Window Placement 101

Having a bright room full of natural light isn’t always ideal. Some people and rooms don’t always need/want a bright room. So depending on your preference, the number of windows, types of windows, and placement of windows will vary.

Window treatments will help you control how much light comes through the windows, but preference will play a big part in the placement. Having an idea of how much light you would want to have in a room can be a big help in narrowing down the window placement that will work best for you and your home.

Large Windows = Good Views

Are you a fan of large picture windows? Or, maybe you’ve always dreamed of a big bay window with a cozy reading nook? Having a big window can be a great feature to add to a room as long as it’s the right placement for it.

One of the biggest tips to planning window placement for big windows is to make sure they have a good view. While you want to be able to let a lot of light in when you want it, but you also want to enjoy what you’ll be seeing through a large expanse of glass. No one wants a view of a the side of a building.

Comfort and Privacy

Although you want your window placement to look good on the exterior of your home, you also want to make sure it works well for the interior as well. A window may look good from the outside and end up being a pain point from the inside.

The windows should take the use of the room into account as well as the orientation to the sun and wind. Even if you have blackout curtains, you may not want to sleep facing the blinding sun in the morning or having the sun glaring on your computer while you’re trying to work in a home office. This also helps with ventilation and air flow throughout the room and home when windows are open.

Proportion of Glass to Wall

When it comes to window placement, too much or too little of the wall being glass can look off. The ratio will be a bit different from home to home, but it can be easy to get wrong on the extremes when it’s not enough or too much. There isn’t necessarily a hard and fast rule to follow for this; it’s more about hitting the right proportion for that home design and for that room.

Little Rooms

There are some rooms that require windows and others don’t. Rooms like a utility room, mudroom, or laundry room may not necessarily need to have a window per building codes. However, you don’t want to forget about them when it comes to window placement in your custom home.

Natural light in a laundry room, mudroom, or powder room has a way of really brightening up and expanding a space. Not only can this improve the look of the room, but it also makes it more enjoyable for you to use and spend time in the room.