Like many areas throughout the country, Joliet has a blend of home styles ranging from older Georgian to newly built contemporary. Each style has unique, defining features, so how do you select a window style to match your home? We have a guide below to help you determine the windows that will meet your needs and blend seamlessly with your home’s exterior.
Replacement Windows for Modern Style Homes
Key characteristics of a contemporary design
Contemporary style homes often showcase an asymmetrical exterior with geometric details. With flatter roof pitches and clean design lines, modern homes often avoid screens or grids on their windows to help blend with the simplicity and minimalistic look. Contemporary home window frames are often seen in white or black color options.
Popular replacement window styles for contemporary homes:
- Casement windows – extremely versatile, casement windows are hinged at the side and open outwards. While casement windows can feature a grid (and will resemble a double hung window), homeowners often opt to leave off the grids to match the clean and open lines for a contemporary feel.
- Sliding windows – available in double and multi-panel windows, sliding windows overlap instead of opening outward. Similar to sliding doors, sliding windows are great for connecting your home to open spaces like patios and terraces while still displaying the clean lines and ease of functionality that is expected of modern home styles.
Replacement Windows for Craftsman Style Homes
Key characteristics of a craftsman design
A traditional craftsman style home features dimension and is built with a low pitch roof for a “stocky” appearance. Smaller bungalows and cottage homes also carry many of the same features of the craftsman style. The exterior color scheme is almost always a blend of earthy and neutral tones, so window frame colors are selected to match.
Popular replacement window styles for craftsman style homes:
- Double hung windows – one of the most commonly installed window styles, double hung windows open and close without protruding outwards and tilt out for an easy clean. Due to the compact feature, double hung windows work great for smaller spaces such as the shorter exterior space on most craftsman homes. Often, craftsman style homes will feature a single multi-grid strip across the top of a double hung window while leaving the remaining part of the window without a grid.
- Bay & bow windows – Bay and bow windows are created using multiple windows all placed at an angle. These window options are added to rooms to bring in more light and an illusion of added space. The addition of a new bay or bow window works well with the multi-dimensional exterior of craftsman homes, plus they’re a great solution for smaller spaces.
Replacement Windows for Historic Style Homes
Key characteristics of a historic design
If you live in a colonial, Victorian, Georgian or Greek revival home, you know your home has a lot of character and historic value. Homes from these eras share some common features, including steep roof pitches, symmetrical build and (for most) a very rectangular structure. In an effort to preserve the history of your home, our specialists will use more simplistic style windows typically with white frames and grids.
Popular replacement window styles for historic style homes:
- Double hung / single hung windows – as mentioned, double hung windows are a popular choice for replacement windows that are easily cleaned. A single hung window looks a lot like a double hung; however, the top pane is fixed while the bottom pane is able to slide up. Both of these simplistic windows allow the unique features of your home to shine.
- Custom windows – The unique style of any historic home can present challenges, such as custom window sizes. To help preserve the authenticity of your home, we are proud to offer custom solutions for non-standard window sizes and shapes, such as the tall and narrow windows of a Victorian design.
Other window considerations:
- If you have a basement, consider adding a basement hopper window to bring more light into your space. This window is typically placed high on a wall or at ground level and is hinged at the bottom and opens from the top.
- If you would like to bring in fresh air but would like to add additional privacy to a room (like a bathroom), try adding an awning window. This window is hinged at the top and opens outwards to prevent any rain from entering. Like a basement hopper, the awning window is placed high on a wall.
- If you have a green thumb and need more natural light for your indoor plants and herbs, consider a garden window. This style acts as a miniature bay window but extends out past your home’s exterior. The good news is the simplistic design of a garden window works well with any home style.