Bathroom Window Design
Imagine a relaxing soak in the tub after your bathroom
remodel is finally finished. Now imagine the experience with
natural light and the warmth of the sun streaming in from a well
placed and creatively designed window system. Tough to beat,
huh?
Gone are the days when bathroom windows were small, opaque vents
placed high on a wall. Today's design-conscious homeowners are
calling for open, spacious areas that bring "nature" inside.
Jacuzzi style tubs surrounded by custom designed bay windows are
the ultimate in luxurious bathroom window design. Master
bathrooms may feature "French Doors" to enter the master bedroom
and/or enter to an outside spa or sauna.
Accommodate Your Lifestyle
If you've planned an exercise area into the floor plan of your bathroom remodel, it's a good idea to also plan a number of venting windows to allow for plenty of fresh air while exercising. If your bath remodel is actually a spa enclosure, ventilation can come in the form of a high bank of awning windows that can be electronically operated.
Replacement Windows
If you're remodeling a smaller bathroom or guest bath, you
can achieve excellent results by
including an accent window in an angular shape such as an
oval or octagon or perhaps an arch over a double-hung window.
Garden windows help add more dimension to a smaller bathroom
while giving your indoor plants a place to thrive.
Try to avoid placing windows where direct sunlight will strike
your favorite grooming mirror, however. Southern and western
light tend to be more direct and may cause bright interior
colors to appear too intense, whereas eastern and northern
sunlight may make cooler colors appear dull.
Privacy
Design ideas are as endless and as unique as individual homeowners. Equally as numerous are creative ways of achieving privacy within those designs. All sorts of blinds, shutters and interior and exterior screen systems in various materials, colors and styles are available to achieve privacy and that special one-of-a-kind look. There are different obscure glass patterns to choose from as well as tinted glass in an array of colors.
Light
Skylights and roof-windows offer another approach for using glass for light and ventilation in a bath remodel. For safety reasons, skylights are tempered, as other windows in the bath may need to be (check with local building codes). Skylights offer the opportunity to achieve maximum light in a small area. The main concern most homeowners have is leakage; however, this is usually due to shortcuts taken in the installation as opposed to any defect in the product.
Efficiency
With larger glass areas, energy efficiency and comfort become
major concerns. Higher efficiency glass that incorporates low-E2
glass and argon gas has become the norm. "Warm-Edge technology"
is also being introduced by different manufacturers of dual pane
windows. Traditionally, an aluminum spacer is used to separate
the two panes of glass. Tests have shown that aluminum spacers
actually conduct heat through the glass thereby decreasing its
energy efficiency and creating an area around the perimeter of
the window where condensation may form.
As is true with any
window remodeling project, your best prospect for a quality
job is to start with a quality product and have it
professionally installed by a knowledgeable licensed contractor
who offers an extended product and labor warranty.
Contact our Window Specialist today to help you with your window needs.
