Seven ways to get more from new windows

Windows affect how a house looks from the street, how efficient it is and what it is worth. They also shape the interior, through the light they admit and the way they look from inside. When you replace them, think about both sides of the glass. Here are seven ideas.

1. Keep the house in balance

New windows should suit the rest of the house. If you replace the windows in one room, make sure they work with those elsewhere. If you replace them all, they should match the architecture: modern windows can clash with a farmhouse. Where budget or timing is a constraint, start at the back of the house. Windows not seen from the street give you more freedom in style and model.

2. Think beyond standard sizes

Consider whether you can add side windows or a transom above. Both bring in more natural light and make a strong impression from the street.

3. Use color

A slim, modern window in a decisive color can update a whole house: deep black, clean white, or something less expected. If you would rather not have a strong color inside, frames can be one color outside and another inside, to match interior trim or molding.

4. Frame the view

If the window is the frame, the view is the picture. A garden you love deserves windows that frame it. The reverse also holds: glass block can screen something you would rather not see, such as a neighbor’s addition.

5. Finish with the treatments

New windows deserve new window treatments. Curtains are largely decorative; shades and shutters are both functional and handsome. Consider how they look from outside too, and aim for consistency across the house.

6. Add planters

Planters at the windows give a little privacy and dress the exterior with color or greenery. If you would rather keep the outside plain, potted plants on the sills inside have a similar effect.

7. Attend to the hardware

Handles, locks and other hardware are part of every window. Chosen with care, they make a quiet statement of their own.