventilating a bathroom or kitchen or allowing for easy communication from the living room to the outside. Sliding windows offer great views, and the unique styling is something neighbors and friends may find intriguing.
Custom Windows Mean Limitless Options
Awning windows, single-hung and double-hung windows, plus shaped and round-top windows are among choices that can be made from vinyl, wood, fiberglass, and more. Today's custom windows can be just about any style desired. Windows and panes can be almost any shape or size. Frames can be created to match existing design elements of a home or to stand out. With options nearly unlimited, homeowners can create something unique that no one will have ever seen before.
As many as 65 million windows, doors and patio doors are shipped each year, according to the Window and Door Manufacturers Association. Some are simply functional, ordinary pieces that will draw little attention, but many are carefully chosen or even custom-designed to become focal points that raise a home from ordinary to extraordinary.
