Window design plays a vital role in the style, light, ventilation and energy efficiency of your new home. They enhance the visual and aesthetic appeal and integrate natural light into your living spaces, so it's essential to ensure you select the right materials and design to complement your home.
If you're designing a new home, renovating a room or had an accident and need to install replacement windows, we've compiled a list of everything you need to know about picking new windows.
Frame materials
Aluminium
Advantages of aluminium windows include durability, affordability and low-maintenance nature. Available in a range of frame designs and finishes, aluminium windows can add contemporary elegance to your home.
Aluminium windows can achieve improvements in heat gain and loss and can improve the energy efficiency of your home when utilising a double-glaze. The durability of aluminium ensures that your windows won't be subjected to corrosion and are therefore useful in both warm and cold climates. Plus, aluminium is an environmentally sustainable material and maintains one of the highest recycling rates of any metal – a great way to reduce your carbon footprint!
Timber
Timber windows are traditional,
elegant and practical, and add warmth to any space. With the option to
paint or stain timber windows, you can customise your window design to
simultaneously complement the interior and exterior of your home.
While wood windows require a higher
level of maintenance when compared with aluminium windows - which may be
a contributing factor for homes in wet or coastal climates – they
emanate a sense of pure luxury and add character to your home.
Choosing the right window style for your home
Once you have selected your window
materials, the next step is to choose window designs that harmonise
with your home. This means awakening your interior design skills! There
are many types of windows. When considering window design –
functionality should be the primary factor when making your decision.
Different window types will yield varying benefits – smaller openings
will provide improved security, while larger openings allow for
increased ventilation and natural light. When selecting window styles;
local climate, style, and room size, shape and orientation will need to
be factored into the decision.
Round windows -
Round glass windows add architectural interest to your home, which
gives the nod to traditional décor such as Victorian or Gothic era
structures. Round windows are often utilised as a feature in coastal
homes, providing a nautical facet.
Picture windows – Picture windows contain no breaks or visible frames and are designed to provide an unobstructed view of your surroundings.
Louvre windows - Louvre
windows are made up of thin strips of parallel glass on a track which
can all be opened and closed at once, allowing lots of air in.
Sash windows –
Sash windows consist of one or more moveable panels arranged
vertically. While the sash window was often seen in more traditional
style homes, modern interpretations are growing in popularity.
Casement windows – Casement windows open horizontally on hinges mounted on one side. This style is useful for directing airflow into the home.
Awning windows – Awning windows open from the bottom edge, while the top side is fixed. This window style is highly popular and provides excellent home security.
Slider windows – Slider windows consist of side-by-side glass windows that move horizontally along tracks. This style was widely popular in mid-century homes – and are a great way to reference the 50's and 60's era in your home design.
Bi-fold windows – Bi-fold windows are made up of multiple window panes and connected with hinges. These windows can be opened up concertina-style, creating one large opening. They're commonly seen in restaurants and bars and are becoming more popular in new homes.
Bay windows – Traditionally formed with a fixed centre picture window and flanked by one or more pairs of casement or sash windows, Bay windows often form a visual centrepiece in large living spaces.
Window glazing
Glazing your glass windows is one
of the best things you can do when you're looking to boost the energy
efficiency of your home. This treatment can help prevent heat loss
inside in winter or your home overheating in summer. Double glazing
window refers to two panes of glass separated by a thin layer of gas.
They work as an excellent insulator and can have a significant impact on
energy savings.
If energy efficiency is a concern for
you, you should also consider a low-emissivity or "low-e" coating on
your windows. The layer works hand-in-hand with double glazed windows
and will either help to reflect the heat back inside or keep it outside
by deflecting UV rays, depending on which sides you apply the coating
to.
Additional considerations
Frame colour forms another critical component of your window design. The frame colour will need to synchronise with both the interior and exterior of your home. White is a common choice for window frames, given its ability to blend seamlessly with a variety of interior palettes and its non-polarising nature. On the contrast, black is becoming increasingly prevalent in the design sphere, delivering a modern appeal that works well with contemporary spaces.
Given the myriad of window materials, designs and colour options available, it is crucial to speak with a design consultant to ensure you make the best choice for your home in terms of functionality and aesthetic.
Find more inspiration on our Lookbook and Image Gallery.
