How to choose the right windows and window frames for your home

Window design plays a vital role in the style, light, ventilation and energy efficiency of your new home. They enhance the visual and aesthetic appeal and integrate natural light into your living spaces, so it's essential to ensure you select the right materials and design to complement your home. 


If you're designing a new home, renovating a room or had an accident and need to install replacement windows, we've compiled a list of everything you need to know about picking new windows.

Frame materials

Aluminium

Advantages of aluminium windows include durability, affordability and low-maintenance nature. Available in a range of frame designs and finishes, aluminium windows can add contemporary elegance to your home.


Aluminium windows can achieve improvements in heat gain and loss and can improve the energy efficiency of your home when utilising a double-glaze. The durability of aluminium ensures that your windows won't be subjected to corrosion and are therefore useful in both warm and cold climates. Plus, aluminium is an environmentally sustainable material and maintains one of the highest recycling rates of any metal – a great way to reduce your carbon footprint!

Timber

Timber windows are traditional, elegant and practical, and add warmth to any space. With the option to paint or stain timber windows, you can customise your window design to simultaneously complement the interior and exterior of your home.

While wood windows require a higher level of maintenance when compared with aluminium windows - which may be a contributing factor for homes in wet or coastal climates – they emanate a sense of pure luxury and add character to your home.

Choosing the right window style for your home

Once you have selected your window materials, the next step is to choose window designs that harmonise with your home. This means awakening your interior design skills! There are many types of windows. When considering window design – functionality should be the primary factor when making your decision. Different window types will yield varying benefits – smaller openings will provide improved security, while larger openings allow for increased ventilation and natural light. When selecting window styles; local climate, style, and room size, shape and orientation will need to be factored into the decision.

Round windows - Round glass windows add architectural interest to your home, which gives the nod to traditional décor such as Victorian or Gothic era structures. Round windows are often utilised as a feature in coastal homes, providing a nautical facet.

Picture windows – Picture windows contain no breaks or visible frames and are designed to provide an unobstructed view of your surroundings.

Louvre windows - Louvre windows are made up of thin strips of parallel glass on a track which can all be opened and closed at once, allowing lots of air in.

Sash windows – Sash windows consist of one or more moveable panels arranged vertically. While the sash window was often seen in more traditional style homes, modern interpretations are growing in popularity.

Casement windows – Casement windows open horizontally on hinges mounted on one side. This style is useful for directing airflow into the home.

Awning windows – Awning windows open from the bottom edge, while the top side is fixed. This window style is highly popular and provides excellent home security.

Slider windows – Slider windows consist of side-by-side glass windows that move horizontally along tracks. This style was widely popular in mid-century homes – and are a great way to reference the 50's and 60's era in your home design.

Bi-fold windows – Bi-fold windows are made up of multiple window panes and connected with hinges. These windows can be opened up concertina-style, creating one large opening. They're commonly seen in restaurants and bars and are becoming more popular in new homes.

Bay windows – Traditionally formed with a fixed centre picture window and flanked by one or more pairs of casement or sash windows, Bay windows often form a visual centrepiece in large living spaces.

Window glazing

Glazing your glass windows is one of the best things you can do when you're looking to boost the energy efficiency of your home. This treatment can help prevent heat loss inside in winter or your home overheating in summer. Double glazing window refers to two panes of glass separated by a thin layer of gas. They work as an excellent insulator and can have a significant impact on energy savings.

If energy efficiency is a concern for you, you should also consider a low-emissivity or "low-e" coating on your windows. The layer works hand-in-hand with double glazed windows and will either help to reflect the heat back inside or keep it outside by deflecting UV rays, depending on which sides you apply the coating to.

Additional considerations

Frame colour forms another critical component of your window design. The frame colour will need to synchronise with both the interior and exterior of your home. White is a common choice for window frames, given its ability to blend seamlessly with a variety of interior palettes and its non-polarising nature. On the contrast, black is becoming increasingly prevalent in the design sphere, delivering a modern appeal that works well with contemporary spaces.

Given the myriad of window materials, designs and colour options available, it is crucial to speak with a design consultant to ensure you make the best choice for your home in terms of functionality and aesthetic.


Find more inspiration on our Lookbook and Image Gallery.