A Few Unique Window Styles for Your Home

If your home needs replacement windows, or you're having a new home built, you'll need to choose the window styles for each room. Don't assume that standard double-hung windows, meaning those with two pieces and which open by sliding the bottom piece up, are your only option. Other styles can enhance the space and allow for more light and air circulation, and make the space uniquely your own. Note a few of those other styles of windows you might choose for your home:

Casement windows

Casement windows swing in or out of the home, like opening a door. These are good for when you want a clear view to the outside, as they don't have that centre frame or casing running horizontally across the window, as you see with double-hung styles. Note, too, that casement windows can often act as a means of egress; if you want to add a bedroom to the basement, as an example, you may be legally obligated to provide a secondary exit or egress, and a casement window may suffice.

Tilt or awning windows

Awning windows have hinges along the top, and the bottom of the window will open outward, so the window will then resemble an awning. These are good for rainy areas, as you can open the window for air circulation while blocking the rain from getting inside the window.

Some tilt turn windows will have the hinge at the bottom, so you can open the top of the window outward, and the window forms a V shape along the home's exterior. These are excellent windows for upper stories that tend to trap heat, as opening the upper part of the window allows that heat to escape without letting hot air back into the home.

Garden windows

Garden windows are often installed over a kitchen sink or bathtub. These jut out from the home like bay windows but are much smaller. Garden windows don't provide bench seating under the window, as is often found with bay windows, but a garden window will typically have a glass shelf that runs horizontally along the middle of the window. In a kitchen, this shelf can be used for small potted plants, such as fresh herbs. In a bathroom, you might display some candles and small towels or toiletries, for soaking in the tub. The shape of the garden window allows for more light and a better view than a flat window, and that added sunlight can be a good choice for growing those herbs or other plants.