Getting Started
3 steps to selecting new windows
Windows 101
Creating a Look
Glass
Table of contents
GETTING STARTED
3 Steps to selecting new windows
Narrow down your options by working through the following questions:
1. What type of windows do you want?
Knowing how windows work and what each type is called is the first step to understanding your options and essential to successfully working with a pro.
2. What look are you going for?
Details like size, color, grilles, and hardware collectively create a look. Learn to navigate all these options to create a look that suits your home’s style.
3. What are your needs for energy efficiency?
Understanding glass is key to selecting optimal windows for your climate and geographic location.
WINDOWS 101
Window types
The first choice you’ll make? Window types! Find out how various window types function, where they work best, and how they create distinct looks.
Modern, traditional or something in-between?
Modern: Casement, gliding, and picture are go-to window types for a modern or contemporary home, especially with narrow frames that allow for large expanses of glass.
Traditional: Single- and double-hung windows are simply classic in a traditional home, especially when they feature grilles and more detailed and decorative frames.
In-between: Love a mix of modern and traditional style? We’ve got selections tips for blending the two, no matter the type of window chosen. Turn to page for details.
WINDOWS 101
Window vocab
Knowing the parts of a window will help you describe what you like and communicate effectively with the professionals working on your project.
JAMB
The pieces forming the top and sides of a frame (Gray jamb liner shown in photo on either side of window unit)..
FRAME
The outer structure of the window. Holds the sash in place.
SASH
Stiles, rails, glass which together form the venting capabilities of the window.
SILL
The horizontal piece jutting out at the bottom of a window frame.
GRILLES
Bars applied to the glass to create an ornamental pattern.
RAILS
Horizontal pieces of a sash.
STILES
Vertical pieces of a sash.
TRIM
The millwork or molding surrounding a window. It is not a part of the window but does complete the look of a window.
JAMB
The pieces forming the top and sides of a frame (Gray jamb liner shown in photo on either side of window unit)..
FRAME
The outer structure of the window. Holds the sash in place.
SASH
Stiles, rails, glass which together form the venting capabilities of the window.
SILL
The horizontal piece jutting out at the bottom of a window frame.
GRILLES
Bars applied to the glass to create an ornamental pattern.
RAILS
Horizontal pieces of a sash.
STILES
Vertical pieces of a sash.
TRIM
The millwork or molding surrounding a window. It is not a part of the window but does complete the look of a window.
CREATING A LOOK
Size, shape and placement
Whether you’re working with an architect to design every inch of your dream home or replacing windows in your existing home, you probably have more options than you realize when it comes to window size, shape, and placement. Let us explain!
E-Series awning and picture windows with Pine interiors.
Gather inspiration
Look for homes that are the same style as yours on Pinterest, Instagram, and elsewhere. Rules change from style to style. The proportion and size of a window on a contemporary home might be altogether different than something you’d see on a colonial or Victorian home.
Note proportions
Do windows go to the ground? How close to the ceiling do they end? Are the windows more long and thin? Is the ratio of width to height 1-to-3 (so 1 foot of width for every 3 feet of height), which might be more Victorian, or 1-to-2, which might be more colonial?
Consider furniture placement
For example, in a bedroom, you might want windows on either side of the bed above the nightstands, but the size of the bed and the height of the nightstands will play into the size and location of the windows.*
"You want to think about how window placement and size affects the layout and furniture arrangement inside. It’s a push and pull.”
– Jess Davis, Founder and Designer at Atelier Davis
*As always, take care when placing furniture near windows. For more information about window safety and furniture placement, check out our Look Out for Kids program.
CREATING A LOOK
Sizing up? Yes, you can!
If you’ve ever dreamed of making the windows in your home bigger, a great time to do it is during a remodel when walls might be opened up for other reasons. No remodel on your horizon? You can still take this step. It involves hiring a contractor to enlarge the rough opening (the opening in your wall where a window or door is installed), so it can accommodate a bigger window. You could even turn a window into a door!
When bigger is better:
Meet the pass-through window
Indoors or outdoors? You don’t have to choose with a large-scale pass-through window, which completely opens up a wall in your home — pass the chips, please. Find it in folding, sliding, and automatic opening options. You can even pocket this window, so it disappears into the wall when open.
Photo details:
Architecture by - SWAN ARCHITECTURE
Built by - STREETER Custom Builder
Photography by Spacecrafting
Can a window be too big? In word, "no!"
If you’re worried larger windows will make your home feel too cold or too hot, we’re guessing you’re speaking from the experience of living in a home with past-prime windows. A quality window should improve the comfort of your home — even if it’s 8-feet tall, like the ones below — here’s how:
FRAME:
High-performing materials, like wood and Fibrex® composite, form the base of our windows providing excellent insulation and the durability needed to resist water, weather, and more.
GLASS:
Dual-pane windows include two panes of glass with an air space in between to help reduce the transfer of heat making windows more energy efficient.
PROPER INSTALLATION:
Ensures optimal performance by making sure a window fits well into its opening, is sealed correctly, and appropriately insulated.
Surprising shapes & sizes
An unexpected shape or dramatic sizing can add charm and character to a home.
On a stairway landing, a circle window creates a visual break from all the straight lines.
At a gable, a triangle window will make the most of available natural light.
In a tight corner, a floor-to-ceiling window expands the space and creates a connection with the outdoors.
Window placement: go high or low?
⇧ Go high
WHERE: Bedrooms, foyers, entries, great rooms,
and bathrooms.
WHY: Light plus privacy.
REMEMBER: Wall structure supports might need to be altered, consult your contractor or builder.
⇩ Go low
WHERE: Anywhere you don’t plan to put furniture.
WHY: Views plus light and airflow.
REMEMBER: Safety glass is a good idea with low-placed windows.*
*Safety and egress requirements should be considered when placing windows. See your local code official for code requirements in your area.
CREATING A LOOK
Color
Windows are a long-lasting part of your home. To help you pick a color you’ll love for as long as they last, we’re sharing some tips, plus advice from our friends at Sherwin-Williams.
How it works
- Windows are often one color on the interior to match your woodwork and another color on the outside to match your exterior.
- Depending on the window you choose, you’ll pick between a factory finish (painted or stained), custom color, or you can order your windows unfinished on the interior.
- Windows are sometimes ordered unfinished so they can be painted or stained to perfectly match your home’s interior woodwork and decor.
Because you might not always dream in (standard) color.
With 11 standard colors on most Andersen products and 50 colors plus custom capabilities with the E-Series, you’ll find what you need to bring your style to life.
*Exact color options will depend on window product line chosen. Printing limitations prevent exact duplication of colors. See your Andersen dealer for actual color samples.
CREATING A LOOK
3 Favorite window colors
We’re sharing some pointers about where white, black, and dark bronze windows work particularly well. Of course, this is just a starting point. You get to decide what’s best for your home.
White windows
White windows have a clean look that’s absolutely timeless. They look extra sharp on homes with white trim and gray or blue exteriors. They also work well with brick or cedar exteriors. On an interior, they can help create a bright and airy mood.
Black windows
Black windows have the unique ability to frame a view the way a mat frames a painting. They look great on modern homes as well as on traditional homes going for a modern-classic look. When you want to make a statement, they really pop against a light-color exterior (think stucco, stone or white painted siding).
Dark bronze windows
This rich dark brown shade looks particularly beautiful on exteriors. It provides a nice contrast against a white or cream-colored home. If you’d rather your windows blend in, its warmth complements wood siding beautifully. It’s a great option when you want a darker color, but not black.
CREATING A LOOK
Expert opinions:
Matching window & exterior color: 3 winning approaches
Sherwin-Williams color experts, Sue Wadden and Kiki Redhead shared these ideas for creating a beautiful and timeless exterior color palette.
Sue Wadden
Sherwin-Williams, Director of Color Marketing
Kiki Redhead
Sherwin-Williams, Global CMF & Trend Manager Performance Coatings Group
Dark monochrome
Match windows to exterior for a bold statement.
On a home with minimal trim, it can look “super contemporary and fresh,” Wadden said.
High contrast
Contrast window and exterior for a look that catches the eye.
On a home with architectural details that can be highlighted through the contrast.
Earthy neutrals
Select earth tones to create a minimalist aesthetic.
On a home where the goal is to blend in with the landscape, Wadden recommends.
Talk like a pro:
Trim vs. drywall return
Trim
The trim is the millwork or molding surrounding your window. It is not considered a part of the window, but it completes the look of a window. Trim is designed to match the style of a home and will match the millwork or molding used throughout the home.
100 Series single-hung insert and picture windows in white
Drywall return
A drywall return is when a window is installed in a wall without any surrounding trim. It creates a very clean, modern look. Want to create a similar look but keep your window trim? Check out “3 ways with interior window color” for a technique that’ll trick the eye.
E-Series Casement window in black with colonial grilles.
CREATING A LOOK
Will color last?
Yes! Our windows never need repainting and are virtually maintenance-free. The reason for this has to do with materials and construction. Ready for a technical detour?
Wood-based v. composite windows
We make windows in two different ways — here’s how.
Wood-clad
Made of a wood core and covered with a protective material (like aluminum on the E-Series or vinyl on the 200 and 400 Series), our wood-clad windows retain color without requiring repainting due to the durability of their cladding materials.
Composite
Made of a mix of wood fiber and thermoplastic polymer, Fibrex
No matter which window product line you select, you’ll never have to repaint the exterior of your windows.
*See individual product warranties for more information.
CREATING A LOOK
3 Approaches to interior window color
Frame the landscape
Create a clean modern look with black windows set against a trim that’s painted the same color as the surrounding wall. The stark contrast puts the focus on the view outside, similar to a drywall return
Yield to the landscape
Create a bright, airy look in a space that emphasizes natural light with white windows and walls. Add in matching grilles for a touch of architectural detail that won’t significantly obstruct views or light.
Make a statement
Add some personality to your home with a bright trim color painted to match the woodwork. A white window won’t compete with the color. And remember you can choose to do this in just one room.
CREATING A LOOK
6 Color schemes from Sherwin-Williams
Want someone to do the color work for you? You’re in luck! Sherwin-Williams colorists created these color palettes with our top window colors in mind. Each palette includes colors for your home’s windows, exterior, trim and accents.
Sherwin-Williams offers paint and stain colors to match Andersen® windows and doors, so you can create a perfectly coordinated exterior look — talk about curb appeal!
400 Series casement, picture and transom windows in black.
CREATING A LOOK
Expert opinions:
How to create your own perfect exterior color palette
Sherwin-Williams color experts, Sue Wadden and Kiki Redhead shared their process for narrowing down color choices so your home’s exterior, windows, and trim complement each other beautifully.
Identify the mood you're going for:
Do you want something bright and airy? Something muted? Something dramatic? Knowing the effect you're going for will give you a starting place.
Look at your home’s fixed elements:
Roof color, brickwork, stonework, soffits, gutters, even fencing and landscaping — are these features warm or cool in tone?
Evaluate the neighborhood:
You don't want two blue houses side by side, but you might want a color that harmonizes with the blue house next door.
Consider your region:
Identify the colors that complement your surrounding landscape by noticing the local color trends.
Dig into architectural history:
Certain styles are linked with specific colors. Finding out what colors go with your home’s style can give you another place to start.
Breathe easy
Concerned about the pollutants inside the home? We have solutions:
100 Series windows
TruScene® insect screens
Enhances natural ventilation by letting in 25% more fresh air than our conventional insect screens.
A-Series Casement window in clear coat Pine with modified colonial grilles with 2 1/4” rail to simulate a double-hung window in black with colonial grilles.
Get acquainted with 4 popular architectural styles
Modern
Although there are many schools within modernism, this style is commonly associated with a midcentury aesthetic featuring clean lines, oversized windows and a boxy structure.
Farmhouse
This Midwestern classic can range greatly in style from simple structures to elaborate Victorian-esque ones to the modern minimalist homes we’re seeing today.
Tudor
Loosely based on early English building traditions, this style classically features exposed timbers interspersed with stucco and an asymmetrical façade.
Colonial (shingle style)
Rooted in the Northeast, this style of home is usually covered in cedar shingles and takes a pared-down approach to some of the features common to a Victorian.
CREATING A LOOK
Grilles
Grilles are typically considered a more traditional feature, but there are also ways to create a more contemporary look with grilles. When selecting grilles, you’ll be deciding on pattern and application (how grilles are applied to your windows).
Talk like a pro:
Grilles vs. true divided light
Grilles are decorative patterns applied to window glass in various ways (interior, exterior, in-between). they’re meant to imitate true divided light, which historically was a type of window where glass was divided into individual panes. today, you can have the traditional look of true divided light along with greater energy efficiency, as grilles are applied to dual-pane glass, i.e., two sheets of glass with an air space in between.
CREATING A LOOK
Grille patterns cheat sheet
Talk like a pro:
Grille patterns
To describe the grille pattern you want, specify the number of “lights” (individual panes) in each sash. For example, six-over-six is how the “Traditional” grille pattern shown below left would be described and 1 wide by 4 high is how you would describe the specified equal light grille pattern shown in the “Midcentury” example.
Did you know?
- Interior wood grilles are available unfinished (so you can stain or paint them to match your chosen window color) or order them in stained pine, oak, or maple. They’re also available in prefinished white.
- Exterior grilles and Finelight™ grilles will match your window’s color, and they’re made of Fibrex® composite material, which means they can withstand weather and are easy to clean.
Interior view:
E-Series casement window corner section with silver anodized interior painted finish and full divided light (FDL) grilles with contemporary interior grille profile.
Exterior view:
E-Series casement window corner section with clear anodized finish and full divided light (FDL) grilles with contemporary exterior grille profile.
CREATING A LOOK
5 Types of grilles
Grilles can be applied to window glass in various ways. Here’s what you should know.
CREATING A LOOK
Great grilles: 3 takes on tradition
1. Modified colonial grilles are applied just to the top sash of this window for a fresh take on a classic look.
200 Series Tilt-wash double-hung window in white with specified equal light grilles
2. A six-over-six grille pattern lends a classic look to these easy-to-open casement windows.
100 Series casement window in dark bronze interior with colonial grilles
3. On this modern farmhouse, grilles give the oversized picture windows and transoms above an air of tradition.
100 Series casement window in dark bronze interior with specified equal light grilles
CREATING A LOOK
Hardware
Like the knobs and pulls on your kitchen cabinets, window hardware is a small detail that can have a big design impact. We'll walk you through your hardware style and finish options, plus share some tips for matching hardware with window frame color.
Traditional hardware features:
Ridges, curves, textured detailing.
Contemporary hardware features:
Sleek lines, right angles, minimal profile .
3 Tips for selecting hardware
What functionalities are needed?
You want to be able to lower your window treatments without hardware interfering. Folding hardware is a good solution here, especially with casement and awning windows.
What other hardware finishes are already in the room?
Do you want your hardware to match other hardware in the room, like your kitchen cabinet knobs and pulls? Or, would you rather it blend in with the window?
What functionalities are needed?
For example, some double-hung windows come with built-in hardware that allows them to tilt inward for easy washing from inside — an especially nice feature on an upper level.
Photo showing: 100 Series casement window in black with full divided light grilles.
CREATING A LOOK
Hardware and window color
3 Combos for every home
White and silver
For a modern-classic look, white windows shine with satin nickel hardware.
Wood and black
For a contemporary look, natural wood windows with black hardware looks sleek.
Black and black
For a modern look that puts the focus on the view, black on black is perfect
CREATING A LOOK
Window selection cheat sheet
4 Ways to create a look
We’ve identified selections that match four popular architectural styles, so you can see how all the details add up to create a distinct look. Remember, these are only pointers, not hard-and-fast rules. Just because you have a modern home, doesn’t mean you can’t have grilles — there’s a lot of room to get creative with windows.
Modern:
Window types:
Picture, gliding, and casement
Shape and size:
Oversized rectangular windows
Color:
Black or a color that blends in with the exterior
Grilles:
No grilles for a clean look or grilles in a ladder-like pattern
Other notes:
Narrow window frames and drywall returns put the focus on the view in a modern home
Farmhouse:
Window types:
Single-and double-hung
Shape and size:
Windows that are taller than they are wide
Color:
White and earth tones are classic
Grilles:
Colonial grilles in a two-over-two or four-over-four pattern
Other notes:
Add a front door with sidelight on the farmhouse’s quintessential front porch
Tudor:
Window types:
Casement, transom, and bay windows
Shape and size:
Tall, slender windows
Color:
Dark brown and black pop against stucco
Grilles:
Colonial and diamond grille patterns
Other notes:
Accentuate the Tudor’s asymmetrical design by adding a bay window.
Colonial (shingle style):
Window types:
Double-hung and casement
Shape and size:
Windows that are twice as tall as they are wide
Color:
White, grays, and shades of brown
Grilles:
Colonial grilles in a six-over-six pattern
Other notes:
Circle-, arch-, and half circle-shaped accent windows all complement colonial style
Talk like a pro:
Transitional architecture
Today, it’s not uncommon to see features from both traditional and modern architectural styles blended together — hence the minimalist farmhouse. Transitional architecture gives you the freedom to take the best from the past and create something new that fulfills your vision and meets your needs.
GLASS
Glass types
No matter the conditions in which you live, we’ve got glass options that will optimize the performance of your windows based on climate, location, and other needs.
Dual-pane vs. triple-pane glass
Dual pane glass
Dual-pane means there are two panes of uninterrupted glass with an air space in between. The level of energy efficiency this provides meets the needs of most people. But when there’s a need to take performance to the next level, triple-pane windows are the answer.
Triple pane glass
Triple-pane means there’s an extra pane of glass and an extra air space making this our most energy-efficient glass option.
In fact, some A-Series triple-pane windows are even certified to meet the rigorous level of energy-efficiency required by the Passive House Institute US. Find triple-pane glass in our A-Series and E-Series product lines.
ENERGY STAR®
When you see this logo next to one of our windows, it’s an indication of energy efficiency. Energy-efficient windows help lower your heating and cooling costs. Meeting the strict performance requirements of ENERGY STAR® certification requires using glass that will reduce the transfer of heat in your climate. Read more about climate-specific glass in the next section.
“ENERGY STAR”is a registered trademark of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Climate-specific glass
All climates
Low-emissive (Low-E) glass reflects heat in the summer and helps keep heat inside in winter. It is available on all Andersen products.
Low-E4® Glass*
Southern climates
Sun glass offers outstanding thermal performance. It’s available on E- and A-Series, 400, 200 and 100 Series windows.
Sun Glass*
Northen climates
HeatLock® Technology can help stop heat from escaping your home. It’s available on most glass options.
HeatLock® Coating*
*Color of glass is for demonstration purposes only and does not represent that actual color of the glass itself.
What else can glass do for my home?
Is your street noisy? How close are your neighbors? Do you live in a coastal area? We have glass upgrades that can meet all of these needs.
Reduce noise:
For a quieter home, consider STC-upgraded (Sound Transmission Class) windows, triple-pane glass or laminated glass.
Increase privacy:
Increase privacy with options like patterned glass, blinds-between-the-glass* or art glass.**
* Blinds-between-the-glass is available on certain E-Series windows.
** Art glass is available on A- and E-Series windows.
Hurricane protection:
Coastal homes can benefit from impact-resistant glass and structural upgrades that meet strict building codes in hurricane-prone areas.†
† Find options available on A- and E-Series, and 100, 400 Series windows.