I live alone in a 1500 sq. ft. patio home in Houston and am preparing to replace single pane windows in the familyroom. A major objective is to get as much natural light into the familyroom as possible. The home is contemporary, has a very open floor plan with vaulted ceilings. My home and lot are both long and narrow with the narrow portion (south) facing the street. The kitchen/breakfast room are along the west wall & have no windows although 2 large skylights are above the breakfast area. My kitchen sink is in a peninsula that faces the fireplace and window area (east) in the familyroom. This east area has landscaping & then a brick wall so privacy isn't an issue. The fireplace is centered on the east wall with each side almost symmetrical. There's fireplace, then an 18" wide wall section, next a 70" wide window, finally 12" of wall to each corner on either side of the fireplace. I know that I want those two 70" wide window sections to both end 11.5" from the floor and to be 70" high. My preferences are either a fixed, single solid pane of glass, like a picture window. Or I could divide each 70" wide section into two windows, 33" wide with a 4" section of wall in the middle of the two windows. Even though doing just the two large windows would be more expensive, I favor not having the break of the little 4" wall section. However, I believe the 33" wide window sections would make it easier to operate window shades or whatever is used to block the worst of the a.m. summer sun or the rare really cold winter chilly nights.
It should be added that there is another window, as you round the corner on the left side of that east wall, that is only 4" from that corner. That window is 34" w x 70"h and starts 11.5" above the floor.
Right now there are vertical blinds from the prior owner (which I hate) and am wondering if there is any window covering that is easy to operate in a 70" x 70" window. Do any of you happen to know? Finally, would you do the two wide windows or the 4 narrower? The window people are coming tomorrow to discuss my options & costs, so any insight or info you can provide would be greatly appreciated. I already know the wide windows would have to have safety glass.