You, your family, and your guests spend a significant amount of time in your home’s main living spaces — the living room, kitchen, and dining room — so naturally, you want these spaces to feel welcoming and inviting.
One of the best (and most effortless) ways to enhance your main living spaces with natural warmth is to add different types of windows to your common areas.
Creative Window Configurations for Your Main Living Spaces
Each type of window serves a unique purpose — from looks to function — and can ultimately elevate the mood in your living spaces. These are a few ways to transform your home’s living spaces with different window styles, features, and accessories from Pella.
Bay Windows
Bay windows are a beautiful, functional style with three fixed or operable windows that create an angled curve extending beyond the exterior walls.
Bay windows are an excellent “centerpiece” in a living room or kitchen and will impress guests with their grandeur. The multiple panes of glass welcome plenty of natural light into the home, and the oversized windowsill can serve as a seating area, like a reading nook.
Floor-to-Ceiling Windows
Floor-to-ceiling windows can be a real showstopper in your living room. They invite tons of natural light inside, creating a welcoming atmosphere in your home. Fixed windows are ideal for floor-to-ceiling designs. While these windows don’t open, they are efficient and secure.
Ventilating Windows
When the weather is lovely, nothing is more relaxing than welcoming refreshing breezes through your windows. Windows that open and close quickly — like casement or double-hung windows — are ideal for ventilation in your living room or kitchen.
If you want to keep bugs and pests out while still allowing fresh air inside, you can also invest in durable window screens from Pella.
Awning Windows
Looking for a window you can quickly vent above your kitchen sink while cooking? If so, an awning window is a perfect option. Awning windows are ideal in hard-to-reach places that could use extra ventilation and light. They are also highly energy-efficient.
Window Grids
Window grids (or grilles) are a decorative way to add visual appeal to the windows in your main living spaces. There are several types of grids to choose from — including Prairie and Colonial — to accommodate a range of interior design styles.
You can even choose removable grids that you can snap on when you want to give your windows an extra boost without committing to grilles forever. This is a great option to make your home more marketable when it comes time to sell it in the future.
Aluminum Clad Windows
If you want to showcase the classic beauty of wood windows inside your home but do not want to subject the wooden exterior of your windows to the elements — we have the perfect option.
Pella offers wood windows with EnduraClad aluminum cladding. This protects the exterior of your wood windows with sturdy aluminum while being able to wow guests with the warm, solid feel and authenticity of natural wood.
Black Frames
Black windows are an eye-catching design choice for your living spaces. They are neutral and classic, so they will appeal to future buyers when you sell your home one day, but they are also trendy and “in style” right now, so they can add instant appeal to a kitchen or living room.
Pairing black windows with other black details, like light fixtures or furniture, looks fabulous in a well-lit room with light walls, countertops, and cabinets.
Helpful Tips for Choosing the Right Replacement Windows
While these are all great ideas to enhance your living spaces with Pella windows, you must keep in mind that what may work for one homeowner won’t always work for you. We recommend following these tips when choosing the windows for your home.
Work with the room’s existing theme
The windows you choose for your living room, kitchen, or other shared spaces should match the room’s overall theme.
For example, if you have a traditional home, you may opt for a more classic style, such as double-hung windows, and timeless features, like grilles. If your home is more modern, it is wise to lean toward bolder design choices, like floor-to-ceiling windows and black frames.
Choose the right glass and frames
The windows in your primary living spaces are likely the largest windows in your home. Choosing energy-saving features, like triple-pane glass, a low-emissivity coating, and dense gasses between the panes, can keep these spaces cool and your utility bills low.
Additionally, considering which frame material makes the most sense for you — wood, fiberglass, or vinyl — is important. Wood is an attractive option for classic homes, vinyl is versatile and affordable, and fiberglass is exceptionally durable and long-lasting.
Consider placement and useability
Just because you like how a window looks does not mean you should choose it for your living space design. Functionality is just as important as appearance!
For example, if you love the idea of a bay window in your kitchen, but it would cause your home’s exterior to jut out awkwardly — it may be wise to install a picture window in its place. Or, if you would like to install a casement window in your living room, but it will swing into your built-in barbecue grill when it opens, it might be best to install a sliding window instead.
Transform Your Living Areas with Window Replacement from JD Hostetter & Associates
Regardless of what you envision for windows in your home’s central living spaces, our team at JD Hostetter & Associates would be happy to bring your dreams to life. We install Pella windows because they offer a wide range of beautiful styles, durable materials, and fabulous features that will add elegance and curb appeal to your Indianapolis home. Learn more about the options you have when you install Pella Windows with us!