When you think of windows, you probably imagine rectangular windows. After all, this shape is very common. However, that’s part of what makes square windows a good design element. Square windows — or squares in windows — can add an element of the unexpected. If you’re remodeling your home or planning a new home, consider incorporating window squares.
1. Modern Asymmetrical Placement
Clean, geometric lines are a characteristic of modern-style homes. However, you rarely see symmetrical placement. That asymmetry is part of what promotes the modern ideal. If you want your house to have a modern appeal, consider integrating square windows offset from the others.
Another hallmark of modern style is the copious use of glass. You may see square and rectangular windows stacking on top of or next to each other. Even if you don’t want to go that far in your modern style, you can create that effect in one wall or one corner of your house.
2. Multiple Lites
On the opposite end of the spectrum, you can promote a more traditional appeal with your windows. Manufacturers have fabricated windows with multiple lites of glass since the 17th century. Back then, the grilles, which created the framework necessary to hold weight, were utilitarian. These days, the multiple square look is often decorative.
You can find multi-lite glass in both window and door styles. The window itself can be square or rectangular. However, the grilles create their own squares. These squares speak to the historical tradition of window making, even if most people don’t know the history, so such installations are ideal if you want a classical appeal.
3. Stained Glass Windows
Stained glass windows are another method for promoting a traditional aesthetic. Historically, manor-style houses and churches only used stained glass windows. That said, manufacturers have started to create stained glass windows with clean-lined geometry and an obvious nod to the abstract, which gives such windows a modern appeal.
Either way, you commonly see stained glass windows in square windows. Manufacturers often incorporate even more squares into the stain design. You can replace any window with stained glass. However, you often see them in entryways — including in the door itself — in bathrooms, and in kitchens.
4. Glass Blocks
Glass blocks are one of those trends that go in and out of style. These literal building blocks are glass. Their frames are square, which gives anything they’re constructed out of a characteristic ice cube look. You can replace the glass in any window hole with glass blocks, which adds textural interest to the area.
The use of glass blocks for windows is common for bathrooms and basements. Homeowners like them for bathrooms because they can range from semi-opaque to opaque, which affords you privacy. People like them for basements because they’re very sturdy and hard to break, which makes them secure.
5. Window Row
Yet another method for repeating squares with your windows is to devise an actual row of windows. This configuration is ideal if you have a long wall. Square windows work well because their repetition takes up horizontal space without eating up all your vertical space. That way, you still have room for furniture lower down.
You often see square windows as clerestory windows, which are windows located above eye level to let in fresh air and light. These clearstory windows can be one lite, which looks modern, or multi-lite, which looks traditional. You can use a row of square windows above the transoms of doors and other windows as well. Such windows can be fixed or operable.
Have a little fun with geometry, and incorporate more squares into your window design. If you’re planning a remodel project or new build, consult with JFK Window & Door Co. for help.
