The Anatomy of a Window

Learn about window parts, from sashes to muntins.

Marvin Windows and Doors By: Peter Walsh

Windows are made up of many parts. Familiarize yourself with the correct terminology before you go shopping for new windows so you’ll know the individual parts of the window and can easily communicate what you want.

Stiles These are the major vertical supports of the frame of the window sash. They are positioned on the sides of the window.

Sash The sash is the frame that consists of the rails running along the top and bottom and the stiles on the sides. The sash holds the glass in place.

Muntins These are the grids of the window. They can be decorative and just snap into place over the glass, or they can help hold the glass in place, dividing the glass into sections often referred to as lights. Muntins are installed on the outside or inside of the glass or both. Sometimes, they are mounted between two panes of glass, especially on thermal-insulated windows. Windows of this type with the inside-mounted muntins are easier to clean than windows with muntins on the outside of the glass.

Glazing Glazing refers to the glass in the window frame. It can be single, double or triple thicknesses with air spaces in between. Double and triple glazing is the most energy efficient. Glazing compound is the putty that helps hold the glass in place.

Apron This refers to the horizontal board attached to the wall under the windowsill or stool.

Stool Also known as the sill, this part of the window protrudes out like a shelf on the bottom of the window into the interior of the house.

Side Casing and Head Casing Casing is the horizontal and vertical molding that surrounds the entire window. It covers the space between the window and the wall. It can be installed inside or outside the house and provides a finished look.

Jambs These are the side pieces that form the window frame and hold the sash that holds the glass. They run vertically from the top of the window to the bottom.

Rails Rails are the horizontal pieces that connect the stiles or vertical pieces of the window. They help hold the glass in place.

Operator The operator is the crank mechanism that allows you to open and close casement and awning windows.

Latch A latch is the locking device usually attached where two rails meet (meeting rails) on a double-hung window, on the bottom rail of an awning window or on the stile of a casement window. The latch not only locks the window, but it also helps seal the window closed, allowing the weather stripping to effectively block out cold in winter and keep in cool air conditioned air during summer or heated air in for the winter.

Scissor Arm or Extension Arm Attached to the window frame either at the rails or the stiles, the scissor arm or extension arm is extended or contracted by cranking the operator handle to open or close the window.

For those with the shortest commute of all, these dedicated home office spaces make the daily grind a little less grim.

Increasingly, homes are becoming flexible spaces that can accommodate work time, exercise time and meditation time with equal ease. Though sometimes a lap and a couch might be the most convenient desk, having a dedicated workspace that provides respite from distraction can help perk up productivity. When they’re designed without disrupting the aesthetics of a space, a well-planned home office can become an extension of a home’s personality.

From tropic coastal to industrial chic, these five unique home office spaces truly embody “outside of the cubicle” thinking.

Industrial Chic meets Vintage Farmhouse
Tucked away in a unique home by Emerick Architects and Right Angle Construction, this home office set-up blends vintage decor with industrial-style black windows. Custom wood built-in filing and storage cabinets provide plenty of storage, and white wood floors reflect the natural light to keep this space bright and airy.

Tropic Coastal Energy
Whether the views outside of these double hung windows are green or snowy, this tropical home office brings coastal vibes to any work session. A bold wallpaper print creates an immersive getaway, and a comfortable couch offers the perfect reading nook.

Tranquil and Transitional
This light-filled home office is French countryside with a transitional twist. Dark and moody gray is balanced with bright outdoor views and an open, vaulted ceiling. And when it’s time for a coffee break, a swinging French door offers easy access to a sunny patio.

Lodge-Style Luxury
Anything but your typical home office, this rustic space evokes the feeling of a remote outdoorsy getaway without having to leave home. The double hung windows blend into the hand-hewn wood walls, and an antler chandelier and rich leather chair bring a touch of luxury. The reward for a day of hard work? Getting outside to enjoy those lush views.

High Contrast Color
Flanked by bold red walls, this double work station helps beat those dull Monday blues. Crisp white built-ins add an element of contrast and help keep clutter out of sight while also anchoring the space. Up high, awning windows allow for breeze and remind that the sun awaits.

Whether you gravitate towards a more traditional or more eclectic workspace, offices are an easy way to flex the square footage of your home. Let these spaces inspire you to rethink how much you could accomplish.

The new design rules are that there are no rules, even when it comes to painting your window sash and frame in contrasting colors. 

Whether you’re going through the window replacement process, remodeling your home or building anew, there are endless options when it comes to how to paint, stain or finish the items in your home. Though you might assume that a monochromatic scheme is the only choice for windows and window trim, experimenting with contrast might open up new possibilities.

With the renewed popularity of the industrial-chic aesthetic and black steel factory windows, many are seeking thin, clean lines and the contrast of darker window sashes to frame their view. At the same time, white walls are also gaining popularity to create a sense of simplicity and space.

Enter the Mixed Finish Trend

The mixed finish look is often achieved by using a dark paint or stain on the window sash, while the surrounding framing is painted to match the walls around it.

What exactly is a sash, you say? The easiest way to think about a window sash is that it’s the part of the window that houses the glass, and it’s also the part of the window that moves with the glass if the window opens and closes. The frame or casing is an additional layer of stationary trim that frames the window opening to provide a finished look.

To make the mixed finish trend easier to achieve, products in the Marvin Elevate Collection are now available with mixed finish options applied in the factory to eliminate the time usually required to finish and paint on the job site. Choose from bare pine, clear coat, designer black or prefinished white, mixed and matched on sash and frame to create a uniquely contrasting look.

Designer Mary Douglas Drysdale sees the use of contrast as a bold design choice that can help individualize your space. “Color and pattern enliven and actually allow you to see space and its details in new ways,” she says. “This renewed interest in contrast reflects a more daring idea about design.”

Not in the market for replacing your windows but still want to dabble in this latest design trend? Our friends at This Old House have a few tips on painting existing windows to achieve the mixed finish look.

Being able to differentiate between these two popular design styles can help customers better articulate their vision.

When embarking on a remodel or a new build project, a customer might say “modern” when they really mean “contemporary”—or vice versa. Though it might seem like an inconsequential difference, clarifying these terms and asking probing questions can result in a much clearer sense of their vision for the project.

Modern and contemporary styles do share common traits, so explaining the difference can be confusing. Your ability to articulate the differences and explore the aesthetic attributes associated with each means you can better anticipate and translate a customer’s vision across all stages of home design, material selection and construction. Here’s a brief tutorial:

Contemporary

The term “contemporary” refers to the architecture of today, of the moment. If that definition sounds broad, it is. Contemporary is a fluid, constantly morphing architectural style. It shouldn’t be surprising to learn a contemporary home could include a mix of aesthetics—including elements of traditional, transitional, and, yes, modern architecture.

This design flexibility reflects varied design preferences. The fact is, not every aspect of contemporary architecture needs to have a purpose or observe a set of aesthetic rules. If a crown molding is desired in the dining room, why not? Contemporary style reflects the times and buyer tastes. Chicago residential architect Scott Rappe, principal of Kuklinski+Rappe Architects, says “… Contemporary means anything that’s being done in the present.”

In general, contemporary architecture today is characterized by:

• Non-symmetrical shapes, mixed materials, open spaces, curves and/or sweeping lines
• Sustainable, eco-friendly, energy efficient
• Abundant natural light
• Reduced indoor/outdoor separation with alfresco kitchens, outdoor rooms with fireplaces, a feeling of spaciousness
• Mixed-use space: a guestroom that doubles as an office, or a craft and homework space combined
• Aspects of the regional character

Modern

Principles of modern design, which flourished in America through the first half of the 20^th century and continues to enjoy popularity today, includes clean, straight lines with limited detail. This differs from contemporary design, which uses curves and/or sweeping lines versus the crisper, sharper and very spare lines of modern. Windows and doors encompass broad horizontal spaces and are often designed as a ribbon of glass.

“Modern design is a more honest look at what a building is—load-bearing columns, beams that transfer the weight, and not putting things in for decoration,” said Rebecca Comeaux, AIA, LEED AP, Associate at Lake | Flato Architects in San Antonio, Texas. “It’s still beautiful, but there’s kind of a level of honesty and simplicity in the design.”

Other characteristics:

• Rectangular exteriors with flat roofs and a distinct linear framework
• Clean, straight lines with limited detail—crisp, sharp, very spare
• Open floor plans and large spaces that connect to outdoor living spaces and/or nature
• Changes in elevation (split-level spaces)
• Indoor/outdoor space
• Monochromatic color palette
• Spaces with minimal ornamentation and clutter

Industry Response

Building product manufacturers are responding to the growing interest in modern architectural style by offering residential and commercial builders new ways to express the popular aesthetic in new construction and remodeling.

We at Marvin responded with the launch of our Modern product line of windows and doors from the Marvin Signature Collection.

Research shows that views of nature aren’t just beautiful, they’re healing, too.

Most people agree that nature views filled with greenery, trees, and lakes or oceans are calming and restorative, but they might not know that the reason for this is tied to our evolutionary psychology. Going back to our days living on the meadow and savannah, humans have sought certain elements to feel safe, secure, and emotionally balanced. Design that intentionally connects people to nature—a practice commonly referred to as biophilic design—incorporates materials found in nature, daylight, and views to the outdoors to improve well-being. Considering that we spend over 90 percent of our time indoors, buildings designed to maximize the calming effects of nature are needed now more than ever.

From siting that prioritizes a view of the setting sun or lush vegetation, to the creation of cozy spaces of refuge, to incorporating materials and elements of nature indoors, and more, these four projects embody the core elements of biophilic design.

Tinkerbox, Hudson Valley, New York
Designed with materials inspired by nature and grounding views that connect with the outdoors, architect Marica McKeel, Principal, AIA, Founder of Studio MM and her husband Brock designed a private retreat that maximizes views to the south-facing façade, where the sun sets in the evening.

Expansive windows create an intimate connection to the wooded landscape, and a bench seat below a Marvin corner window assembly provides a space of refuge while making the barrier between outside and inside disappear. Sitting at ground level, an expansive deck offers another opportunity to enjoy the surrounding wooded landscapes.

Pleated House, Door County, Wisconsin
This house by architect Sebastian Schmaling, AIA, of Johnsen Schmaling Architects boasts a modest size, natural materials, and an earthy color palette that exist in harmony with the surrounding deciduous and coniferous forest.

With little other visual clutter, the thin profiles of the Marvin windows become clean, crisp picture frames that draw the eye outside. Throughout the home, smaller, strategically placed windows are used to draw daylight into the interior spaces and individually frame curated views of the forest.

“We were trying to create a very neutral interior backdrop against which you see the ever-changing foliage, the colors, the light, the shadows,” says Schmaling.

Nomadic Shack, Galloway Bay, Saskatchewan
Designed and built by Nomadic Shack, this 2,400-square-foot cabin was prefabricated off-site to allow installation on a piece of land so remote that it would have made traditional building practices impossible.

The cabin focuses on natural materials, including a reclaimed barn wood exterior from Montana and a ceiling made of snow fence from Wyoming. Large Marvin windows frame unimpeded views in all directions, allowing a prairie-like view to envelop inhabitants.

Courtyard Residence, Downers Grove, Illinois
Chicago-based firm Kuklinski + Rappe Architects designed the interior spaces in their Courtyard Residence project to look out onto serene, landscaped areas. The home includes a “cloister” that runs along a main courtyard, offering a calming view for family members with special needs.

“The exterior spaces offer sensory experiences: A low concrete wall radiates warmth to the adjacent sitting area, a fountain with shallow basins allows soaking of hands and feet, a courtyard offers a small lawn and flowering tree, and a patio with an outdoor fireplace gives way to rolling, grass-covered berms,” says Scott A. Rappe, AIA, LEED AP.

Marvin windows clad in Cascade Blue echo the deep color of the sky, and transom windows are placed around the perimeter of the living area to allow a view to the outdoors from any position.

Stylist, designer and blogger Emily Henderson reveals her expert tips.

For most of my career as a stylist and designer, I never touched windows outside of covering them up with draperies. I didn’t have to as I wasn’t doing any major renovations. That is until I worked on a project last year in the Pacific Northwest—a high-end investment property I partnered with my brother on in Portland. We put in a top-floor addition, so the existing windows needed to be replaced to match the new windows. Oh man, did I learn a lot about windows during this project. Luckily, I was also working on the overhaul of the mountain house my husband and I bought for our family and there were a few things I learned from the investment property that made a huge difference when I started replacing windows there.

While I’ll dive into all the things you should consider yourself when replacing your windows next, first I want to share something I learned: windows are the eyelashes of the home’s exterior facade. Stay with me here … a home “face” with run-of-the-mill windows is perfectly passable, but once you put those luscious lash extensions on, all of a sudden you’ve got yourself a confident beaut. Of course, the similarities between windows and lashes stops there as replacement windows are a far more stressful decision to make, but I promise it doesn’t have to be. Here are six considerations I’ve learned along the way to help guide you on your replacement window journey:

1. Consider your environment.

First and foremost, always remember that all locations have different environmental needs. My LA house has different window needs than my house up in the mountain where it snows. Things to consider are moisture levels, altitude, temperatures (desert vs. coastal vs. harsh winters). One window does not fit all. Be sure to talk to a Marvin expert to help you determine what you need for your specific environment so your windows perform for years to come.

2. Think outside the (existing) box.

One of the most common oversights I see in renovations is people replacing their windows … for the same window. Yes, sometimes windows need to be swapped out for functionality or energy efficiency, but take a minute and consider what else you might be able to do. Is there something unique or special you can do instead that might work better for your design/how you use your house? For instance, in the mountain house kitchen, we moved the stove to the window wall and decided to put in a slider instead of a picture window to give us the option of opening that up should we need to. We also made the whole thing bigger to let in more light (always do this if you can because no one in the history of home design has ever said, “ugh, this house gets too much sunlight”).

Another thing I’ll add here is to get creative in trickier spaces. We took an existing attic play space that originally had no natural light and thought through how to add in a window because this lady loves her natural light. The roofline is very challenging, so we ended up taking a regular square window and rotating it into a diamond shape which worked great with the slope of the roof but also now feels like a magical moment in the kids’ space.

3. Consider how the light would move through your house during the day.

Of course you can’t always help this, but if you’re a night owl or someone who struggles with sleep, putting a window in your bedroom on the eastern wall … not the best idea if you don’t want light blasting through at 6 a.m. (when you don’t want to wake up until 8). This is also a pretty big deal in a kid’s room. Unless you want your littles jumping out of bed right at sunrise, carefully consider that window placement. The same goes for say, a dining room. The light can get pretty intense at 5 or 6 p.m. depending on the time of year for western-facing windows, and if that’s a time you sit down for dinner with your family, maybe don’t put a window where it might end up blinding you and your children.

4. Keep your home’s style in mind.

When you’re in the middle of a renovation, style paralysis can set in QUICK once you’re faced with 10,000 decisions. It’s very real and can feel like the human spirit can barely withstand such a process. But don’t feel intimidated. I know it can feel overwhelming but breaking it down will make everything feel more manageable. For example, start by just identifying your home’s architectural style and taking a bit of a deep dive on Pinterest or Google to see other houses in that same aesthetic. What kind of windows do they all seem to share? Gridded? Picture? Double hung? Bay? Also take note of the color of the window frame and what you’re drawn to/feels natural to the architecture.

In the master bathroom of my mountain house (which used to be a narrow, windowless room that we turned into the kids room—don’t worry, we added windows), there was a moment to add in a bay for the soaking tub my heart deeply desired. Being that the house is mid-century (built in the 1960s), we felt a grid-less bay of casement windows would best suit this newly added feature (I wanted an unobstructed view of the backyard but also the ability to open the windows if I needed to which is why casement windows are so great). Adding something with a 3×3 or 4×4 grid would have deceived the home’s style.

5. Plan ahead (so you don’t fall behind).

One of my biggest lessons I learned during the project I did in Portland is to ORDER YOUR WINDOWS FIRST. Windows can have a long lead time, so do not put off ordering them, especially if you want to keep a renovation project on track. I’m writing all about the order in which to think about things during a renovation in my next book, but for the sake of this post, it’s important to know that you’ll want those windows in before you close up your walls. It makes everything easier, and helps ensure your window frames turn out clean, correct and perfect.

6. Think of windows as an “investment” rather than “expensive.”

“Windows are so affordable,” said literally not a single person ever. I know. They are an investment, but replacing old windows will likely reduce high energy bills in both cold and hot climates, reduce mold in wetter climates, and generally have a positive impact on the way your home functions. It is also important to remember that windows are actually a structural component of your house, and an important piece to ensuring it stays sound for years to come. Windows are expensive, yes, but an investment that will help pay for itself in the long run? Also yes.

Photography: sara ligorria-tramp for ehd

How Your Windows & Doors Help You Save Money On Energy Bills

While you may think that your thermostat regulates the temperature in your home, there’s a lot of parts that work together to keep you comfortable. If you’re looking to save money on your energy bills, there are plenty of open doors for you to do so.

From upgrading to the latest energy efficient models to installing weather-stripping where it’s needed on your window and doors, you can save money and energy with an upgrade. See how your windows and doors can help you save money on your energy bills.

An upgrade to an energy-efficient window or door can sometimes require the help of a pro. Contact Quality Window and Door today for quotes from pros in your area.

The Importance Of Windows & Doors

You may not realize it, but your windows and doors are hard at work to not only let natural light in but keep your home comfortable. When used properly, they can help you save money on your energy bills. However, old windows and doors can result in wasted money and energy.

To see how important your windows and doors are, you might want to get a home energy audit. This can help you discover what issues you might have in your home that’s letting energy, like hot and cool air, go to waste.

Here are a few steps you can take to make sure your windows and doors are aiding in energy efficacy.

Energy Star Windows & Doors

One of the best things you can do to reduce utility bills is to install new windows and doors, replacing older ones with those that are energy-star certified. This certification means that the windows and doors have passed requirements that make it guaranteed energy efficient. You can have peace-of-mind that your new windows and doors will be taking a big step toward conserving energy.

Energy-star certified products are sold by various manufacturers, so It’s best to consult a pro who can help guide you towards the best fit for your home. The next step is to install them properly.

Weather Stripping

How often do you think of your weather stripping? I would guess likely not that often, but when you feel a draft coming in from a window or door, you’ll definitely be considering how you can repair it. Weather-stripping windows and doors must be redone if there’s any air escaping the home around the entryways. The good news is, that it’s not a very expensive project to take on. If you like to DIY, you may even be able to do some parts of task yourself.

Insulate Windows

Generally, insulation is associated with the fluffy or foam-like material that goes into your walls. So why would you ever consider insulating your windows? Insulation comes in many forms! There are various materials you can use to insulate your windows and let light in. By wrapping your windows, you can add another layer between you and the outdoors. It’s best to do this during winter. Some local hardware stores sell kits where you can easily add a layer of plastic-like material around your window, keeping all visibility. If you don’t care about the view as much, you can hang bubble wrap inside your window frames. This is a great way to keep heat in and provide yourself with additional privacy.

Window Treatments

Window treatments are another way to add another layer between you and the outdoor air. An investment in some energy-saving, thick blackout curtains is one of the best decisions you can make. Not only does it allow for better rest at night, but it helps to keep the temperature in the room steady. On the higher end, blackout curtains can cost upward of $75. This includes noise-reduction features as well. On the low end, you could spend around $25 for a smaller pair. Choose the window treatments that are right for your needs and budget.

Storm Doors

Unlike windows, you don’t want to put a curtain between you and your door. But for an added barrier, storm doors are a practical solution to reducing energy usage in your home. They can help to block outside air from coming in as you enter, and vice versa. Storm doors vary in price. The costs can become more expensive depending on the material and features of the door.

Conclusion

If you’re wondering how you can cut back on energy usage, try using the above tips. Just trying a few simple updates to your windows and doors can help to cut down on utility bills. Contact Quality Window & Door today for an estimate and get saving.