Are you planning to give your home a modern design? Are you looking to renovate your outdated look with a contemporary style?
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There are many factors that go into modern home design renovations. If all you have to work with is a typical stick-built home built in the past 50 years, there are actually quite a few ways to create a contemporary style that impresses your neighbors and guests. If you are doing a new build, you will definitely want to consider the suggestions here.
The use of contrasting colors, along with durable materials like steel, metal, minimalist landscaping, and simply a cleaned up front entry, can all be starters for making your home fit modern trends. Some modifications are too expensive and too much work, like adjusting your eaves for passive solar energy, or finding structural metal beams to expose. But landscaping, paint, and windows all can be easy and low-cost alternatives to a major renovation, or new-build change order.
Of all of these elements, replacement windows can have the largest impact on adding modern design to the structure of your home. Most windows that are typical “builder” or “contractor” grade use the lowest end of frame materials, as well as glass technology. Replacing those old, likely drafty, outdated windows, with new energy efficient, modern design windows, will not only give your home an instant design upgrade, but will save energy and add to the value of your home. Curb appeal is easily impacted by new window installation.
Here are three kinds of replacement windows to consider that fit with modern home design:
Awning windows – Contemporary in design, yet flexible options to allow closed or open functions. Awning windows stand out in that they are hinged at the top, but open to allow horizontal ventilation, towards the bottom. Because of their unique function, they can easily set your home apart from others both from the exterior and the interior of your house. They typically work near kitchens and in smaller window openings. Awning windows work especially well with areas that need quick, close ventilation in humid areas, like kitchen sinks, where water and steam are present.(1) They are an ideal replacement window for your smaller or flatter windows that need replacement. Both saving you costs, and adding to home style and feel. And because they are not sliding or have hung sections, they provide unobstructed views to the outside.
Tilt and Turn Windows – Tilt and Turn Windows are a European design that functions much like casement or awning windows, except that they can uniquely open both vertically or horizontally. This allows for multiple ways of ventilation, as well as easy cleaning. They provide homeowners with the luxury of indoor-outdoor feel, along with the security of opening from the top (to prevent unwanted access that can only happen in the bottom of the window). In Canada and the United States, tilt & turn windows are the latest trend in window design, and are highly desirable for replacement windows.
Vinyl Picture Windows – Picture windows are typically one solid piece, with no hung or sliding sections or have operable mechanisms. They work well in the front of your home, where having a fixed window is important for security, while having unobstructed views is preferred. They can be small, or large, however, front windows should be enlarged enough to accommodate at least one large unit that makes an impressive statement.
The frame material is made of vinyl, which is highly energy efficient and reduces temperature transfer. Delco Windows, a window replacement window installation company in Toronto Canada, helped this homeowner give an older townhome a completely modernized update. The modern vinyl picture windows, with black vinyl framing, combined with the dark earthy tones. Finally, the contrasting red door provided an impressive focal point for the home. This, along with metal sided corners, and narrow picture window in the stairwell, all created a modern masterpiece, with a simple floor plan layout.
In summary, choose windows that use the latest technology, and provide a superior feeling of comfort, warmth and solid feel. Thick frames, along with low-E coatings all work together not only for energy efficient and air flow function, but class, style and look as well.
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About the Author
Mike Cutler is a commentator on modern home design and DIY home improvement projects for energy efficiency. He is especially passionate about ways to turn a house into a home. LinkedIn Facebook