House/window color -- white/white or white/black?

12 years ago

Opinions please! We were supposed to the order the window days ago, and need to choose a color today!!

I have vinyl siding. I hope not for too much longer, but I'm uncertain of how long. So I have to live with a white exterior.

I am, however, starting to replace the windows because of interior remodeling, adding wall, etc.

I am debating white vs. black (or maybe dark bronze, which is practically black) for our clad windows (Andersen A). The exterior is white (until we reside, if ever) and trim will be white. We are adding trim like the original. Nice, white, thicker trim.

White: "classic", everyone has it, would look good or fine and expected. Would be a lot of white. Could look like a vinyl window. Although white, could fit better with white walls and blend/fit house better.

Black: could look horrible, or really nice, unique, and custom. Curious what this will look like but not sure it would look better. Doesn't look like a vinyl window. If we went with black, was thinking should get black sashes, white frame.

My wife wanted white and me black, I convinced her for the black and liked that idea since most homes of this era (1908) had dark sashes, but now we flipped and I'm thinking the black could be too much contrast with the white, but she likes the custom idea of the black and thinks if we don't get it now we'll never know what it looked like.

They are Andersen A-series, so we consider them paintable and plan to paint if/when we ever reside (who knows).

We keep going back and forth. We like the idea of the black being unique but think it could be a black hole.

Pictures are important. Here we go (I think the black looks more like a black hole than it would in real life). We are starting just with the two upstairs windows.

And, lest you wonder what we were going for in the long run:

Current state:

This post was edited by adam211 on Thu, Aug 15, 13 at 11:30

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Comments (7)

Maine_Mare
12 years ago
I like the white. Primarily because the windows are unique and you can see them better in the white. I understand what you mean about the photo being not exactly what you will see with the black but it does seem to really blend into the rooms and you lose the impact of those lovely cross pieces.
arlosmom
12 years ago
Another vote for white. We have neighbors with beautiful black windows, but unless they have their white curtains closed on the inside, the windows completely disappear.
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old_house_j_i_m
12 years ago
Black. Its more period and no matter what you do in the future will always look good.
Dark sashes improve the appearance of the windows as negative space on the facade. Black interior sashes also practically disappear when you look out the window (try it - look out a white framed window and a black framed window - see which one you notice and which one is practically not there.)
Finally, white tends to look cheap - vinyl-looking, as you said. And why let a vinyl window company decide what color your windows are for you?
I got a feeling youll get white from the way your post was written ...
columbusguy1
12 years ago
Traditional window sash color for your house is black...the other options are a deep green/black or Indian Red. White is not the way to go. The reasoning is that windows should look recessed into the building, not made to glare at the observer or even seem to protrude. For similar reasons, I'd stay away from white trim also...it should always be darker than the body color in my opinion, although period use can go either way on that question.

Consider, if you ever get around to restoring the rest of the exterior, do you want your windows to look like plastic?
maryinthefalls
12 years ago
It's now Sunday, what did you decide? Hopefully black. Although frankly that choice would scare me on my house.
adam211
Original Author
12 years ago
I've chosen black! Thanks for your responses!
function_first
12 years ago
Can't wait to see them -- I think they'll look great in black! We also ordered black windows for an antique home, and I was really worried once the order went in that I'd made a huge mistake. I shouldn't have worried, they're gorgeous, and your will be, too. Hope you'll post pics when they're in.