9 Styles Of Windows

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A wide variety of window styles and finishes are available. So choosing the right option will depend on your personal preference, the style of your home, the purpose or function of the window, and your budget. Here are the main types you can choose from:

Casement

Featured in a wide variety of home designs, casement windows feature one window that opens from the side using a crank handle.

Casement windows offer great ventilation and tight seals for improved energy efficiency and comfort. They're typically taller than they are wide, and because they swing out, they may not be well-suited to busy pedestrian traffic areas such as decks or front porches.

Awning

Awning windows are hinged from the top and open outward from the bottom. They generally have less air leakage because the sash closes by pressing against the frame.

Because of this design, awning windows shed water away from the window opening. They are a good choice for windows that are wider than they are tall.

Double-Hung

Double-hung windows feature two sashes in a single frame. The top and bottom sashes bypass each other vertically when sliding open from the bottom up or the top down.

Double-hung windows look best when they are about twice as tall as they are wide and the sashes are equal-sized squares. They are often installed in traditional homes, like those designed in a Victorian or Colonial style.

Single-Hung

Single-hung windows offer the same features and benefits of double-hung windows with one difference: only the bottom sash opens by sliding upward. The ventilation opening can be adjusted from a small area to one-half of the window area.

Sliding

Sliding windows, sometimes called gliders or sliders, function just as their name implies – their sashes move side to side.

Sliders are one of the sleekest, most contemporary profiles in windows, and are ideal for installing in hard-to-reach areas, like over the kitchen sink. They also are commonly installed in multifamily buildings and apartment complexes. Sliders are typically available as single-sliding (only one sash moves) or double-sliding units.

Bay or Bow

A bay window often has a large center window flanked by double-hung or casement windows set at 30- or 45-degree angles. The bow window, similar to a bay window, has four or more equal-size windows, usually casements, joined together to form a graceful curve.

Both bay and bow windows open up the view and give your room the feeling of being larger than it really is. A window seat is a popular addition to any bay or bow window.

Special Shapes / Fixed

Often selected for decoration or used in combination with other windows, special shape and fixed windows don't open or vent.

Round, octagonal, elliptical, rectangular, pentagonal, hexagonal and other shapes of windows can be strategically placed to enhance the view or add architectural interest to your home. Create a unique window wall by adding movable windows and small, fixed units, called transoms.

Transom

Like fixed windows, transoms are most often used in combination with other windows, and can be either venting or fixed units.

They typically are installed above or below the room's primary windows. They help give the illusion of larger windows, allow in more light and, if venting units, may increase airflow. Transom windows are available in many different shapes, including square, rectangular, half-circle and elliptical.

Custom Windows / Combinations

If you can dream it, the right window manufacturer can help you build it. From extra tall to extra wide, from unique shapes to curved frames, or from intricate grilles to stained or beveled glass – the possibilities for your new window are virtually endless.

You can also create a custom look by mixing and matching windows and doors. Start with a single window or door, then add more windows next to, above or below to create a combination that reflects your personal style.

Combine different sizes, shapes and styles to create a "window wall" – an architectural focal point inside your home and out.

For more information or to schedule an in-home consultation, contact your local Philadelphia showroom.

This article is supplied and sponsored by Pella Windows and Doors of Philadelphia.