When it comes to decorating a house, windows are one of the few fixtures that act as a conduit from exterior to interior aesthetics. From size to function, style to placement, windows set the style foundation for the decorative finishes. Done right, windows amplify the best features of your design.
Architects have long appreciated the enticing effect of well-placed windows—how they urge exploration and wordlessly beckon from the outside. Interior designers pick up from the threshold, with design cues that lead throughout the home. Both rely on Windowcentrics, a design philosophy that uses wall plans as well as floor plans, employs several principles to maximize the benefits of windows to make a noticeable difference in how a home looks and feels.
For many of us, remodeling or building a home is one of the biggest decisions we’ll ever make. These Windowcentrics principles can help as you go through the process:
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: http://www.andersenwindows.com/home-styles/
Windows are vitally important – the number of them, their placement within rooms – in communicating the look and feel of any home. Using these Windocentrics principles helps simplify decision making and hone your focus where it matters: making your home the best reflection of you.
Author Bio -
With more than 30 years of experience in product design and design research, Jay Libby is the Creative Services Manager at Andersen Windows.
