Window Style Guide for Quintessential American Homes

As your leading provider of top-notch window installation in our area, Renewal by Andersen® of Eastern NY has been at the forefront for years when it comes to enhancing various architectural home styles. Our impressive window products work for both traditional and contemporary homes. In today’s blog post, we will help homeowners of quintessential American architectural styles choose the most suitable windows.

Traditional, Transitional and Arts and Crafts

Traditional style homes feature elements that take inspiration from the past, such as refined furnishings and textiles. These homes are designed to exude an aura that is warm and welcoming. They take advantage of symmetry and balance in both the  architectural design and furniture placement. Soft angles and conservative use of color are also apparent in this style.

The transitional style combines the traditional style’s use of comfort and warmth with the contemporary style’s clean profiles. Homeowners living in transitional homes get to experience the best of both worlds, where interior spaces with custom windows and other furnishings are harmoniously streamlined.

The Arts and Crafts style paved the way for modern architecture to flourish in the advent of the 20th Century. This architectural style highlights natural beauty and traditional craftsmanship, a stark contrast to the over-the-top lavish excess of the Victorian-era architectural style that preceded it. The whole concept gave rise to the prairie and craftsman bungalow styles, which will be discussed later.

In the next part of this blog post, your experts in bay window installation in the area will be delving deep into each of the classic American home architectural styles, each of which remains as popular as ever today. We will define their outstanding characteristics and provide design tips for each style.

American Farmhouse Style

This style first emerged in the mid-1800s as a functional home sheltering farmers and their families. Farmhouse style homes ranged from small, simple structures to more elaborate homes that stop short of the excess of the Victorian style. They can be one-and-a-half or two stories tall and feature simple detailing and open floor plans with central chimneys.

For you to achieve that simple, back-to-nature feel that this style provides, consider tall, narrow double-hung windows. Accent custom windows may also be used, particularly on the gables, one of the most prominent features of the American farmhouse style.

Cape Cod Style

The Cape Cod may have taken cues from the English cottage style concept, but this traditional architectural style is purely American. It features steep roofs with side gables and overhangs, gabled dormers, and simple ornamentation. Today’s Cape Cod homes lean toward the transitional style, which adapts the interior layout for modern living while preserving the basic exterior elements.

Your window installation pros from Renewal by Andersen of Eastern NY recommend double-hung and casement windows for Cape Cod homes. For the former, be sure that they have a top and lower sash of different heights that go with the tall and narrow profile. Casement windows work well with the modern versions of this home style, as long as they have grille patterns that imitate the look of the double-hung windows.

Craftsman Bungalow

One of the most notable home styles that emerged from the Arts and Crafts movement, the Craftsman Bungalow possesses an irresistible appeal that makes it one of the popular residential architectural styles today. It emphasizes functionality as well as charm. Natural beauty is one of its strongest assets, with wood a featured element in the interior.

When incorporating windows into this classic home style, you have many choices. A bay window, for instance, works well in a Craftsman bungalow home. Double-hung and casement windows with stained wood interiors may also be considered.

Prairie Home Style

The Prairie home also draws inspiration from the Arts and Crafts movement. In fact, it was one of the first architectural styles conceived in the United States, thanks to renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright. He believed that a structure should appear to grow organically from its site. Prairie homes are typically single-story homes with low-sloped hipped roofs, open floor plans and window and door rows.

For this style, consider casement windows in your window installation project. They feature large, expansive glass panels to accommodate the entry of sunlight into the interior and provide the best outdoor views.

Shingle Home Style

Another distinct American architectural style, the Shingle home is a 19th-Century design concept that broke away from the classical details of the Victorian style home that preceded it. Shingle homes express  American individualism through an emphasis on informality and eclecticism. Here, asymmetry prevails, which encourages freedom of design.

For this style, you may choose to combine accent custom windows with any window style, like casement, double-hung or picture windows. Sashes and frames are often the same color, with some utilizing a heavy contrast to boost depth and character for both the interior and exterior.

As the leading window replacement company in the area, Renewal by Andersen of Eastern NY aims to provide our customers with customizable units that fit perfectly in any home. Expect our products to deliver superior performance with their Fibrex® frames and Low-E4® glass.

Our windows are available in a wide range of exterior colors and interior finishes, giving you plenty of leeway with design. We also offer strong warranties to protect your investment.

Learn more about our double-hung, casement, sliding and bay window styles by calling (866) 479-1700. For more specific advice regarding your home’s style, fill out our contact form to request a free, in-home consultation.