The six Windowcentric design principles are: 1. Capture the light; 2. Channel fresh air; 3. Control the view; 4. Blur the line; 5. Design with shapes; 6. Personalize the details.
1. CAPTURE LIGHT THROUGHOUT THE DAY
Simply put, people are attracted to sunlight, which makes it an essential architectural tool. When utilized correctly, the constantly changing brightness that flows through windows throughout the day can transform an interior. And it’s important to take into consideration not just where the light falls but where it doesn’t, casting shadows, reflecting off surfaces and adding an indirect glow to walls and ceilings. 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 is more sophisticated than simply 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. Through ventilation takes advantage of air currents that emerge from windows on opposing walls, bringing pleasant breezes to rooms throughout your home. Most recently, builders have experimented with interior windows, to channel fresh air to your home’s more remote locations.
3. CONTROL THE VIEW
With the right window or patio door positioning, spectacular scenery can be the focus of a room, and even the focus of a home. A huge picture window or a perfectly aligned group of smaller windows can celebrate a home’s surroundings. Placing even a small window on a wall opposite your front doorway creates a warm, welcoming effect. And when a view is less than ideal, the right window or patio door positioning can focus on the best possible sightline, while blocking out the less desirable one. Even when there is no view at all, windows positioned high on walls can still breathe light into a room—no skyline or mountain range required.
4. BLUR THE LINE BETWEEN INDOORS AND OUT
Walls of windows or patio doors can help unify a home, and its owners, with the immediate surroundings. The distinction between outside and in can be quite variable and, as walls become transparent, outdoor spaces start to feel like rooms. A canopy of leaves can dissolve into the roof. A walk-out garden becomes a part of the home itself. The possibilities are endless.
5. DESIGN WITH SHAPES AND COMBINATIONS
Windows can be essential in creating a home that speaks to its inhabitants through thoughtful design. Window sequences can vary in intensity 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. A strip of understated awning windows near the ceiling…a wall of patio doors letting in warm sunlight…wall plans are as dependent on the homeowner as they are on the home.
6. PERSONALIZE THE DETAILS
Windows and patio doors can be used to complement and match your home’s architecture. And 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 any room. Grille patterns can enhance traditional character or add a contemporary flair. Latches and handles that match the home’s décor are finishing touches for beautiful window and door design.