Different styles of windows: How to choose the best windows for your home

The right windows can shape the way your home looks, feels, and functions inside and out. We’ll help you explore the different styles and explain how to decide between them when picking out windows for your new home or remodel.

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Good windows are easy to take for granted. They can bring in feel-good natural light, let you enjoy the beauty in your own backyard, and complement your home’s architecture. They also can provide the right level of functionality by being energy efficient, easy to clean, and practical to open.

However, when you get to the moment in your project where you’re actually picking out windows, it can feel pretty overwhelming to find ones that tick all the boxes. We’re here to explain the most popular window styles, how each works, and how to choose the one(s) that best meet your needs!

Understanding the six most popular window styles

The most popular window styles (or "types", as we call them) are double-hung and casement windows, but you’ll also see single-hung, picture, gliding, and awning windows commonly featured in many homes. At a glance, learn what you need to know about these popular styles.

Window style	Pros	Cons	Rooms where it works best	Popular products to consider
A double-hung window includes two vertically stacked sashes (the glass and framing around it) that slide to open.	A double-hung window has a timeless look that suits any home. It has great functionality as it can be opened from the top, bottom, or both at once. The tilt-wash feature makes it easy to clean, exterior too, from inside your home.	With more parts and pieces, a double-hung window can be more complex to maintain over time compared to a single-sash casement window.	A double-hung window can give peace of mind when featured in a first-floor room or a child’s bedroom because of its ability to open from the top. Its ability to tilt in for washing makes it a great choice on a second floor as well. In short, a double-hung window works great in any room.	The 400 Series Tilt-Wash Double-Hung Window is a best seller. The 200 Series Double-Hung Window offers the warmth of wood at an uncommon value. The A-Series Double-Hung Window offers performance and architectural authenticity in one package.
A casement window is a single-sash window that cranks open.	A casement window has a sleek, modern look. It’s also the most energy-efficient operable window. Its crank makes it very functional. It’s also easy to clean, exterior too, from inside your home.	With its outward opening, a casement can take space away from patios, decks, and walkways compared to a double-hung, single-hung, or gliding window. Those windows all have sashes that remain flush to the window.	The crank-operated casement window is a practical choice over a kitchen sink, higher on a wall, and anywhere else you’d have to reach to open the window.	The 400 Series Casement Window is a best seller. The 100 Series Casement Window offers a smart alternative to a vinyl window. The E-Series Casement Window offers unmatched flexibility and design freedom.
A single-hung window includes two vertically stacked sashes, but only the bottom one opens.	A single-hung window looks identical to a double-hung window, so it has a classic look that’ll suit many architectural styles. The fixed top sash makes this window more energy efficient than a double-hung window and less expensive.	With its fixed top sash, it won’t allow for as much fresh air as a double-hung window.	Anywhere your window will be too high or too tall to reach the top sash, a single-hung window is a practical choice.	The 100 Series Single-Hung Window offers a smart alternative to a vinyl window.
A picture window is a window that doesn’t open.	A picture window can be very large because it doesn’t open. This also makes it the most energy efficient type of window.	Due to its inoperability, it won’t let fresh air into your home.	Anywhere you want to make a statement, an oversized picture window is a great choice.	The 100 Series Picture Window offers a smart alternative to vinyl.
A gliding (commonly called sliding) window includes two or three horizontally oriented sashes that slide from side to side to open.	A gliding window has a sleek look and offers great functionality. It can be an economical alternative to a combination unit (more than one window joined together) anywhere you want to fill a wide space and bring in fresh air.	It’s important to plan for how you’ll use this window because various configurations are available. It can open from the right, left, or from both sides — but you can’t change how it opens after ordering, so planning is key.	A gliding window can make a particularly nice signature in the front of the house — think living room or dining room. But really, it’s a room-agnostic window.	The 100 Series Gliding Window offers a smart alternative to vinyl.
An awning window is crank operated and has a single sash that’s horizontally oriented.	An awning window has a sleek, modern look and great functionality due to its crank.	Like a casement, an awning window opens outward, so it can obstruct outdoor living space and paths.	An awning window makes a great choice when you want an opening (operable) window high on the wall. It can be automated to open with the touch of a button. It’s also a good choice for a transom window (window above another window or a door).	The 400 Series Awning Window is a best seller.

Want a comprehensive list of all the window styles we offer, their pros and cons, and more need-to-know details? Check out how to pick out windows for a new construction home.

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How to pick window styles to match your home’s design and your lifestyle

Now that you have the basics on the most popular styles, how do you pick the right style for your home? There are a few different ways to think through this decision, including focusing on matching your home’s architecture, focusing on how windows could improve the functionality of each room, and thinking through how your lifestyle could be enabled by the right windows. Ideally, all these factors will be weighed. Let’s walk through how to do that.

How to pick out windows to complement your home’s architecture

If your home has a distinct architectural style, this might be easy. Either your architect will be specifying windows to complement its style if you’re building new or remodeling. If you’re simply replacing windows and not working with a designer, you can find lots of resources on picking out windows to match your home style, including here in our Home Styles Library.

However, there are many homes that aren’t authentic interpretations of a distinct style. If that’s your home, you actually have quite a lot of freedom to pick the windows that appeal to you. Start wrapping your head around home style by thinking of it in the broadest terms of traditional, transitional, and modern. Once you understand what traits are usually associated with these categories, you can tailor selections to your tastes.

Traditional

Classic Craftsman Bungalow with white windows with grilles

Traditional homes generally align with more historic recognized architectural styles like a Colonial, Cape Cod, Craftsman Bungalow, etc.

Popular window choices for a traditional home might include:

Window style: Double-hung or single-hung windows are simply classic.
Color/Stain: A wood interior is especially beautiful in a traditional home. The particular paint color or stain will likely align with the particular home style.
Grilles: Add a touch of tradition to windows especially with patterns like colonial and diamond.
Hardware: Generally, prominent hardware with curves and ridges in a standout finish.

Explore traditional style

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Transitional

Traditional contemporary home set in a beautiful prairie

Transitional homes pair characteristics of traditional architecture with more contemporary elements — think Modern Tudor.

Popular window choices for a transitional home are flexible. It’s more about balancing traditional and modern window characteristics in a way that suits your sensibilities. Here’s a quick primer:

Window style: All six of the most popular window styles could work well. Large sizing will help any of these styles lean more contemporary.
Color/stain: A more contemporary choice could be black frames or white oak frames.
Grilles: Skip them or add a simple 2-over-2 pattern on a double-hung or single-hung window.
Hardware: This detail could be a place to lean into contrast — go with more traditional hardware on a more modern window or vice versa.

Learn about transitional style

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Modern

Modern homes align with various styles from International Modern to Ranch. They’re united by certain characteristics like clean lines and lots of glass.

Popular window choices for a modern home might include:

Window style: Picture windows (especially in floor-to-ceiling format), casement windows, and gliding windows are all solid choices.
Color/stain: A dark color that frames the view and doesn’t draw attention to itself works well — think black or dark bronze.
Grilles: Often they’re not used or are more subtle, like equal divided light in a 1-over-4 pattern.
Hardware: It should blend in with the windows, so hardware that’s the same color as the frames and lacks ornamentation

Get inspired by modern style

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How to pick out windows for each room in your home

From cleaning to opening, the right window in the right place will make life easier. It might sound overwhelming to dive into this level of detail but don’t worry. We have quick answers to the question of which window works best in every room. And if you want to get into the detailed considerations associated with picking out windows for a kitchen, bathroom, and other rooms, we’ll walk you through how to pick out windows for every room.

Room	Window style	Why?
Kitchen	Casement window	A casement window opens with a crank, which is simply easier to open when you’re reaching over a sink or countertop as will likely be the case in your kitchen.
Bathroom	Awning window	An awning window lets in light and fresh air while preserving privacy because its horizontal shape limits how much of the room is on view.
Basement	Awning window, gliding window, or casement window	An awning window’s horizontal shape will help it fit where there isn’t a lot of above-ground space. Gliding and casement windows work well because their size can meet egress code requirements, i.e., allow for emergency escape.
Bedroom	Double-hung window	A double-hung window will offer the greatest advantages in second-floor bedrooms. This is because you can open the top sash, which is a nice ventilation option for a child’s bedroom. You can also clean a double-hung window (exterior side, too) from inside your house — no need to break out the ladder on cleaning day.
Living room and dining room	Picture window	These rooms where your family and guests will gather are the right place for big, showy windows that flood your space with feel-good natural light and make the most of your views.
Home office	Any style window	While any style window will bring in natural light, which has been shown to boost productivity, there are certain selections that can make an office window more functional — like the right glass coating for example.
Sunroom	Joined casement windows	These rooms are meant to blur the line between indoors and outdoors. Joined casement windows maximize natural light because they can be installed without wall framing in between for more glass overall. Additionally, a casement’s top-to-bottom opening helps maximize fresh air.

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What’s the best window style?

In short, any of the popular window styles we’ve introduced to you here might be the best one for you. It’ll all depend on your home, design goals, performance needs, and lifestyle. Most likely your home will feature a few different window styles to meet your needs in different spaces.

As you work through your window decision-making, remember to lean on your pros for help. Both architects and builders have experience specifying and installing windows on every single project, so they have invaluable expertise when it comes to selecting windows that balance all your priorities while also fitting your budget.

If you’re still doing your research, check out our Window Selection Guide for a comprehensive look at picking out windows.

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Your most common window questions answered

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Different styles of windows: How to choose the best windows for your home

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Understanding the six most popular window styles

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How to pick window styles to match your home’s design and your lifestyle

How to pick out windows to complement your home’s architecture

Traditional

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Transitional

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Modern

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How to pick out windows for each room in your home

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What’s the best window style?

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Your most common window questions answered

What window style is the most energy-efficient?

Which window styles are easiest to clean?

How do sliding windows work?

How do awning windows work?

Are picture windows a good idea?

What style of windows are in?

Are black frame windows a passing fad?

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Different styles of windows: How to choose the best windows for your home

Understanding the six most popular window styles

Traditional

Transitional

Modern

How to pick out windows for each room in your home

What’s the best window style?

Your most common window questions answered

What window style is the most energy-efficient?

Which window styles are easiest to clean?

How do sliding windows work?

How do awning windows work?

Are picture windows a good idea?

What style of windows are in?

Are black frame windows a passing fad?

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