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What is a picture window? A guide to picture windows
A picture window is a window that’s directly built into the frame. It can’t open and close, but it can increase natural light in a room and add curb appeal to your home. Discover the pros and cons, along with some ideas for your home.
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What is a picture window?
They often get called fixed or stationary windows because they don’t open and close like other windows. Instead, they remained fixed into the window frame. They pair with other styles of windows to expand views and add natural light. They often get flanked by other types of windows to allow ventilation into a room.
Picture window pros and cons
They have several advantages and few disadvantages, which makes them an easy choice to add style to a home. Adding one requires some planning and design work, but it can produce breathtaking views. They can come in a variety of shapes and sizes to fit nearly any space in your home.
Pros
Add natural light
They create beautiful views of nature through the seasons and outdoor scenes, like trees, sunsets, or a flower-filled garden.
Remain closed and have better resistance to air leakage.
Add curb appeal: One in the front of your home adds to its appeal and design elements, like grids, can make your home stylish.
Cons
They don’t provide ventilation like other windows. A solution to that is pairing one with double hung windows or casement windows on each side to allow breezes to pass through.
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Picture window styles for any home
They can transform nearly any room in a house, but they appear in a living room most often. Depending on the direction your living room faces, one can open lovely backyard views, lakeside scenes, or ocean vistas. If your living room faces the front of your house, you can take in the view of your landscaping while enjoying the additional curb appeal of a symmetrical picture window with side windows.
A casement picture window can feature casement windows at each end to take advantage of high ceilings with the taller height casement windows can provide. The combination also provides clear, unobstructed views of your favorite outdoor scenery.
Bay windows can use casement windows or double hung windows on each end of a picture window to expand a view. Infinity Bay Windows can have casement or double hung windows at 30° or 45° angles for a more dynamic appearance.
Depending on your aesthetics, you can add a picture window with grilles or simulated divided lites to match your home’s existing style. Window grids have a traditional appeal, but also appear in many contemporary style homes.
They also come in different shapes. Infinity Special Shape Windows, which are fixed windows, have a range of geometric shapes to fit different home styles and spaces. The sharp angles of special shape windows create dynamic looks. Infinity Arch and Round Top Windows also serve as picture windows and create a softer look with curved lines. Both types provide versatility to fit in different rooms.
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Best windows styles to pair with picture windows
We offer several window combinations with picture windows.
Infinity Slider windows with a triple sash provide panoramic views with the benefits of operating slider windows at each end for ventilation.
Casement windows offer versatile views by either flanking a picture window or joining one for a bay window.
You can also pair Infinity Single-Hung or Double-Hung Windows with a picture window.
An awning window with a one above it can create large, uninterrupted views while still allowing fresh air to circulate.
Picture windows replacement ideas
Though they most frequently appear in living rooms, picture windows fit well in several other areas of a home. Some of the best places for them include an entry way above a front door; this is often called a transom window. The abundant natural light creates a welcoming feeling when people enter your home. Arch windows can make an entry way feel grander.
Kitchens and bedrooms with great views make sense for picture windows. You can enjoy watching birds at the feeder in the morning with a panoramic view. A bedroom with one can capture brilliant sunrises or sunsets.
Picture window wall
You can create floor-to-ceiling window looks with picture windows and build a window wall to better connect to the outdoors. The large glass area picture windows creates the opportunity for sunlight to flood the spaces you spend the most time in your home. The floor-to-ceiling window wall look also creates a stunning look that others will envy.
Picture window with transom windows
Pairing a transom window above picture windows provide additional avenues for natural light to enter a space. Transom windows tend to have smaller dimensions but can have a big impact to add warm daylight to a room.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, they do not open. They are a fixed window, also known as a stationary window. They can come in a variety of shapes.
They are always in style. The expansive views and additional natural light they bring to a home makes them popular. Plus, they have the versatility to combine with functional windows to give you the best of both worlds.
They are called picture windows because they frame outdoor scenes like a picture frame. They’re designed to capture scenic views because they have unobstructed viewing areas. Picture windows can make it seem like you’re looking at an outdoors painting or art.